Babies & Cats?

Question

Would anyone happen to know if it would be dangerous to have a cat around the house with a new born baby? I really want to get a cat but i'm about to have a baby in April, but I decided that if I do get a cat I was going to declaw him.... But still is it dangerous to have a cat around?

What I mean by it being dangerous, I mean by the cats hair... Isn't that dangerous for the baby?

Answer 1

No it's not dangerous! The 'taking a babies breath' is a myth, it's a good idea not to leave the cat alone with the newborn for extensive periods of time but it really should be fine. It's even good for children to grow up with pets; apart from learning how to act around them when they get a bit older, even from day one having a little cat hair, dander etc will actually help them built a better immune system! Kids growing up on farms, in large families, attending daycare with lots of other kids, or growing up in homes with pets instead of getting sick from all these 'contaminants' build up a healthy immune system and have less risk of asthma.

And you won't even have to declaw your cat, declawing is illegal in my country and in most of Europe, even SoftPaws are hardly sold, and yet we have lots of cats, lots of newborn babies, and our kids really aren't scratched up all the time :) (nor are our couches and chairs, btw). Please show concern for the cat too, de'claw'ing is really amputation of the toes, and while many cats come through it fine after the initial healing period (which is always painful), many others turn into biters, stop using the litterbox, or get problems later on in life either with regrowths or with arthritis because their entire posture changes after being declawed.

Answer 2

I had 4 cats when my kids were born, and they were wonderful. You will not want to change the cat box while you're still pregnant. There's a small risk of you getting toxoplasmosis from it.

I have always had cats, and have always had cats and I grew up with cats. I also have dogs and birds.

I don't declaw cats- I don't like the practice. The cats have always been gentle with my kids. My kids have learned to be gentle with the cats, too, because cats will provide a scratch if a child is too rough. This isn't a bad lesson for a kid. I have photos of my kids taking naps beside cats. I have a photo of me holding my older son when he was a newborn... under him was my big siamese cat, just grinning like this was the best thing ever.

Both of my teenaged sons are cat lovers - they like the cats better than the dogs! They like the dogs, but they love the cats.

Answer 3

I have an 8 week old and 2 cats. They pretty much leave him alone. We love having them but they do get in the way some times. Just make sure they don't try to sleep with the baby. Otherwise they are great fun and I'm sure the baby will love a cat when they get a bit older.

Answer 4

Cats and baby's are fine...but since you are due fairly soon, I would suggest have your baby and get used to being a mommy. Then get the cat. The cat will probably take easier to the baby that way (its' coming into the house with the baby...the baby isn't coming into it's house).

I have a cat with my son and they are fine together..but my cat was 4 when my son was born, so there was a slight adjustment period.

Answer 5

The only hazard with having cats and a new born is that you have to make sure they won't smother. I have 2 cats, and started preparing them before my baby was born (i.e. they were not allowed in the crib or on the change table, etc).

I wouldn't recommend de-clawing your cat, it's inhumane and not necessary, keeping on top of cutting their nails is sufficient enough. Cats have an ingrown need to scratch and work those muscles, and taking away that ability is not recommended. http://www.declawing.com/

Answer 6

Not unless the baby is allergic.

By the way, declawing a cat is cruel and irresponsible. It's not like they just remove the claws...they remove the joint too so it like having your fingers cut half way off. If a declawed cat is your only option, adopt one already declawed.

Answer 7

I have 4 cats and am 21 weeks pregnant with my 4th child, I am not worried about my cats as I know they will not be around the baby unsupervised. The issue will come at bedtime when they are no longer allowed in our bedroom, as of now they sleep with us, when the baby comes they won;t be allowed to as the baby will be in our room. I honestly wouldn;t worry about it.

Answer 8

Why would it be dangerous? Oh - you mean for the cat?

If I caught the cat doing something with the munchkin it would be skinned in a heartbeat.

Answer 9

i bought a kitten when my son was 5mths old, my baby grabs the kitten and drags him about all over the place and coz they've been together for a while the cat is surprisingly tolerant and never gets his claws out on my baby! i never left them in the room together when my baby was younger and used to sleep in the day in case the cat jumped on him, as they have a reputation to suffocate babies by sitting on their faces coz its warm, now i can leave them alone together as my baby chases the poor thing around in his baby walker!

Answer 10

Wanna understand whats extraordinary? i became a bored 2d grader and that i desperate to make a music approximately that. Ahem.. as quickly as there became a baby who met yet another toddler and then that they had a baby and then the babys toddler had yet another toddler and that toddler had yet another toddler etc.. Its a by no ability ending music