Cats with Babies: How to Live Safely (2024)

Cats with babies — the myths

1. Cats steal babies’ breath

One of the most common worries when it comes to cats with babies is ‘stealing breath’. As the name suggests, this is the belief that cats will suffocate a baby by breathing in its breath.

Of course, this moggie myth is untrue and it's as silly as it sounds — our furry friends do not suck away the breath of babies! However, many cats do enjoy cuddling up to their humans, which can be dangerous when it comes to smaller family members. If a cat rests on top of a baby or a young child, this could easily lead to accidental suffocation, so kitten and baby cuddles aren't such a good idea, or worth the cute photo.

So, if you’re a parent who also has a feline family member, it’s important to supply your kitty with a warm and snuggly place to sleep, away from your child, so that cat and newborn cuddles are avoided altogether. This could be a cute pet igloo or large cat tree, which will also act as a safe retreat in times of stress (maybe for when the cat and baby commotion gets a little too much for your feline friend!). For extra peace of mind, new parents (to human babies) can also reduce the risk of accidental injury or the transmission of diseases by keeping cats and babies separate, out of the crib and pram using specially designed nets.

2. Cats can harm unborn babies

There is some fact to this feline myth; while cats themselves are not dangerous, cat faeces can contain a parasite which may cause the dangerous disease, toxoplasmosis.

Unfortunately, due to the potential risk cat poo poses, many pregnant pet parents choose to relinquish their pet to rehoming centres. However, this is unnecessary; pregnant mothers can keep their moggies, they just need to make some simple adjustments.

Cats and babies - safety concerns

Having a pet in the home with small children is a responsibility, no matter how well behaved your kitty is. Any animal - your beloved kitty is not an exception - can be a risk to your baby or toddler, even if they are the sweetest fur babies in the world. Things can happen, so it’s better to be prepared. That’s why we've put together these useful guidelines below to help you keep the cats and infants in your home safe.

Suffocation or smothering

We’ve covered this point above. No, moggies can’t steal babies’ breath right out of their mouth. So you don’t need to worry about that one - cats with babies in the room won't be stealing their oxygen any time soon!

However, cats can pose a suffocation risk to your baby if you let them sleep near each other. There’s nothing kitties love more than snuggling up in bed with their humans. That’s perfectly fine for cats and adults or older kids, but not cats with newborns, babies or infants. Babies are so small and delicate that it’s better to avoid them sharing their crib with the resident cat.

How to do that? It’s a very easy fix. Make sure your cat stays away from your little one while they’re sleeping or napping. You can do that by...

• Supervising your baby during sleep, especially when they aren't in their crib or bassinet - cats with babies who are sleeping isn't a recommended combination.
• Closing the door to the room your baby is in so that your kitten and baby only get quality time while you're there.
• Putting up baby gates so that your cat cannot enter those rooms without your permission.

Toxoplasmosis

Another one we’ve already discussed in our cats and babies myths section. Yes, toxoplasmosis is a real concern but if you’re pregnant you’re probably already doing everything to prevent catching it in your pregnancy.

To recap, to keep yourself and your baby away from toxoplasmosis:

• Keep your cat indoors and away from outdoors or stray cats
• Don’t let your child touch or eat cat litter
• Always wash your hands or wear gloves when changing the litter box, or have a non-pregnant person change it for you
• Don’t feed your cat raw meat - it raises their risk of catching the parasite that causes toxoplasmosis

Cat hair

When you live with furry friends at home their hair will end up everywhere, no matter what you do or how much you clean - so cats and babies cause a little mess in our homes from time to time! There’s always a hair here and there. Whilst it’s not the most hygienic, cat-hair-on-the-baby-blanket is not really much of a threat to anyone’s health - unless they are allergic to cat hair. But then, if your child is highly allergic to cat hair you’d probably know early on, as cats with babies who have an allergy of course shouldn't be mixed.

On the other hand, some scientific research suggests that babies who grow up with pets at home are less likely to develop allergies. So that’s a plus for keeping your kitty at home.

Cat intestinal issues

Yes, if your moggy has any viral, bacterial, or parasitic illness it could spread to the rest of the family. However, basic hygiene will help you avoid this risk:

• Make sure the baby doesn’t go near the cat’s litter box - it's common sense to keep this cat and baby divide.
• Clean up any pet mess right away.
• Wash your hands after changing your kitty’s litter box or doing any routine hygiene on your cat. Wearing gloves and disposing of them is also a good idea.

Jealousy

Exactly like any other animal, cats can get jealous, especially cats with babies new to the home. And they could display some signs of aggression if they see your baby as their competition for your love.

How to know if your cat is jealous or not? Look out for excessive meowing or destructive behaviour. But with love, patience and routine all should go well. Here are a few tips on avoiding jealousy in homes where cats and babies are an inevitable mix...

• Don’t put baby stuff on their favourite spots in the house.
• Try to maintain a normal kitty routine when the baby comes home.
• Be patient and consistent - don’t scold your cat, as this can make the situation worse.
  

Scratching and biting

If you’ve had cats long enough you’ll know that sometimes you can get a scratch or a small bite just by playing with your cat. They mean no harm most of the time, but if scratches are deep enough they can lead to skin infections. To prevent any of those happening to your baby, always supervise their interactions with the resident kitty, keeping cats, kittens and babies separate when you're not in the room.