Cats and Infants

Please share with me what precautions and measures you took to ensure the safety and well being of your infant if you live with cats.

DH and I have 5 cats. They currently have full access of the house and there is a door on what will be the baby's room, which I'm thinking will be closed when the baby comes - we'll get a monitor of course. 2 of the cats sleep with us too, not sure if the baby is supposed to stay in our room in the beginning. My MIL is all concerned about how cats can scale a crib, I blew her off and told her not to worry about it, lots of people live with cats and have babies. I've heard those nettings you hang above the crib can help and my friend has one (she said she never used it as her cat had no interest in scaling the crib - if the baby was in it). I hear from friends a few good tugs of a tail or a fist full of fur and the cats will get the message to stay away from baby. Getting rid of the cats NOT an option, they are our family too. However I don't want a tragedy...

Re: Cats and Infants

well, i dont believe the myth of the cat being able to suffocate the baby. I dont think there is precautions to take, really.

What I do notice though is that most cats dont like babies that can walk, crawl, in other words bother the cat. My cat has no claws but has swatted at my neice ever since she could come near her.

Re: Cats and Infants

My cats have shown wary interest in my DD (4 months). Generally, they leave her alone, but come to investigate during tummy time.

That said, they are not allowed in her room. If DD is in her crib, the door is closed. My big fear is my male cat. He's a huge cuddler and just loves to lay across DH and I. He's tried to lay on the baby a few times while she was laying on the bed with me.

No child should ever be left unattended with any animals anyway, so I don't see there being an issue.

Re: Cats and Infants

Oh I totally don't beleive in that "old wives tail" about cats stealing a baby's breath, but it's the cuddling they may try to innocently to or jump into the crib and land on a newborn who will weigh less than my fatty catty's. I would never leave the baby unattended with the cats... but I'd feel the same about a dog or any other animal. My kitty's love to cuddle, I know they won't mean any harm, but I was concerned something could happen... actually it's my MIL who hates the cats that's driving me nuts. Just today when DH called and mentioned he had a cold she said "maybe it's the cats"... in fact anytime we have even a sniffle we get "maybe it's the cats". Maybe it's MIL!

Re: Cats and Infants

I would just try keeping the door of the baby's room closed when you aren't there. I think your MIL is just paranoid.

But before the baby actually comes - I did read up on something called toxoplasmosis. (I thought that was the source of the "cat stealing the baby's breath" myth).

Its a virus that outdoor / indoor cats can pick up from soil or eating infected prey. It can cause issues for pregnant woman. You aren't supposed to clean the box (or garden for that matter) if you are pregnant. But if the cat indoor-only, it shouldn't be an issue. Also if you (or your cat) have already been exposed - you are fine. There are only a few days that the cat can actually "shed" the virus. The same virus can also be found in raw or poorly cooked meat and in soil. I also checked with my vet about it. It's nothing to be worried about, I just wanted to separate fact from fiction.

Good Luck


ETA for the "getting rid of cats is not an option" comment. I think cats sometimes have a bad reputation . My MIL isn't fond of them either.

Message edited 10/21/2007 10:07:39 PM.

Re: Cats and Infants

I have 5 cats and they too have free roam of the house, except for our bedrooms, we keep the doors closed.
DD's room the door is always closed and if we leave it open we purchased the crib tent.
downstairs in the den is the PNP. only 1 cat ever jumped in it to investigate when she wasnt in it. Otherwise they leave her alone. In fact she goes to grab for them and they run.
I never felt alarmed of them suffocating her or trying to lick the milk off of her lips. Its strange they actually knew to stay away.

Re: Cats and Infants

I have one cat and a dog....now that my boys are walking, and chasing after the cat, Blackie wants NOTHING to do with them, he just runs.
Even when they were infants, he didnt car that they were in the room or even around.

Re: Cats and Infants

try and start to keep the room isolated now before baby is here. You'll probabyl find that they have little interest in the baby. I was really concerned about this as well. DS is 3 months and cats have ben adjusting very well so far. They are only slightly curious but not enough to ever go in his crib, PNP, swing, carseat. Its weird because they have free run of everything in the house. They have no problem scaling tables, chairs, sofas, our bed, entertainment center. They are everywhere. But they don't go near the baby's stuff which is good. I am also careful about never leaving the baby unattended with the cats. If he is sleeping, the door is shut and I immediately take a role call of the cats to make sure that they aren't locked in the room. I've done it before at 4am and they actually scratch from the inside to get let out. I beat myself up that night for what could have been. They also love to cuddle. So I worry too. When I am in the room with the baby I let them roam around. They love to go on his armoire and look down on him in his crib. On a rare occasion they do scale the outer perimeters of his crib (not actually in it). Start getting them used to it now. It will be an adjustment for them. My cats were my children before baby. Good luck.

Re: Cats and Infants

The precautions I took while pregnant were:
- I did not clean the litter box. 100% DHs job!

When Baby Arrived: Simba was curious, would go up to him "sniff him" and walk away.
Now, 9 months later, DS is in love with the cat. Laughs at him, "Yells" when he comes in the room (all excitement).
While DS is playing on the floor, Simba will come and lay right next to him.

*DSs Bedroom door is always closed*