When can you leave cats and babies together unattended?

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Our cats have been mostly spending their time in "their room" (giant finished basement) since our babies were born. I feel bad about it, please no flames, but with two babies there is no way to supervise them at all times an I didn't want to leave them together alone. But how long does this have to continue? When can you leave them together without worrying about either the babies or the cats (obviously it wouldn't be together forever but for sometime here and there while someone is dealing with one baby in another room).

mainerocks

I think this depends so much on your cats and your babies. I have never actually separated mine. I had two cats when LO was born and they were mostly terrified of him, unless he was sleeping in my arms or nursing.  They also never got into his crib or showed any interest in doing so. As he got mobile, they just stayed away from him.

I have a slightly different set now and I would have needed to be more careful (a bit), but my LO is really good with them and they've learned to stay out of his way for the most part. I volunteer at a shelter and have taken LO with me on many an occasion so he's probably more used to animals than an average kid.

Anyway, my point is really that it depends so much. Know your animals and know your kid(s) - and then still be cautious. ) 

GBCK

I'm going to echo that it depends on the critters.

We *just* recently took down the screen door that kept the critters out of my baby's room at night (so we could keep cats out but still have airflow and hear her)--but that was more because of issues w/ waking her up.

I felt pretty OK leaving my cats alone w/ Buffy wby the time she was 6 months old...because El Gato is incredibly gentle and La Doof itton doesn't care.

I'm back to watching them together because Buffy forgets to be 'gentle' and La Doof Kitton can be...I don't want to say 'agressive' but "bitey" comes to mind.  So even when it's 'ok',it may only temporarily be OK.

 

I highly reccomend the screen door solution

Kaiene

So far, our cats are adjusting well to DS.  A couple of them love him, and the rest are kind of indifferent.  That said, they are always supervised at this point.

We have DS in the bassinet of his PNP in our room, and it is covered with a tent.  I got it on Amazon for $70, and J has already tested it out.  Once we move him to his crib, we will get one for that, too.  This way, we can leave our door open and the cats can (and do) sleep with us at night. 

RumbleLina

I never did except for bedtime when I would close DS door specifically to keep them out.  I have very well mannered cats by breed so they have never been aggressive in any form or, as a matter of fact, that interested in him. 

 

DS is now 14 months and I am comfortable leaving his door open. We have also accidentally shut the cats in there at night without realizing it and it's been fine. 

 Leaving them unsupervised awake for a long period of time doesn't happen considering he is 14 months old and is into everything. 

 

ETA: I should add when we accidentally lock them in his room they let us know within a half hour by pawing at the door. They don't stay in there overnight.