Can I have a cat while pregnant?

Question

I am 2 months pregnant and I just wanna know if I can have a kitty while pregnant??

Answer 1

Ask your ob/gyn - but when my wife went through it, hers said that unless you have a pre-existing allergy, all you need to do is clean frequently (to reduce the animal dander) and stay clear of the litter box and have someone else change it(something in the litter itself if I recall).

Hope this helps.

Answer 2

Don't listen to the person above, the fumes of the cat urine doesn't damage anything. The only thing that you should be careful with is called toxoplasmosis. Outdoor cats will get this from feeding on rodents and such. Cats only carry it for a brief amount of time and then they don't have it anymore and if they have it, it can be passed on to you. If you've had cats for a long enough time, you might of already gotten this and your body is probably immuned to it and it will not hurt the baby then. It's only if you catch it while pregnant when it's harmful, but only by a certain percentage. Also if you do any gardening, make sure you put on gloves to avoid toxoplasmosis from possible animals deficating in the garden. DON'T GIVE YOUR CATS AWAY!!! YOU DON'T NEED TOO!!! I recomment that your husband cleans the litter box daily. I had 5 cats and I couldn't imagine not cleaning the litter box only once a week, because even cleaning it daily I found wasn't enough. I have 3 cats now and clean the litter box daily and I don't smell anything. You can even clean the litter box yourself, just make sure to wear gloves and/or wash your hands right afterwards. I'm currently trying to conceive and my hubby won't clean the litter box, cuz they are my cats, so I do it myself without gloves, I just wash my hands afterwards. I'm not worried, their indoor cats!! Enjoy your cats and enjoy your pregnancy, also playing a tape of a crying baby or something thereabouts will help your cats cope with the new sounds once the baby is born. Good luck and congrats on your pregnancy!!

Answer 3

As long as your not allergic. Pets actually help with your heart rate and stress levels... Well, if they are well behaved :)... Just be careful. The cat box has alot of bacteria in it and it can be tracked around the house. You need to use an antibacterial cleanser. Just be careful with that too. Some cleansers can be harmful for you and the baby. They do have antibacterial cleansers that are less harsh. You can use them while pregnant.

Answer 4

Certainly. Like the previous person wrote, the most important thing is to stay away from the cat box!! Even if you are within breathing distance of it, you can get toxoplasmosis. Read about it here:

http://www1.epinions.com/content_3811090564

Besides the litter-box issue, there should be no other issues with having a cat/kitten, and it will definitely provide stress relief and entertainment. Congrats on the pregnancy, I wish you well!

-Father of a beautiful 2 year old daughter. ;)

Answer 5

if u don hav a cat yet,my advice is don intend to.i love cats too&hav 1(3yrs old) with me.i am planning to get pregnant now&my cat will be well taken care of by my sis in law.cats are associate with the disease called toxoplasmosis&if u r infected with tis disease while u r pregnant,yr baby will be at high risk of getting it too.as a result,it may cause some degree of blindness,deafness&also other defect on the developing baby.however,if u really still wan to keep a cat as a pet,do not change his/her litter box&let others do it.always wash ur hand clean after petting yr cat.if possible,do not let ur cat out to hunt small animals cos normally thats where they get the infectious disease in the first place..good luck :)

Answer 6

Yes, it will actually be benefitial to have a cat, it will reduce your stress and increase in blood pressure. It has been scientifically proven. Just as long as you have no allergies to cats what so ever. I recommend not to let the cat near your new born as he will think of it as a toy. The best thing to do is keep the door closed of your infant or be with him all times. When he is old enough you can introduce him to the cat by using this guide. I also recommend reading it now.

http://www.ehow.com/how_4580_introduce-new-baby.html

Good Luck!

Answer 7

Yes, but you will have to have someone else clean the litter box during your pregnancy. Some cats carry a protozoan called toxoplasmosis that may be harmful to your unborn fetus. Cats that go outdoors and hunt are more likely to carry it. For more info see below:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toxoplasmosis
http://www.babycenter.com/0_toxoplasmosis-during-pregnancy_1461.bc?Ad=com.bc.common.AdInfo%4011065383

Answer 8

Of course! :D My Mom had cats/dogs when my older sister was born. We had a standard poodle, and a cat named Cocoa. Then, her friend had a big dog when she was pregnant.

Answer 9

yes i had 2, no problems during or after pregnancy.

Answer 10

Yeah of course you can!