Problem # 1: My cat only likes me

First thing to know, when adopting a kitten, it takes a minimum of 2 months to bring it home . Before, the baby still needs his mother: the earlier he is adopted and the greater the risk of excessive attachment . Because to compensate for the lack of his mother, the animal makes his master his reference in terms of maternal figure. A very close relationship is created and the animal can quickly become possessive with his "mother" and become unhappy when his master is not there.

• The solution: Of course, we do not leave a kitten unprepared, we remain maternal and affectionate because the animal needs to develop, but we set barriers . From a very young age, you have to get used to interacting with other people . We choose the moment when the cat is the most relaxed, we do not force it, and we go little by little. It can also be compared to other cats, to encourage him to open gradually .

Problem # 2: My cat does not support my new darling

Cats are very routine animals and they have their places: they pass by such way, sleep at such place, eat there etc. ... And the arrival of a new person in our life and in our home is a shake-up for our 4-legged companion: suspicious, aggressive , it can even defense mechanisms and be unclean ... urinating on the newcomer's business. For the animal, it is to eliminate odors that are foreign to him. No need to punish or scold him: he does not do this out of revenge, but because he feels uncomfortable.

• The solution: Above all, we do not jostle his habits! We continue to feed him at the same hours, we leave his personal spaces available all the time, we avoid putting new furniture or objects in the middle of the paths that he usually borrows. And for the first meeting, we go step by step . The spouse must find the right distance: too far away it may wake up the mistrust of the cat, too urgent the cat may feel invaded. Gradually, the animal will eventually accept his presence, even appreciate it! If he needs it, he does not hesitate to help him to create new places : unusual scratches, we move cat trees and litter near these new places, which the cat has marked.

Problem # 3: My cat does not accept my baby

Cats are not a danger to babies . The risk of illness and choking is non-existent, and in general, recent studies dismiss the cat's responsibility for baby allergies. On the other hand, we pay attention to scratches that can occur when young children want to play with the cat. During the few days following the arrival of baby at home, the cat is completely disturbed and oscillates between feelings of fear, intrigue, proximity, isolation ... A feeling of jealousy can quickly settle down , and the cat then needs to regain control, impose, or move to new places in the house as to monitor what happens there.

• The solution: We pay attention to changes in cat behavior, some signs clearly show that it is disturbed. Unusual meowing, change in toilet habits (too frequent or completely abandoned altogether), invasive or too absent ... We also prepare the arrival of the baby , we respect the cat's places or help him create new spaces if the old ones need to be used for the baby. If these changes last beyond two weeks, we do not hesitate to consult a veterinarian . But be careful, the "evil" does not necessarily come from the animal: as soon as baby walks, we redouble attention because the cat becomes for him a big sweet soft toy with which he wants to play. The two are carefully watched so that they do not injure each other , but they are not forbidden from contact: they have to tame each other .

More information in the book "My cat is jealous, better understand and reassure daily", by Dominique Lachapèle and Nicolas Massal, in the collection My handheld veal Editions Eyrolles, 10 €