Pediatricians and veterinarians alike agree that cats and babies should get to know each other slowly and gradually. In fact, a successful introduction process begins even before your baby is born. "New parents should prepare their cats to meet the baby before they have the baby," Carole A. Chapman, D.V.M., of Best Friends Veterinary Hospital in Florida, says. Begin by familiarizing your cat with your baby's sounds and smells well before you expect to bring the infant home.

This doesn't mean your cat should have the run of the nursery. In fact, it's equally important to teach your cat that certain areas are off-limits now that a baby is on the way. For example, "Don't encourage the cats to lie in the crib," Dr. Chapman says. "Take them out and tell them "no" every time.

The crib must be off-limits to your cat mainly to avoid exposure to allergens and parasites. "Do not allow your cat to sleep in the baby's room," Dr. Chapman says. "Your child may have cat allergies and your cat could pounce on or scratch your baby." It is also possible that your cat could inadvertently lie near your baby's head, which could pose a breathing problem for babies who are unable to lift their heads.

It's a popular misconception, though, that cats suck out a baby's breath or intentionally smother babies. "I've never seen anything about cats smothering babies in the pediatric journals," Kenneth Polin, M.D. a pediatric specialist with Town and Country Pediatrics in Illinois, notes. "It's one of these urban legends."

Although it's best to be cautious, some cats may not even be interested in jumping in the crib. "We were so concerned about our cat, Tigger, lying on our baby Pamela's head and suffocating her," Patti of New York recalls. "My husband Paul and I would close the door to her room but Tigger would scratch at it, keeping us awake. Eventually we trusted Tigger; we kept the door open and Tigger would just sleep under the crib.

To keep cats in their place, Dr. Hunthausen suggests placing a motion detector alarm in the crib or on the changing table. "That way you're not yelling at your cat every time it jumps in the crib, and your cat won't associate scoldings with your baby. The important thing is reducing the stress on your cat," he says. A motion detector alarm, a free-standing unit that runs on a nine-volt battery, can be purchased at baby supply stores and through mail-order catalogs.

As soon as you find out a baby is on the way, veterinarians and pediatricians recommend a feline examination to make sure your cat is free of worms and other parasites and its vaccinations are up-to-date.

"Cat owners realistically can't spend as much time with the cat after the baby arrives, so about six or seven months before, start reducing the amount." That way, your cat will learn to expect less time with you.

If the cat is close with the mother only, the father-to-be should develop a closer relationship with the animal before the baby is born. Then, he can provide extra attention while the mother spends time with the baby, especially if she's nursing.

Prior to baby's arrival is also the time to stop roughhousing with your cat. If you encourage your cat to playfully pounce on, swat at and nibble on your hands and feet, then your cat may attack the tiny toes that your baby dangles over the edge of her carrier or swing. Provide your cat with more toys for entertaining itself, such as pingpong balls that it can bat back and forth or a small box with a toy suspended from a spring.

Before your baby leaves the hospital, send home one of the receiving blankets that the baby was swaddled in. Encourage your cat to sniff the blanket so that it can get to know the baby's scent. And when you bring your baby home, let your cat rub up against the baby carrier and sniff your baby's little toes and face. This is your cat's way of marking its territory and not necessarily a sign of affection.

Veterinarians usually stop short of labeling cats as jealous, but acknowledge that cats are notoriously territorial and may feel stressed about having to share their home and owners with a new baby. If it has a nervous or aggressive demeanor, or if the introduction process is botched, your cat may develop behavioral problems, such as not using the litter box or excessive grooming. If after your baby is born, you drastically reduce the amount of time you spend with your cats or frequently scold or ignore your cats in the baby's presence, your cat may also develop behavioral problems.

Although it's unlikely that your baby could injure your cat, it's still important to teach your baby that it's dangerous to pull your cat's ears, tail , hair or whiskers, to chase it and to throw toys or other objects at it. Teach your child that a cat is a free spirit, and that he or she must let the cat go. Start saying "no" immediately, because no one knows when it clicks in the brain.

If your cat bites or scratches your child, seek immediate medical attention, and watch for swelling of your baby's lymph glands--a sign of cat scratch disease. If a cat draws blood from a bite or scratch, your child should be treated with antibiotics. Never leave your cat and your baby alone together. If you have the least bit of doubt, never allow any unsupervised interaction until your cat shows no signs of excessive fear or aggression. When your baby is screaming or making major movements, or your cat hisses or growls, be wary. The bottom line is not to take any chances at all.