When Shaving the Cat is NOT An Option

Our beloved cat, Geronimo is like one of the family and, before the babies arrived, he was the king of our castle. He's grown accustomed to being waited on hand and paw, having the run of the house and sleeping in our bed. The day we set up the baby crib he must have thought, "Great! Another place to sleep" because he wasted no time making himself at home in it. Ick (he spends quite a bit of time gallivanting outdoors and we don't usually know where he's been). He was promptly removed and the crib sheet was laundered.

I gotta hand it to him, though. He's no quitter. He kept jumping into the crib so we started closing the door to the baby's room. Goldilocks soon started testing out the bassinet, activity mat and even on top of my nursing pillow. Hey, hey...wait a minute! What about the baby? Is nothing sacred around here, you filthy animal? One day I was in the kitchen tearing off a piece of aluminum foil from the roll and Geronimo ran out of the room in terror. It turns out he hates the crinkly, metallic sound of the foil. Ehhhhh-xcellent. When the baby's not sleeping I put a sheet of foil in the bassinet and it worked! I've also heard of people using balloons to deter cats from using a flower bed for a toilet...same idea.

If you desire a fur-free home, good luck (unless you own a hairless cat) but here are some helpful suggestions for when the fur starts to fly:

• Designate a "pet-free" zone and block access to your child's sleeping/nap areas, bedroom, den or wherever you decide is appropriate. Keep others (family members & visitors) informed so they can help keep Fido in check.
• Groom your pet regularly.
• Wash bedding as often as possible.
• Vacuum with a hepa filter. That can help control pet dander and dust.
• Use a fur-remover for upholstery.*
• If you have hardwood or tile floors, try to wet-mop whenever you can. This can gather more fuzz than dry-sweeping alone.
• Be realistic- you may not be able to keep your pet out of every room, all of the time. Trust me, they can be persistent and sneaky.

One Last Thing: Consult with a veterinarian and your child's doctor about your pet's hygiene and potential health problems that may affect you or your baby. I found that WebMD has helpful information for those with moderate to severe pet allergies: http://www.webmd.com/allergies/features/survival-guide-pet-allergies.

Our four-legged pal may never reclaim his spot on his throne, but at least we can co-exist peacefully. And, although it may seem like a good solution, I promise to never shave him. 

  

*Here are some products I have tried with some success:

3M Scotch Fur Fighter 849RF-8 Hair Remover Refill, 8-Sheet

3M Scotch 839R-56TP Pet Hair Roller Twin Pack, 112-Sheets