I don't own any pets (of any kind) at home, but here (in Greece, where I am for vacation) my mother owns 8 cats and 1 medium-sized dog. I was afraid at first as to the reaction of the animals to Victoria, but I didn't have to be after all. Some of the cats liked the baby right away, but didn't show it as much (don't forget that cats are independent creatures, and only trust people they know).
The dog, however, showed great interest in Victoria! As he came to my mother from a previous household with 3 children, it was expected for the dog to show that kind of interest. He sat on Victoria, but not with his whole weight and not on her face or close to her head. He just wanted to show that he accepts the baby as part of the pack (the family for a dog is his/her pack [pets and people alike]). From then on, he stays close to her and protects her when we go on walks from strangers (keeps close to her) and keeps close to her when she's sitting on the floor, watching her like a hawk.
Introducing your baby to the family pets is an important step. Some people decide to do it using a piece of clothing first. Others show the baby to the pets right away (like I did with my daughter). It's up to you how you choose to do it, and either way you choose to do it the responsibility for your action is yours. As a parent, just follow your instinct, it's almost never wrong. You know your pets better than anyone, and you know how they act when nervous or aggressive. So follow your gut feeling and don't doubt it!
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