Nervous about furbaby meeting skin baby

[Lisamb]

I am 33 weeks pregnant and a little nervous about my two furbabies meeting my newest addition. I got the nursery done and as soon as I turned my back my orangie jumped into the crib and just layed there. I have also found both of them in the bassinet sleeping. I have heard the good the bad and the ugly about cats and babies, I don't want to get rid of my furbabies but I also don't want them in the crib and bassinet because of cat hair and the "suffocating" the baby. Any suggestions or personal experience would be helpful. thank you in advance.

[Maresche]

I had my first skin kid nearly 5 months ago and brought her home to her 3 kitty sisters and we've had no issues at all. Anytime we caught the kitties (there was only 1 really) in Mimi's crib or basinette, we immediately shooed them out. They never went in the crib or basinette while Mimi was in there. We also kept extra blankets in the crib/basinette that we would remove before putting Mimi in there to minimize cat hair.

We were prepared to put a replace the nursery's solid door with a screen door if we had issues keeping kitties out of the crib while Mimi was in there. We haven't had to do that.

Now Mimi is big enough that if a kitty comes to close, they lose a fistful of fur.

[*ABYCAT* Alice]

I’m 27 weeks pregnant myself and I have the same thoughts as you have. I do not want the cats in the baby’s bed and we will buy a bed that we can put a net over with perhaps a zipper or something, so the cats can’t get in there. Haven’t really figured out the construction yet, but this is the bed:



I also heard there's a small risk for suffocating if the cats sleep too close to the baby, so it's better to be careful.

The cats are crazy about the pram and loves to sleep in it. When we get the baby we won't have the pram in the apartment so I let them use it now (just have to wash every part of it ).





Good luck!
//Alice

[Lisamb]

I have thought about getting one of those mosqueto netting things to put over it but knowing my furbabies they would hang on it and rip right through it. I have also thought about putting a screen door on the nursey door so that way he wouldn't be shut in there but I will have to wait to do that.

[Cataholic]

Ack. This is so frustrating for me. It is a TOTAL myth-Urban legend- wives tale- about cats and babies. We are in the 2005 now, people. There has to be some progress.

I have SEVEN cats, and one almost 1 year old son. There has not been a SINGLE episode of anybody trying to suffacate anyone! Not once! Not even close! Though, Jonah has fallen down flat onto a cat once or twice.

I do have a crib tent, and he has slept inside that tent since day one (well, that isn't true, he slept- GASP- in my bed, on me for 2 months). The crib tent keeps cats from landing on top of him, something I was concerned about, intitially. Now the crib tent serves the purpose of keeping Jonah inside the crib. Jonah is a climber. I haven't ever had to lower the crib setting as I have the tent on there. That is nice when I am trying very carefully to put him in the crib when he is asleep.

I would be a bit surprised if someone's cat could tear through the crib tent....they are quite remarkable.

[catlady1945]

When my kids were babies, we just closed the door to the baby's room. I didn't leave the baby and cat unsupervised. Frankly, the cat wasn't all that interested.

[catmandu]

THAT OLD MYTH,OF CATS SUFFOCATING BABIES,WHEN SOMEONE TRIED,TO BLAME A SIDS DEATH ON A CAT,AND CAT HATERS,HAVE KEPT,THAT STORY GOING,FOR YEARS,LIKE CHINESE RESTAURANTS COOKING CATS!
UTTER NONSENSE,AND YET,THAT STORY,WILL NOT DIE!!
AAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGH!!!!!

[rosethecopycat]

Still, you'd be surprised when asking an owner why they are giving up their cat, their answer is: Why, it's because I'm pregnant. (dumbfounded look at why you would ask)

I'd get a zipper screen or netting, or simply keep them out of that room.

Congratulations.

[barncat]

Whenever the babies slept at my house (Nieces, nephews, and the children I nannied) my cats would investigate and snuggle. (All parents knew the rules of my house and were ok with it.)

We never, ever had a problem. Even cats that were not very people-friendly were gentle and kind to the babies.

Don't worry!

[Karen]

I have two brothers whose homes had cats when various babies came home. The latest baby in the family, Axel, will be a year old mid-November. Trillian, a petite tuxie kitty, has slept in his bassinet - and then crib - pretty much since he came home. She quickly learned that he's a squirmer and a kicker, and consequently sleeps as far away from him in the crib as she can get. Pippin, the bigger kitty in the house, just avoids Axel - Pippin has luxurious long orange fur that baby's finger can get painfully tangled in in a heartbeat.

The cat-suffocating-baby thing is a myth, pure and simple.

[sandragonfly]

but that myth can happen anytime, anywhere though..

first, congratulations!!

what I would do is keep the door shut. as you wouldn't need do that as much as your baby's always up. you also wouldn't know if your baby has an allergic reaction for furries. so it's best to keep not one furhair in for awhile. of course, a beginning.

whatever you do, good luck! is it a girl or boy? keep us posted, will ya?

[sirrahbed]

My three kids grew up with cats always and I never really thought much of it. Now I have two young grandbabies and they both have kitties. My newest grandchild is 3 months old and their cat was adopted because the previous owners had a baby - but he is just terrific with the new baby!!

I think the thing that might be the most helpful is giving the kitties lots of attention when you bring the baby home - so they have no reason to feel jealous. My daughter sent home one of Tyler's blankets so that their kitty could smell it before they came home with the new baby.

I have always felt that babies and cats go together beautifully.

Congratulations to you!

[Lisamb]

Thank you for your input, I am more worried about cat hair than anything. I just don't want to have cat hair all over my newest addition. I have done nanny and child care work for about 6 yrs and to me that is gross when they bring their babies in and they are covered in pet hair. I am having another boy( I already have a 7 yr old son). Once again thank you for your input and sorry if I upset anyone with the "suffocating" thing I for one don't believe it and that is why I stated it the way I did.

[Randy_K]

I too have seen a lot of friend's babies introduced to homes with adult cats and NEVER has there been a problem. Cats instinctively know that a baby isn't a big person and give them a lot of latitude just as with a kitten.

I have watched a baby grab a handful of fur and the cat stood still, obviously in pain, until the baby let go. Then the cat ran. It seems that after about 18 months that tolerance breaks down, though. Then a handful of fur may be answered by a swat just like with unruly kittens who should be old enough to know better.

The benefits of growing up with pets are enormous and your fears are unfounded. My sisters and I grew up with pets, slept with kitties, played in the dirt, were exposed to germy other kids and other "dangerous" stuff and we lived through it and don't have any allergies. Overprotected kid's immune systems are underdeveloped and they frequently develop allergies as adults. Do your baby a favor and make sure he or she is healthy for life.

SIDS has been such a mystery over the centuries and people had to find someone to blame. We now know what the cause is and it ain't a cat. Move into the 21st century already.

[Cataholic]

Worried about CAT HAIR? LOL....I guess you would find my son 'gross'...as he is generally wearing alot of it, since he is on the floor so much. I guess you would find me 'gross' too! I usually am wearing it.

Of all the things to be grossed out about....CAT HAIR? What about the vomit in the face, the poop on your hands, the drool, etc. None of it grosses me out- it is life. But, CAT HAIR? I must get some professional help