My husband and I are having a dilemma because we have 3 cats, one about 7 years old, another is 2 years old and the other is just a few months old. The two youngest are boys and always playing and fighting and making a lot of noise, which of course is also a problem because I'm almost 8 months pregnant and already having trouble sleeping. Also, the apartment is about 550 square feet, which is barely enough room for us two. Also, I have asthma and allergies.
He just can't see a reason to get rid of the cats, and by that I mean finding a home for them, not giving them to a kill shelter. I'm not only bothered by the lack of room and discpline these cats have, but cleaning issues when the baby starts to crawl, the fact that they may try to get in the crib with her, or they may accidentally scratch her like they do us and my husband won't cut their claws on a regular basis. Please give me some advice!
2006-10-09 09:13:29 · 17 answers · asked by butterflywings208 2 in Pets ➔ Cats
I hate to say it, but I have heard of cats sleeping atop baby's faces & suffocating them.
Get rid of the indoor cats - put them outside, put an ad on craigslist or move to a large place where they can have their own room.
Which is more important - the baby or the cats?
2006-10-09 09:23:04 · answer #1 · answered by mortyfint 3 · 0⤊ 5⤋
First of all, cats DO NOT smother babies. This has been a myth that has been going around for centuries. Yeesh, people, check your facts.
I would say keep the cats, except that you are having problems already, and it looks like in your small living space with a baby, that 3 cats are a problem. One cat would be fine.
I would suggest keeping the oldest or best behaved cat. The kitten is easily adoptable, and you should check your yellow pages or Google for a no-kill shelter or cat rescue organization in your area.
If you keep your litter box clean, there is no risk to the baby from having a cat. Indoor, only cats do not carry toxoplasmosis.
Make sure your cats are spayed and or neutered.
Yes, it's possible the baby will get a scratch when they get to the pull the tail on the cat stage of toddlerhood. But this will teach the child to respect the animal, and quite frankly, there are more serious things in the house to worry about with a toddler, like covering the outlets, locking the cabinets and keeping cosmetics, medicines and other things out of baby's reach.
One cat maybe about all you can handle with a baby. If you think you can't even have one, then by all means find a no-kill shelter. Cats and babies can live together with a little forethought.
P.S. start training your cat now by trimming it's claws every two weeks, and get your husband to help. If he won't trim claws, what makes you think he'll change a diaper when the time comes?
2006-10-09 09:48:55 · answer #2 · answered by phantomlimb7 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I have read all the other answers and they all make good points.
I grew up with 16 cats & I now have 4 cats, 4 dogs, 4 ferrets and a 2 month old baby. The cats are not allowed in the baby's room, they are fixed & only 2 are declawed. Cats can suffocate babies, but most would just rather stay away from them.
However, if they are your husband's cats, he needs to be responsible for them(BTW, I'm sure you know you should not be cleaning the catbox while pregnant because of Toxoplasmosis). If he really wants to keep his cats, he will find a way to come up with a compromise that works for both of you.
2006-10-09 11:08:46 · answer #3 · answered by sapphireblu76 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
We had 13 cats at the time when we had our daughter. We now are at 8 cats and our daughter is 4 years old....3 cats sound pretty good!!
We just always make sure her room is off limits to the cats by keeping the door closed. We have taught her to be careful with them and it's been a great teaching tool for her to learn about animals and interact with them.......since we also have dogs.....
The cats pretty much stayed back from her when she was little and crawling and then running around. Today I have a few that still stay upstairs when she is up and about and will come down after I put her to bed...3 cats should be no problem!!
If you are worried perhaps you could find a home for the younger one and that will help some. But as long as you plan it out and make sure the cats still get the care they need and deserve and you teach your kid the right way to interact with animals all should be fine! : )
2006-10-09 09:29:26 · answer #4 · answered by bratty1 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
You are in a very tight place. I don't normally approve of dumping your animal because a baby is on the way, but seems like you have some good reasons. If I were you, I'd try to come to a compromise with your husband, and find good homes for the younger two. The 7 yr old cat, will not adjust well at this point in it's life, so I'd consider that one a keeper. One its own, and being older, it and a baby should do just fine.
2006-10-09 09:33:39 · answer #5 · answered by buggsnme2 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
We had 2 cats when our son was born. We kept the cats, and had no problems. The cats never did scratch him when he was small - they generally avoided him. He was several years old before he even stood a chance of catching them.
As for the cleaning issues, just vacuum often, and clean up any messes, and you should be fine. Of course, the litter box should be someplace where the baby can't get to, and the cats should have some place they can go where the baby can't get to them, too. Behind furniture is usually a good spot.
Some doctors think that trying to keep your house absolutely clean and not exposing a baby to any dirt at all is part of the cause of allergies and asthma. When their immune system encounters dirt and dust later on, it over-reacts because it didn't encounter these when the baby was young.
And cats don't suffocate babies - that's an old wive's tale.
2006-10-09 09:24:14 · answer #6 · answered by Ralfcoder 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
There is no reason to get rid of the cats. My nephews grew up with cats, and there were no problems. If your asthma and allergies haven't killed you yet, they won't once your baby is born either, that is no good excuse, although you seem to be trying to find one. They are part of the family too, to "dispose" of them now is heartless, because animals have feelings too. Animals and babies also get along well together, they seem to know enough not to hurt each other, but if you are going to be rotten to them, then let them go to a good home, not a shelter, kill or no kill. It sounds like your husband loves them, and would be heartbroken, and guilt ridden if you were to get rid of them, how can you do that to him? It shouldn't even be open for discussion.
2006-10-09 09:56:13 · answer #7 · answered by frillylilfilly 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Wow. My advice would be to get a bigger place. 550 square feet is a broom closet! As for the cats, why not get them declawed and fixed? We have always had 2 to 3 cats and they never bothered our children when they were babies or even now. We did, however, always have enough room to live in and the cats all are fixed and declawed.
2006-10-09 09:30:12 · answer #8 · answered by AsianPersuasion :) 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I agree with P*Kitty. You should try to find a home for them. I had a similar situation when I was pregnant. I had two cats. Unfortunately the oldest one died when I was 7 months along. However, after my daughter was born, I simply didn't have the time for my remaining cat. I couldn't pick her up and spend quality time like we did before the baby was born. Eventually, I gave my cat to my mother, and things couldn't have worked out better. They are both extremely happy to have each other. I miss her, but not as much as I thought I would. Perhaps if your husband sees how much work it will be to care for 3 cats AND a baby, he'll see that giving the cats to loving homes will be the best thing for them.
2006-10-09 09:25:55 · answer #9 · answered by mommyofmegaboo 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋
You have got to get rid of the cats. Your life just isn't equipped for 3 animals and a new baby. I promise, you are going to naturally want a really clean healthy environment for your new child, and a really small apartment with 3 animals isn't it. You have got to make the decision to get rid of the animals, even if it upsets your husband for a couple of days.
2006-10-09 09:22:39 · answer #10 · answered by Brutally Honest 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Sounds like they are more your husband's cats than your cats- if they were your kitties, would you be willing to give them up?? Your baby's safety should always come first.....your husband should be clipping those claws for the cats's safety as well as your own! Good luck, If I were you, I would give the kitties a chance to prove that they can behave themselves with a new baby!!
2006-10-09 09:22:00 · answer #11 · answered by Jessiham 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋