Anyone have any suggestions for having a litter box with a new baby??

Question

This is the girl who supposedly was going to "kick her cat out of the house!" I would never do that, I love all of my animals dearly. My main concern is the litter box. The older cat does enjoy being outside, but she lives inside. So, the litter is a keeper if she is!! I scoop it out every day and we keep it very clesn. Actually, my husband is currently cleaning it b/c I am pregnant. Can the litter box make a baby sick?? This is our first child and I am not sure how all of this will effect everyone (baby and pets!!). I value other opinions and suggetions when it comes to pets. If you have any suggestions, please answer me back. Just no bashing please!!

Answer 1

My sister just had a baby and she's had a cat the whole time. To keep the baby away from the litter box, she relocated it to the bathroom and installed a 'kitty door' in the bathroom door that was too high for the baby to reach but not too high for the cat to get into. She also has a covered litter box so it's not so open to curious hands.

We figure that by the time the baby is old enough to figure out how to get through the kitty door, he will be old enough to be taught to understand that he needs to stay away from the litter box.

I suppose we'll see how it goes, but the litter box is in the master bath and she plans to use the other bathroom for him while he's potty training. Which should minimize contact between the baby and litter box anyway.

You could even probably build a ledge/platform to keep the litter box on, just secure it to the platform and be sure that the cat has enough room to stand outside the box before jumping in, this will keep it out of the babies reach for awhile at least.

Not sure if this is info that can help you, but with a little imagination, I don't see why you would have to get rid of your cats once the baby is born.

Good Luck to all of you.

Answer 2

Many people happily coexist with babies and pets (including cats.) While you are pregnant there is the POTENTIAL for harm from handling litter. If you talk to your OBGYN he/she can explain what's involved. There is also a test that can determine if you are at risk or not.

Once the baby is born just keep the litter where the baby isn't. That is to say, in a different room. If you're concerned about the baby getting into the litter once he/she is mobile here's a thought that a friend of mine has done with her litter box (had a baby girl two months ago) She put the box in a closet and then installed a cat door in the closet door. The cats come and go as they please, but when the baby starts moving around the apartment she won't be able to get through the cat door.

Finally someone said something about the ammonia in the litter being harmful to your baby. I don't know how often she cleaned her litter box but I'd be afraid to ask! I've had as many as four cats. The box was kept clean and there was NEVER any odor.

There is a lot of material out there on how to manage pets and babies. Do a little research and I'm sure you'll be fine. Good luck to you and your family!

Answer 3

The litter box is no problem with a newborn (keep the box clean and wash hands after scooping, obviously), but when the baby starts toddling, you need to keep an eye on the child and keep the box clean and scooped often. Most children leave the litter box alone, but my brother's third child (all three were raised with both cats and dogs) did manage to eat a cat poop once. He was perfectly fine, no illness and no parasites. The first two children never showed any interest in going near the litter box, but with 2 cats, a dog and 3 children, the youngest wasn't always being watched carefully, and the litter box didn't get scooped as often as it should have been.

I am glad that you are keeping your cat. I was born into a household that always had cats, and I know what a joy they are to grow up with.

Congratulations and good luck with the new baby.

Answer 4

A litter box in the house will not harm a baby just by being there. You seem to already know not to mess with the litter yourself while you are pregnant, but pay attention to kitties feet as well, since they walk in the litter , then get into your lap (if you let them) The toxoplasmosis parasite can be transferred to you from an infected cats feces. However, the most common way humans get this is not from their cats, but from undercooked meat, and the dirt in your yard. So the concern is real, but not as big of a risk as most people believe.

Also if you have had cats,eaten meat, and/or gardened, you more than likely already have antibodies for it. Most people have built immunity by the time they are adults. As precaution, do what you're already doing, and let your husband take over the litter box.

Aside from letting your child play in or eat the litter,there is no danger to your child by just the presence of it.

Answer 5

i dont think it should be a problem as long as you keep it very clean like you said that you already do. just try to keep it as far away from where the baby will be. like a closet or basment somewhere tucked away. millions of people have babies and cats with litter boxes and do fine, its all in how you keep things clean and bacteria free.. i have a baby shes 19 months now and 2 indoor cats and shes fine, any really enjoys having the cats around!! good luck to you!!! oh yeah for you people saying the amonia can hurt the baby yeah maybe if you let the cat pee on the baby or feed your baby its lunch next to the litter box.but as long as you keep it clean it is fine. people are such freaks about certain things it makes me crazy. if you are really concerned ask your doctor they will tell you the right answer.

Answer 6

no the litter box wont hurt your child as long as it ...isnt eating it when it starts to crawl and it isnt in the baby's room now..lots of people have cats and dogs with a newborn child..although they say you shouldnt change the litter box because you are pregnant and i wouldnt either..that germ they are talking about..you already have it if you have changed that box at anytime in the past.....you will just have to keep your eyes on your pet when you bring the baby home..have alone time with your pet so it doesnt get jealous..and then time that the pet can come around you and the baby and of course the cat will be curious..it will sniff and look around ..this is all normal..you could even close off the nursery so the cat cant get in there till you are more comfortable maybe double gate it..

Answer 7

Providing you follow good hygiene rules, like wearing gloves and thoroughly washing your hands, there's no real reason that the litter tray should pose a threat to your health or that of your unborn baby. If your husband is happy to carry on doing it for the rest of your pregnancy, even better.

Many cats and babies live very happily together, so if you spend the time before your baby arrives preparing your cat, she will quickly adjust to the coming changes in the home and your daily routine without any problems. Cats rely heavily on their sense of smell and new scents can be threatening to some of them. Getting her used to the smell of baby items like talc, milk and shampoo will mean she won't be so curious about them once you begin using them on the baby. Try also playing her recordings of a baby crying or screaming to get her used to those sounds. When you play the recording, offer her a treat or distract her with a toy, so that she associates those sounds with good things. Another major concern that many first-time mothers express, is that the cat will try to sleep with the baby. In case that is one of your worries, there are crib/cot nets which are designed especially to stop cats from being able to curl up next to babies.

It really is worth making the effort to help your cat adjust now, and the web articles below offer lots of practical advice on preparing your cat for a baby. There are a lot of old wives tales about cats harming babies, which these articles also explain are totally untrue, so this may help to set your mind at rest on some other matters.

http://www.messybeast.com/cat_baby.htm
http://www.bluecross.org.uk/web/FILES/literature/Your_cat_and_your_baby_leaflet.pdf

Good luck, hope all goes well with your new baby and cat.

Answer 8

Mia,
Here's my thoughts.
I'm 63 yrs.old,been raised & lived, around housecats,dogs,birds,&....
expectant women.
In all my yrs.,I've never seen a child born with horns & one eye in the
middle of their forehead,or any other defect because of the prescense
of a litter box.
However,...common sense dictates,that inhaling ammonia fumes can
not be good for expectant moms.So,let hubby take care of the litter-
box until you're back on your feet again after the wee-babe comes
home.
Stay clear of lifting that box as well,when scooping it out.
It's been my experiance,that your female cat will adopt the wee-babe as
a member of the "pride."
Hope this advice helps.

Answer 9

You should NOT be handling the litter since you're pregnant!

Answer 10

The ammonia in cat urine can harm your baby.Your choice...should be an easy one to make.

Ask you ob/gyn they will say the same