Having something your kitty’s allowed to scratch can them from scratching things they’re not supposed to. Cats love scratching posts for lots of reasons, not the least of which is that scratching is a great outlet for stress and boredom.
To get your cat used to the new stimuli in advance: A new baby means new smells and sounds, both of which your cat might be sensitive to.
JUMP LITTLE KITTY JUMP LITTLE KITTY SKIN
But they can still do enough harm to cause cosmetic damage or introduce a skin infection (like ringworm) if scratches are deep enough.
be prepared to handle any rebellious behavior with patience, not punishmentĬats are less of a physical threat to children than dogs when it comes to baring their teeth or claws.don’t kick them out of their favorite spots in the house to make room for baby stuff.try to maintain some of your cat’s normal routine after your baby comes home.Signs of jealousy in cats range from excessive meowing to destructive behavior, including urine marking. wash your hands after changing your cat’s litter or doing any routine hygiene maintenance on your catĬats get jealous just like the rest of us (where do you think the term “catfight” originated, anyway?), and it’s possible that your cat could display some signs of aggression toward your baby because of it.Technically, any illnesses - viral, bacterial, or parasitic - that your cat is harboring in their bladder or GI system could be spread to the rest of the family if good hygiene isn’t practiced. (Plus, some research suggests that infants who grow up with pets in the house may be at lower risk for allergies.) Feline intestinal illnesses Realistically, though, by the time your baby is old enough to be sticking cat hair in their own mouth, you’d probably know if they were allergic to cats. In theory, if your child is highly allergic to cat hair, ingesting it could cause a reaction. Obviously, if your child is intentionally eating cat hair, they could ingest enough of it to cause a blockage in their GI tract (hello, hairball), but this won’t happen from the occasional cat-hair-on-the-baby-blanket kind of ingestion. Yes, it’s gross, but in most cases, it can’t really hurt anyone. Living with shedding animals means you’ll end up with their hair everywhere, including in your mouth sometimes. don’t feed your cat raw meat, as this raises your cat’s risk of contracting the parasite that causes toxoplasmosis.wash your hands or wear gloves for litter box changes.don’t allow your child to touch (or eat!) kitty litter.keep your cat indoors and away from outdoor or stray cats.Toxoplasmosis infections in children can cause flu-like symptoms such as fever, body aches, and swollen glands. Pregnant women and young children are susceptible to this infection in similar ways. Yes, this one is a real concern - but you’re probably already doing everything you need to prevent toxoplasmosis during pregnancy. putting up baby gates to block your cat from entering those rooms without you knowing.keeping the door closed to any room your baby is sleeping in.supervising your baby during sleep (which you should always do when they’re not in their crib or bassinet anyway).This is easy to fix: Make sure your cat stays away from your baby while they’re sleeping or dozing, whether that’s in the crib, bassinet, swing, or infant seat. Obviously, that’s not true, but your cat does pose a suffocation risk to your baby if you let them sleep near one another. There used to be an urban legend about cats stealing babies’ breath right out of their mouth, which didn’t help the “cats and babies cohabitating” PR campaign very much. Just by existing, your cat poses a slight threat to your baby, though it’s nothing you can’t sidestep if you know what to look for. Unless you’re the proud owner of a hassle-free goldfish, having a pet in the home with small children comes with some responsibility. Safety concerns when it comes to cats and babies