In this day and age!

I was talking to someone about the baby and telling them how I was curious as to what the cats' reactions will be. She was shocked I was letting the cats near the baby (I suspect she was wondering why I was even keeping the cats with the baby coming) and she honestly told me, "They steal baby's breath ya know!" OMG... I was floored! This is a smart, articulate woman! I told her how that was an outdated wive's tale based on nothing other than people's ignorance of cats. She told me it WASN'T and it was based on the fact that cats will smother a baby while trying to lick the milk off the baby's lips.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing and I didn't have time to educate this woman on how my cats are not starving baby-milk-lip-sucking creatures. I pretty much told her my cats are well fed and would have no reason to lap milk off a baby's face.

If anything, I am afraid the baby will hurt Pouncer, by stressing the poor boy enough to develop crystals again (ok, so if the wind blows, it stresses Pouncer into developing crystals again :rolleyes: )

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cats will smother a baby while trying to lick the milk off the baby's lips."They steal baby's breath ya know!"

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OMG when I first got my kitty Felix ,I have no children but my mother-in-law said the exact same thing :rolleyes: she said"If you ever have children you really have to watch the baby cuz they smother them,draws the breath right from their mouths"I knew it wasnt true, it was just an ignorant myth.But hey you cant argue with mother-in-laws they are always right,right? :rolleyes: :p I cant believe this day and age there are people out there that actually believe that.

:D Pouncer sounds like Amy, she stresses so easy too.

As for that lady, those old wives tales chap my hide. I had cats with ALL my babies and they all survived. I suspect those deaths were crib deaths and they were always blamed on the cat!

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Originally Posted by catnapper

I didn't have time to educate this woman on how my cats are not starving baby-milk-lip-sucking creatures.

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*LOL*

That was too funny!!!!

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I'm curious how Tinky and Jupiter will react to my baby too. They ~DO NOT~ like little kids. They run and hide and are NOT SEEN when my friend is visiting with her kids...

So I'm curious if they will be scared of him... be interested in him.. :confused:

But i AM NOT worried that they will lay on his face cause he will smell like milk... :rolleyes:

LOL :D

It's a pity to see such ignorant people, because they have no idea of what they miss when not living with cats. They don't know what great joy it is, and fun, and cuteness, etc.

My mom (not really a cat person) keeps being upset that my daughter hasn't gotten rid of her 3 . I just grit my teeth and don't say any thing , I do make sure clarissa isn't doing the box.

There are sadly a Lot of People who hate Cats,and will blame anything that happens on them.
I think too that Ctas are blamed for SIDS,when the Parents dont want to accept the blame.
Poor Cats,they are such Great Animals but are so hated for thier indepedence.

I never heard such a stupid thing.... What an ignorant woman :rolleyes:
We have PLENTY of proof here on PT that cats LOVE babies!! Remember Boomer with his human buddy Tyler :) :) .
The only thing you have to learn the cats is NOT to sleep in the baby bed or so . That is IT!!

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"They steal baby's breath ya know!"

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Is she living in the stone age or what??? Stupid people, I swear!!! :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by Maya & Inka's mommy

The only thing you have to learn the cats is NOT to sleep in the baby bed or so . That is IT!!

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Not even that sometimes. My sister was a sickly infant, prone to seizures. (Not epilepsy & she's a perfectly healthy adult now). We had a cat, Jynx, who slept in her crib with her from the day she came home from the hospital until the day he died. He was far more effective than a baby monitor. He knew when she was about to have a seizure and would go wake up my parents. My Mom has a small scar above her left eyebrow from one night when she didn't wake up quite fast enough for Jynx's liking and he got the claws out!

My sis had her last seizure shortly after her 8th birthday. Jynx passed on not long after that at about 16 years old. It was like he felt his job was done; the humans could handle the kid now and he could he move on in peace.

I think that having a cat around teaches a child from jump at least a small bit of respect for other living creatures. My parents had cats when I was a baby and I think I'm better off for the experence. My kitties love kids, and are rather polite about letting a kid know when they get too rough. If they don't like something, they just go someplace else. Cats are pretty self managing that way lol.

Sigh, Im suprised that the old wives tale about cats is still around. :rolleyes: Some people...

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Originally Posted by Glacier

Not even that sometimes. My sister was a sickly infant, prone to seizures. (Not epilepsy & she's a perfectly healthy adult now). We had a cat, Jynx, who slept in her crib with her from the day she came home from the hospital until the day he died. He was far more effective than a baby monitor. He knew when she was about to have a seizure and would go wake up my parents. My Mom has a small scar above her left eyebrow from one night when she didn't wake up quite fast enough for Jynx's liking and he got the claws out!

My sis had her last seizure shortly after her 8th birthday. Jynx passed on not long after that at about 16 years old. It was like he felt his job was done; the humans could handle the kid now and he could he move on in peace.

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Oh my gosh Glacier, what a heartwarming story. Talk about LES.
I've read many stories about animals that can sense when someone was going to have a seizure. It amazes me everytime I read one.

I had cats when I had my babies and had NO problems with them at all.
Some people are just too ignorant.

My parents always had cats when we were babies. We had one cat that would sit in the door way and make sure no one came in the room besides my mom or day. If they did the cat would chase them down and get the calws out. That cat would also jump in our crib every 30 minutes or so. When we would wake up, just before we would cry he would let out a loud meow. My mom always knew when we woke up by this cat.

I figure I am still here so that cat must not have done his job of sucking my breath right out of me. :rolleyes:

I have never heard such a silly thing. People really believe that stuff? :confused:

Glacier, what a beautiful story! I was telling my Stepdaughter that more than likely the cats will be overprotective and save the baby's life at some point instead of taking it. I'll pass along this story. :)

The two cats we had when my son was born instantly understood that he was the new kitten in the house and he was to be treated with the utmost care and gentleness - that I was his mother cat and that I would protect him if need be, they seemed to understand, too, though I never needed to do anything to keep them from harming him. They both loved him - they were spayed females. We have pictures of him at his not-quite-crawling stage, when he was only a bit bigger than our calico, sort of hauling himself over top of her on the floor. She just lay there and let him pile on top of her. He has always had a special touch with cats, and some cats who do not let anyone else come near have let him touch them and play with them, even when he was a pre-schooler. I think bringing up children with animals builds compassion, at the very least - and it can bring about a sense of responsibility for other living creatures. It also augments a general sense of love for all living things, I think. I will never be sorry that we had cats when my son was a baby.

That woman needs a good swift kick in the butt!!!

That such nonsense survives today astounds me.

I'd heard that old wives' tale but I'd always heard it was because cats breath so fast that they suck the air from the baby's nose and so you shouldn't let your cat sleep on top of your baby..............of course, I've had my Eeper Peeper sleep on top of me.........she's so heavy I wouldn't dream of letting her sleep on top of a baby, stealing breath or not :rolleyes: (I call her my calicow :p )

Either way, I know that old wives' tale isn't true and I'm suprised anyone still believes it.......it might have made sense in a time of superstition but now in a time of science, I would have thought most people knew better. :rolleyes:

People still believe that! Wow! I thought that one had fallen to the wayside!

Our cats quickly figured out where Misha slept and avoided it at first. Now, they might hop in her bed when she isn't around, but when it is time to sleep, they always give the bed back to her!

Our biggest thing is Misha is deseperate to love on the cats- hug, kiss, pet them. She follows them around saying "Hug kitty, nice" or "Pet kitty, nice" and they run from her! She can't understand why they won't let her hug them when she tells them she'll be nice- maybe it is they way she yells it ;)

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Originally Posted by chrangharris

People still believe that! Wow! I thought that one had fallen to the wayside!

Our cats quickly figured out where Misha slept and avoided it at first. Now, they might hop in her bed when she isn't around, but when it is time to sleep, they always give the bed back to her!

Our biggest thing is Misha is deseperate to love on the cats- hug, kiss, pet them. She follows them around saying "Hug kitty, nice" or "Pet kitty, nice" and they run from her! She can't understand why they won't let her hug them when she tells them she'll be nice- maybe it is they way she yells it ;)

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Lol. Maybe the cats don't understand hooman language. :) That had me laughing for a minute. Thanks. :)

Agh!! :confused: Some people will believe ANYTHING!!!!!

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She can't understand why they won't let her hug them when she tells them she'll be nice- maybe it is they way she yells it

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Hee hee - that gave me a grin. The cats know Misha DOESN'T yet know the meaning of moderation. Just cause you love kitty a lot doen't mean you pet her extra hard! She'll learn!

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Originally Posted by Queen of Poop

That woman needs a good swift kick in the butt!!!

That such nonsense survives today astounds me.

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It will survive as long as people spread the tale, we can actively participate in killing the myth by politely correcting everyone we encounter who believes that.

I was waiting for your first encounter with "cats are a bad omen" idea, but I never dreamed it would be this! :rolleyes: :rolleyes: UNBELIEVABLE!

Glacier, your story gave mee goose bumps (and LES). God bless that kitty.

I've got an ignorant mother-in-law. She told me that cats make babies get asthma! :rolleyes:

Actually, Sammy could care less with the baby around. He's so laid back, though. Not much phases him. He doesn't like kids though. If he hears a child's voice, he's under the bed in a flash. It's funny to see his fat but try to squeeze under the bed. Payton, my problem child, on the other hand, is a different story. He wouldn't be good for your friend to see. He will go up to the baby's mouth and just sniff. It looks bad. I told my hubby that I don't like when he does that because of the old wive's tale. I know it's not true, but still scares me. Stupid, I know.

He also tries to sleep in the baby's crib. Why wouldn't he? Babies are warm. I don't like him to, though, because of the baby's eczema. Once I noticed Payton sleeping on one of the baby's blankets. I thought nothing of it and put the baby in the blanket. Later, where the blanket was touching the baby's face was a small eczema breakout. :eek:

LOL!!! I think we need to start a thread with about the worlds stupidest people! We could issue a "Stupid People Award" for the dumbest story. ;) I have run across some real dingdongs through the shelter but I haven't had this one cross my path yet. It is truly amazing how many old wives tales there are about cats and what is even more amazing is how many people believe them! :eek:
Good Grief!