Wilbourn suggests a multifaceted approach with cats, including a lot of feeding, petting, name-crooning and general attention around the time that cat and baby meet.

CNN: When beloved pet and new baby collide

She also recommends desensitizing the (poor) cat by playing a recording of a baby crying, and perhaps having a friend's child come over to play so the cat gets used to kids, and presumably is then less prone to a full blown freakout when sticky hands grab its tail.

CNN: When beloved pet and new baby collide

"A cat can withdraw, stop eating, develop a medical problem, deviate from normal cat habits -- urinate or defecate outside of box, become destructive, anorexic, aggressive, " says cat therapist Carole Wilbourn, adding that a very anxious cat could even attack the baby or other family members.

CNN: When beloved pet and new baby collide

On weekends, she volunteered at a big-cat sanctuary in Leaside, cleaning out the cages and playing with the baby lions.

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