New parents have enough to worry about when bringing home a baby from the hospital. When your home consists of a cat (or two), parents are naturally concerned about the introduction of pets to baby. Follow the steps below to ensure your baby and cat are properly introduced.

Step 1: Before your baby arrives, take your cat to the veterinarian. Make sure your cat is up to date on his vaccinations, flea medicines, etc. It’s also a good time to have your cat’s claws trimmed.

Step 2: Set up the nursery and allow the cat to become familiar with the items inside the nursery. The diapers, clothes and toys will all have new scents and your cat should be allowed to become familiar with them. However, make sure your cat is never allowed to jump on, in or near the baby’s crib.

Step 3: If you anticipate that some house rules will change when the baby comes (for instance, the cat will no longer be allowed to jump on counters due to knocking bottles over) institute those new house rules in advance of the baby’s arrival.

Step 4: Once the baby is born, have your spouse or a friend bring an article of clothing home to the cat that the baby has worn. Allow the cat to smell and become familiar with the baby’s scent.

Step 5: On the big day of the baby’s arrival home, have the person with the best relationship with the cat enter the home first. Ideally, this person should have a treat or a toy and should spend a few minutes with the cat alone.

Step 5: The parent with the baby in the car seat should enter the home next. Set the car seat down and allow the cat’s curiosity to take over. Allow the cat to sniff the baby, but not lick the baby. If the cat seems uninterested in the baby, do not force a meeting; the cat will eventually make your baby’s acquaintance.

Step 6: Even if your cat seems comfortable with the newest arrival to the home, never leave the cat unattended with the baby.

Step 7: Make it a point to spend time with the cat every day, doing the activities you enjoyed together before bringing home your new baby.

By starting off your cat and baby’s relationship on a good foot, they are likely to join a bond that will last throughout your baby’s childhood.

This article was provided by pet super store. A online pet store for dog tracking collars and pet crates.