It is not unusual for a pet to be nurtured and even spoiled, becoming the 'baby' of the family.
This is fine if it suits the cat's temperament and everyone involved, but problems can arise when a real baby is suddenly introduced into the household.
The problems can be severe if the cat is mature and has had little, or only negative, experience of babies and young children, particularly during the important kitten socialization period of between two and seven weeks.
Many of us acquire our cats when they are well past this stage or don't have the opportunity to introduce tiny kittens to small children.
Although it is not impossible to make up for this lack of early experience in later life, it is best to make plans and preparations well in advance of a baby's birth.
