A little background: I have a very sweet, very timid cat named Mia. She has been with us for about 5 years. She was an older kitten when she came to us and we wonder if maybe she had a bad experience before that because she has always been afraid of everything. She does not like other people, children, loud noises, or anything like that and pretty much hides unless the house is quiet and then she will come out and spend time with my husband and I.
The situation: After several years of trying to be parents we have finally been able to bring home our adopted son. He is 17 months old and very active and loud. Mia is not happy. She hides in our bedroom most of the day and we keep the door closed so that the baby can't go in and bother her. She didn't act out for the first two months the baby was here, but the last few weeks she has started urinating on some of his belongings. She does this at night when we are not around. She went on my baby carrier, on the baby's carseat when we brought it inside one day, etc.
What can I do? I am very careful to never let her feel trapped by the baby - she always has a safe place to go since we have a gate set up that the baby can't get past. I have tried to pay extra attention to her when the baby is not around in case that might help, but it hasn't.
Thank you for any help you can provide.
The situation: After several years of trying to be parents we have finally been able to bring home our adopted son. He is 17 months old and very active and loud. Mia is not happy. She hides in our bedroom most of the day and we keep the door closed so that the baby can't go in and bother her. She didn't act out for the first two months the baby was here, but the last few weeks she has started urinating on some of his belongings. She does this at night when we are not around. She went on my baby carrier, on the baby's carseat when we brought it inside one day, etc.
What can I do? I am very careful to never let her feel trapped by the baby - she always has a safe place to go since we have a gate set up that the baby can't get past. I have tried to pay extra attention to her when the baby is not around in case that might help, but it hasn't.
Thank you for any help you can provide.