Cats and Babies?

**Rheghead** · 30-Nov-06, 10:48

About 3 years ago, a woman told me that her daughter gave away her cat because she feared that the cat would be attracted to her breast milk and might climb in an suffocate the bairn. At the time I expressed surprise at her daughter's concern.

Was her daughter justified to get rid of her cat?

unicorn · 30-Nov-06, 10:57

Cats are naturally curious animals but as long as you keep an eye on baby and ensure that cat and baby are never left alone together (which is common sense) then there is no reason to worry. I find it more concerning as babies get bigger and need taught how to treat the cat, this is when most harm is likely to arise in the cat protecting itself from a mauling.

**henry20** · 30-Nov-06, 11:20

I said it depends on the cats behaviour. My automatic instinct is that, no, the cat is part of the family, but at the same time, my baby is more important. Not all cats turn out to be loving & friendly. I would see how things went once baby got home before making any decision, but as Unicorn said, they shouldn't be left alone together.

**Liz** · 30-Nov-06, 15:34

It is a complete myth that cats are attracted to breast milk or that they will jump up on prams and smother the baby!

As Unicorn said, as long as the owner uses common sense there is no reason whatsoever why cats and babies cannot live together in perfect harmony.

**cuddlepop** · 30-Nov-06, 16:29

I think as long as you use commen sense baby and cat can get along fine

**nicnak** · 30-Nov-06, 20:37

this is an urban myth there has never been a case of a cat suffocating a baby, just people scaremongering!

**blondscot** · 01-Dec-06, 21:34

i got a kitten when my daughter was only 2weeks old and she grew up with the cat. Wherever she was the cat was and this went on for 16 years and then he needed to be put to sleep through age and he was never a problem around her!!!

**Fran** · 02-Dec-06, 02:23

I had two cats with two babies and no problems at all, they never jumped in the prams or anything like that and the children loved them.

**BRIE** · 02-Dec-06, 11:26

my neighbour has 4 cats & everytime i leave my pram outside my door the cats are in it with the baby.dont think it has anything to do with being attracted to breast milk its just that cats like to be warm & snug.

**brandy** · 06-Dec-06, 00:03

we have cats with the kids.. peach is now 6 years old.. and have never had a problem with her.
cats will cuddle up in acot with a baby.. they like to snuggle down.. and can smother a baby.
what we did.. (had 3 cats at time)
was when the kids were born.. well before when i was preg. we quit letting teh cats into the bedrooms.
we gave them their own snuggly beds.. but made sure they knew that the bed room was off limits to them.. and then the livingroom... ended up being off limits... but that was more for their saftey as kids got big enough to grab em!
they are happy with kitchen and rest of house.. hallways bathroom ect...but mine are indoor/outdoor cats.. and are not indoors allday.. so they are quite happy with the situation.. and as we have guinea pig, hamster, bird and fish in the living room.. they do dare to come in every now and again.. but their worst enemy.. (ben the 2 year old blythe of all cats) is usually around and his hugs of destruction.. have them scampering off before they can have a snack!

**Dreadnought** · 06-Dec-06, 00:10

No cat ever smothered a baby! That is just an old wives tale!

**brandy** · 06-Dec-06, 00:18

how do you know no cat has EVER smothered a baby?
do you have documented proof that it has never happened?

**connieb19** · 06-Dec-06, 00:23

Originally Posted by brandy

how do you know no cat has EVER smothered a baby?
do you have documented proof that it has never happened?

Have you got proof that it HAS happened because I've never heard of a baby being smothered by a cat either?

**brandy** · 06-Dec-06, 00:37

found this
"My baby is due so the cat must go".

Despite tales of cats smothering babies, cats dislike the smell of human breath and will generally stay away from a baby's face. In spite of all the myths, there is only one verified case of a cat smothering a baby - far fewer than the number of babies murdered by their parents. Cats see cots as cosy beds and babies as warm things to snuggle against. Sometimes a cat becomes quite protective of its human's 'kitten'! To keep the cat out of the cot or pram, fit a net cover (a fly-shield). Later on, move the cat's food bowl and its litter tray to places where the baby or toddler can't get to them.

however teh majority of sites say theres no records.. but most of them 99.9 percent.. say use common sence and never leave a baby in the room with any animal alone.
as it is possible that a cat could possibly smother a baby.. just trying to snuggle up to it.

there are more cases of parents rolling onto their baby while asleep with the child and smothering them than anything else.. and cot death..
sensibly there is not really a reason to get rid of your cat.
however saying that when we had sam.. our male cat geroge.. absolutley hated having a baby in teh house and it was a case of he or the baby.. thankfully he is living a few doors down now.. with my neighbors in a child free home.

after the baby is born.. if your cat does not settle down .. and seems genuinly unhappy with the situation then.. yup.. maybe time to think of rehoming.. but basically that would go for any pet.
and again.. just do not let the two be left alone together..
for both their sakes! *G*

**Dreadnought** · 06-Dec-06, 00:56

A much bigger worry is the faeries switching the baby for a changeling. It has happened. I saw it written on a webste somewhere.

**brandy** · 06-Dec-06, 01:11

however hun
it is actually a big concern for parents when they become preg.
about how the family pet is going to behave.. and get on with the baby.
we had to give up our dog, because my youngest was allergic to dogs.
tried everything we could but nothing worked.
we have lost two cats because they did not want to share the house with the kids.
they have both found new loving homes. but it is heartbreaking.
you never know what the situation is going to be until it is upon you.

we have a hamster.. when i bought her a few months ago.. i knew they only live a couple years.. and i thought.. oh well shes just a pet for the kids.. i will be fine when the time comes.
however ive become so attached to the little rodent .. thinking about her short life spans tears me up.
who would have thought you would bond with a hamster!?

it is a very big decision.. what to do and how to cope with pets and babies.. and not to be taken lightly..
cause at the end of the day.. you have to live with what ever you decide.

**Bradcon** · 11-Dec-06, 09:41

I have had my 2 cats since before having my 3 children, and they have never been any bother as long as they were not left alone with the baby. The biggest worry is when the baby turns into a toddler and the cats soon learned to escape quickly!

**Naefearjustbeer** · 11-Dec-06, 10:33

Our cat is fine with our 2 kids. The bedroom doors are always left shut so that the cat cannot get in. This has been the case since before we had kids. So the cat has never been used to going into the bedrooms ever. The cats bowls are not accesable by the little one due to a baby gate blocking access. Both kids love the cat and the little one (just turned 1 in october) loves the cat and follows it around and trys to give it cuddles and strokes. On the whole she is quite gentle with the cat and the cat is very patient with her. There has never been a scratch or a bite. She has been hissed at a few times but to be fair the bairn does somtime pull the cats tail which we try to discourage. When the wee one first came home we encouraged the cat to have a look and sniff the baby but never to go near the moses basket that we used for daytime naps in the siting room. MAke the cat part of the family encourage interaction with the bairns as soon as you can but never allow the cats into the bedrooms. I think that a child that grows up without pets around never understands animals wants and needs the same as a child from a home with pets.

**Henrik7** · 11-Dec-06, 12:53

I had problems with my Cat when my son was born, which resulted in having to put the Cat to another home. When my son was only months old and he would sleep in his basket during the day the Cat would constantly try to jump up into the basket. We bought Cat nets and all the safety equipment to stop him getting into the basket but it would never stop him nearly tipping it over with his attempts.

The last straw came when my partner was feeding my son and the cat lay next to them. The Cat never once tried to attack my son and had been near him plenty of times so he was used to him. Then for some unkown reason he decided to turn round and scrathed my son in the face cutting his face. The Cat may have just been Jealous but I did not want to take anymore chances and rehomed the Cat.

Every Cat is different and whether you believe it's a myth whether a baby has actually been smothered by a Cat, is it really worth taking the risk to find out.

**emb123** · 27-Dec-06, 22:29

Originally Posted by Henrik7

Every Cat is different and whether you believe it's a myth whether a baby has actually been smothered by a Cat, is it really worth taking the risk to find out.

Absolutely.
Which is more important ?

If the cat cannot be trusted 100+1% then there is no question in my mind. At the first sign of trouble, it must go. To do anything else for whatever gushy sentimental reason is claptrap and is IMO failing in ones duty as a parent.

I love animals and am a dog owner and cat lover and I would be devastated beyond belief if anything happened to or caused me to need to be parted from my little fella, but he's not keen on kids and if I had any of my own then I would feel wretched beyond belief and like an utter traitor, but I would have him rehomed.