I'm not sure if it's a wives tale or it's a real threat?

I've heard that cats can harm a baby. Like the old saying "cats steal a baby's breath". I know thats not completly ture. But what is the real threat of have any kind of animal around a new born. I was raised with 5 cats, numerous birds and and 3 dogs (half wolf, one pit, and a yorkie). So I know I'm fine. But some of my friends are telling me I have to get rid of my 2 cats. I love my cats and I dont want to get rid of them. I ask my doctor when I saw him at the store the other day and he laughed and walked off. I'm curious to know how everyone dealt with thier pets and newborns. Please help. Thanks in advance!

I'm not sure if it's a wives tale or it's a real threat?
There is absolutely no reason for you to get rid of your cats at all!!!! The whole ides of cats taking a baby's breathe away is some cats like to snuggle, and they could snuggle up to a newborn and suffocate it. I've never read of a case of this actually happening though!! They make nets that you can get to cover a crib so cats can't get into the crib. I'd get one of those if I was nervous.





Raising kids with cats and dogs actually helps to reduce their chances of allergies and asthma. I wish i could attach the link to the study, but I listened to it being reported on a morning talk show on NBC about three years ago.





Good luck!!
Reply:Old Wives tale.... Just keep and eye open when the baby and the cats are in the same room because if you had baby your cats they do get jealous but i haven't heard anything about them hurting babies... teach the cats and the dogs to love the baby and they will.
Reply:The only threat is from the cat litter itself. If you are pregnant do not change cat litter, it can be harmful to you and your baby.
Reply:It depends on your pets personalities. The chances of them getting jealous are slim because they are already having to share attention with each other. That is more likely with a one-pet household. We had 2 cats with the arrival of both of our kids and it was fine. Just don't handle the litterbox while you are pregnant. After the baby comes it is fine, but there is a concern about getting Toxoplasmosis when you are around cat poop and you are pregnant. Less of a concern there if they are all inside cats. Good luck and hope that helps.
Reply:wive's tale- i have two cats and they are just fine with my baby- he's 7 1/2 months


i can even out breastmilk right in front of their face and they wont touch it but they'll hunt for cows milk hahha- people belive anything they hear- sometime a caat might try to lay on your baby since they are warm but if you watch them then you should be fine- my cats tend to stay away from my son because he pulls their hair lol they have never sratched a soul though
Reply:No you may not need to get rid of the cats. Wait until the baby is born. Many children have no problem with cats. You do need to train the cats to stay away from baby's bed. They won't steal the baby's breath but will leave hair in the bed, extra litter from their paws etc.
Reply:Well, it's not an old wives tale. Cat poop is actually what is harmful.. but if you have indoor cats, then it's okay. The reason they say this about cats is because cats eat raw things.. raw birds, raw mice, etc. and then poop it out... and transfer this bacteria in their poop. It's the same reason they say to never change cat liter while you are pregnant. I don't think I would go so far as to giving your cats away. If you have strictly outdoor cats, your baby won't go near the cat poop anyways, if they are strictly indoor, they can't eat anything harmful to show up their poop, so again, your baby is safe. Hope this helps.
Reply:Seriously I regard cats as threat to my infants but not babies. Well what I do is I try not to interact too much with my cats when I am pregnant. You dont need to get rid of your cats simply dont spend too much time with them because their furs are so soft it will enter our respiration system in no time. (if you are pregnant).





Are your cats indoor cats ? do they wander outdoor frequently?





Toxoplasmosis can cause birth defects in children, pregnant women sometimes assume that they must get rid of their cat. This is entirely unnecessary, as a few simple measures will thoroughly safeguard against catching the disease, especially from your cat. Toxoplasmosis is a disease caused by a parasite that can infect your cat if she eats prey already harboring the parasite or comes into contact with contaminated soil. Toxoplasmosis is rare among indoor-only cats.
Reply:Old wives' tale.





Listen to your doctor.
Reply:That theory comes from cats picking up the smell of milk on a baby's breath and licking the baby in the mouth. This will happen if you don't watch the cats around the baby. It's not necessarily that they steal the baby's breath although newborn baby's have to make a concious effort to breath and this could be a distraction, and it's gross. Most animals are afraid to be around babies. It's like they know that they are fragile. I'd just be sure to keep an eye on the cats when the baby is napping. I doubt they would mess with the baby while it is awake. Eventually the cats will get use to the baby being there, and know that they are not to mess with it.
Reply:I have a Yorkie I don't let her come around my baby or the baby's things, I guess because a baby is very sensitive and you never know just keep your cats and keep them from coming near your baby their animals and they are dirty and they can get jealous you don't need to get rid of them just be careful!
Reply:nope just watch them and dont leave them in the room with baby , they do get curious , i remember when we brought my niece home from the hospital , our then spoiled male cat was totally intrigued . he did wind up trying to paw at her arm and she did get a scratch . so we made sure that we let him nowhwere near her after that , but about day 2 at home he would lay next to whom ever was holding her at lick her forehead , it was so precious.
Reply:I was concerned about this too...heres what I found out...best of luck.
Reply:I have always had cats too. I just keep them away from my babies to be safe. Cats could steal a babys breath by smothering them. I have a 4 1/2 month old now. I am totally paranoid about her because she is a twin and I lost her twin brother 2 months ago to pnuemonia so just to be safe the cat stays in the laundry room at night. I live in an older house that I am not able to 'close' the doors because the doors are so old so teh cat gets locked up instead of being able to cloase the door. He has his food, water, litter box and something soft to sleep on so he's happy and my little girl is safe.
Reply:not at all my grandma keeps saying to get rid of my cats because im trying for a baby {i never will}, because it will sit on the babys face. cats do like warm places to sleep, you just have to be respossible dont leave pets unattended with babys and young children. but dont let babys and children near the litter and you too, dont change the litter while pregnant or breast feeding as its very harmfull to the baby. but having pets from a young age is actually proven to reduce allergys in most cases.
Reply:My only experience with pets and babies is that my parents already had two dogs (Great Dane/Lab mixes) who were 2 years old each when I was born. I absolutely LOVED growing up with them.


Don't let people tell you to get rid of them. That is a wives tale. If there was anything wrong with it the doctor would have said so rather than just laughing.


Now, cats have hurt babies, any animal can. Just watch out because cats can be more easily annoyed by a baby because they're too small to put up with a child playing.


I haven't heard of dogs getting jealous of a baby or anything. Just watch for the cat claws, and don't leave the baby alone with any animal.


Enjoy your pets and your baby. :)





edit: As for the part you added about a cat laying on top of the baby, either close the door to the baby's room or keep the cats out some other way. Again, a baby should never be left alone with any animal.
Reply:Don't get rid of your cats. There's no reason you'd have to do that. It's true that cats like to cuddle, and that can be dangerous to a baby if they smother them, but just make sure the baby is in a closed room when your baby sleeps, and you keep an eye out when the cats are around. There's no harm, I have a few cats and I've been fine. They don't even acknowledge my daughter really.
Reply:We have three cats, have had them since before we had children. Now we have 2 young kids, a 3 year old and a 1 year old. The cats have been wonderful with the kids. When they were babies the cats just left them alone, never really payed them much mind. The only thing we have had to worry about is when the kids get mobile, trying to keep them away from the cats. The cats have scratched them a few times, but only out of defense and not very badly. Really, there is nothing to worry about.
Reply:I think it's an old wives tale - I believe it stems from the belief that the cat will smell the milk on a baby's breath.