How Do Cats And Babies Go?
Did anyone have trouble keeping cats and a baby in the same house? Any tips for me bringing my newborn home to a house with two inside cats. Does anyones cat actually sleep on the babies head? I know there are alot of paranoid people out there that hate cats and say this, but i dont think i could imagine it happening?
I have to neutered male cats and when I brought my son home they were a little curious, but mostly scared, and stayed away from him. They were more interested in sleeping in his comfy bouncer, boppy, and fleecy blankets than messing with my son. If you are worried, just be prepared by starting them off in a separate room so they can get used to the scent and always make sure they are out of the room when you put the baby down to sleep. I’ve heard these weird stories about cats wanting to “steal the baby’s breath” but honestly never met anyone whose had trouble.
I have 4 indoor cats and haven’t had any problems, until my son was mobile anyway but that’s to be expected when little hands pull tails. I keep bedroom doors closed when we sleep so cats aren’t an issue in that way. For the most part they stay away though. I have one cat that likes to drape himself around my shoulders while I nurse my son but that doesn’t bother anyone.
If your cats currently sleep in the room with you I suggest changing that before the baby is born. Cats sleeping on the baby most likely won’t be a huge issue but they might get into bed with him/her or could disrupt your sleep more than it already will be. My son was napping at my mom’s house last week and one of her cats did jump on the bed to sleep with him and did wake him up which was aggravating but obviously not dangerous, he’s 17 months old now.
As long as your are going to supervise your cat when it is around your baby their is no problem. It is not uncommon for a cat to curl up on top of a baby. They do this out of affection, not because they are trying to harm the baby. To them, going to sleep on top of the baby is the same as going to sleep on your lap. There is no need to keep your cats away from your baby, as long as you are watching what is going on. Your cats will be especially curious when you first bring your baby home and may want to sniff the baby, this is fine. Just be sure when baby is not under your supervision (usually at nap times) that the cats are not in the same room, check all possible hiding places before closing the door and letting baby take a nap.
Me and my sister were raised in a house with cats. We were fine. They never slept on our heads. The worst that’ll happen is probably that the cat might run away, terrified of the baby.
The issue with cats is while you’re pregnant, not when you have the baby already, and it’s to do with changing the litterbox, not the cats themselves.
Cats WILL sometimes sleep next to a baby, or on the baby’s chest. They like the warmth and company.
If you’re a responsible parent and pet-owner, this will not happen. Keep the cats away from the baby when he’s unattended, and shut the door to his nursery or whatever room he’s sleeping in so that the cat can’t try to cuddle up to the baby. My cat sleeps on my head, he just likes to snuggle up, and I imagine he would do the same to a baby, which could be dangerous.
I work for an animal shelter for 6 years and u will never believe how many poor cats get turn in because there afraid of the cat steeling the baby breath away! I have 2 cats and they love him they never sleep with him or even bother him when he is sleeping! If ur worried keep them apart and they will be fine!
Don’t shoo your cats away from your baby. That will show them that s/he’s something bad to them and they’ll resent her. Let them smell her and get to know him.
As far as laying on their head, my cat doesn’t. He’ll sleep next to her, sometimes close to her head, but never on her.
i didn’t want their dander or hair in her room, so i put up a tall gate at her doorway while i was still pregnant and placed a ’scat mat’ in front of the door…worked lke a charm, now we leave the door open with gate up and the batteries have been dead in the mat for mos…shhhhh
i heard that babies can choke on cat hair. so its best to keep babies away from them.