Pets and Babies

[floridamcmarion1]

I am curious how other people's pets have reacted when you bring home a new baby. We have one cat that doesn't care at all as long as you make sure there is also room in your lap for her. Our dog likes to get in her occasional lick and loves to run and play with the older kids. Then there is Cleo. She is the weirdest cat I have ever known, and I have known quite a few cats in my life.

Cleo was a very sweet kitten and attached to us and the dog very quickly. We actually got her and the dog the same day from the same pound. When we started foster care she made it clear that she thought our home was no place for children. She hid at first. Then she came up with another way to show her displeasure. She always seems to blame either myself or my wife for a new child. Whoever she blames gets the wrath of Cleo. She will pee on our bed, making sure to pee directly in the middle of whoevers side she is mad at. We started putting a tarp on our bed each morning, and that helps. We have to keep that up until she gets over herself and starts to talk to her victim again. She decided my wife was at fault for our new baby and started her assault last week. Yesterday she made up to my wife, so we knew her bedding was now safe. Obviously she has now decided that Faith is my fault. While my wife was asleep and I was up with Faith Cleo decided to pee on my side of the bed. One time when she was REALLY mad at me she jumped into my lap when I was sitting up in bed under the covers. She proceded to pee on the covers as she sat in my lap. Needless to say she learned to fly that night, and my wife was laughing hysterically as I chased her all over the house trying to hit her with my pillow. She usually gets over herself in a few days, thankfully. When she isn't peeing on us she really is a sweet cat.

So, in what strange ways have your pets voiced their displeasure with your new babies?

[tt3]

We've got a cat and dog as well... the cat just doesn't like me, and thats cool, feeling is mutual. I swear though, you are a very patient man! If "our" cat peed on our bed more then once it ... well... it just wouldn't :twisted: I digress. The cat has always been kind of aloof, so there wasn't much of a change in its behavior.
Our dog though had a bit of a time of it. For the first week or two she wouldn't eat, threw up when she did and was just all around miserable. Can't blame her either. We tried our best to include her and she got over it.
With Tara running around now, she chases the dog quite a bit, so its a good thing the dog usually sleeps upstairs (off limits to Tara) during the day.
The animals have adjusted really well to her, just in time for the second baby to come! :lol:

Oh, and the fish absolutely adore Tara, they follow her whenever she's up to the glass!

[floridamcmarion1]

Throwing Cleo outside isn't an option. She is an inside only cat who has been declawed. The only time she has been outside was when my oldest daughter left the door open one day. She wandered outside to investigate, and then hid in the bushes when my daughter came back home. My wife got home 3 hours later and heard a whine at the door. She opened the door to see Cleo bolt for our room to hide under the bed for two days.

She really is a sweet cat when she isn't being :twisted:
Not to mention that she is the world's best fly catcher. She seems to be trying to make up to me this morning. She's probably tired of me whacking her every time she jumps onto the bed.

[Jackson's Dad]

Our dog Dexter adjusted pretty well. At first he was a bit confused, but there was no real change in his behavior. Now he just knows that he needs to fight for attention from us. We'll be dealing with a crying baby, and here comes Dex with a toy in his mouth. It makes you feel so sad, like you are ignoring the poor guy! He often looks up at us with this "but you always hold him!" look. Sometimes, when Jackson is really fussy, he'll get up and wander to the absolute farthest point in the house to sleep.

We used to never let him sleep in our bed, but when Jackson came home, we started to. Our reasoning was, we wanted to let him know he still had some rank in the pack. He loved it at first. But lately, he's started to jump off in the middle of the night. I think he likes his privacy too.

Dan[/b]

[Remington]

We got 3 kittens for each of the kids about a year ago so they grew up knowing all of the kids. I will let you know how the cats take the new baby in December! :D

[mjknapp]

We have an extremely large dog, that is so gentle with our 3yr old and the baby. He lays down next to the baby and lets him pull his ears, jowls, and everything else without budging. He is an extremely well behaved dog. Our cat usually does pretty good with the kids, if he gets tired of the kids bugging him, he just goes upstairs.

[mjknapp]

We have a Cane Corso. The best way to describe him is an Italian Mastiff. I have put up many pics of him on here, but I will put another one up now, just as I love to show him off.
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4d934b3127cceb21d191fa3a90000000610

[katlinsdaddy]

we have 3 newfoundland dogs and you couldnt ask for better dogs with kids. They love Katlin and let her climb on them and hug them, pretty much anything she wants. We make sure she is nice to them but let her do what she wants with them. They've also been very good about not messing with her toys just playing with their own.

[Remington]

Hey Mike, that is a nice looking pup right there. I want to get us a dog but come december I will be looking after 4 kids under the age 5 and a few cats. I don't think it is the right time for one. When I get one I want to be able to give it lots of attention.

[mjknapp]

I agree Rem, If you dont have the time to spend on a new puppy, it will become a demon dog that noone likes. You are on the right track in waiting, My wife keeps talking about a new dog, but I keep telling her I dont want to train a dog all over again, alot of work and patience in training a puppy.

[Jackson's Dad]

OK, I had to post a pic of our own pup, Dexter. Well, not so much a puppy anymore, he'll be two years in October.

http://homepage.mac.com/caradansroka/misc/dexter400x300.jpg

Yeah, getting a puppy is a lot of work, especially if you want a well-behaved dog. I'm glad we got Dex when we had the time to take him to training classes, meet the vet often (so he wouldn't get scared), and socialize him with other dogs. He's the best dog there is. Can't wait until Jackson's old enough to play with him!

Dan

[floridamcmarion1]

We have the ultimate mutant dog. She is half pit bull and half dachshund. We got her at the pound, so I'm not sure which breed was the father. She is shaped like a dachshund, but has the brindle pit colors and muscles. Her head is total pit, except for one ear. She has one pit ear and one dachshund ear. She is our supercharged weiner dog, as she weighs 51 pounds, but is only about 15 inches tall to the shoulders. One of these days I'll figure out how to post pictures and put one up of her.

[mjknapp]

We have the ultimate mutant dog. She is half pit bull and half dachshund. We got her at the pound, so I'm not sure which breed was the father. She is shaped like a dachshund, but has the brindle pit colors and muscles. Her head is total pit, except for one ear. She has one pit ear and one dachshund ear. She is our supercharged weiner dog, as she weighs 51 pounds, but is only about 15 inches tall to the shoulders. One of these days I'll figure out how to post pictures and put one up of her.

Sounds like a pretty cool looking dog, can't wait to see some pictures,

Here is a pretty good explanation on posting pics on here http://www.dadstayshome.com/dadforum/viewtopic.php?t=139&highlight=post+picture