4 months baby and own a cat.I need advice please.

[Alina_M]

Did anyone raised children while you own a cat.I have a cat and i always worry and have the fear that my baby my swallow hair and get ill.Because i don't have time to look after her like before.And it is heartbreaking the thought of giving her away as she is very lovely,friendly ,loves attention very much and is very plaiful.I am thinking what to do.My baby is more important but the fear of having hair everywhere won't let me alone.I cook,doung layndry,shopping and some cleaning ocasionaly while looking after my baby and don't have time to hover .My husband does once a week.We live in a flat and my cat is an indoor cat and find iy difficult.Please give me advuce if i shoyld worry of having a cat around my baby.

[emmab178]

We have two cats and I’m currently pregnant. I don’t have any concerns on cat hair and the baby. If they did swallow any hair it would just work it’s way through.

If you have a lot of hair from the cat maybe consider a handheld vac to be able to quickly clear an area where the baby is?

[Mum-of-three-to-be]

Hi Alina

I love cats and dogs and have nothing against them. They are carriers of b7gs l8ke toxoplasmosis and some related strains. The 10 year old daughter of a relative has lost sight on one eye last year and can partially see from the other. An otherwise healthy and bright girl. Her cats were allowed outside I imagine but the price they paid for all the cuddles and fun just seems too high. The kittens are carriers until they grow up when they are ok with certain parasites. I cannot remember the name of the parasite but you can google kittens+parasites+diseases or something like that.

Thankfully I have antibodies for toxoplasmosis. Not sure of the other parasites. But another friend miscarried due to toxopl.

My mum and daughter have allergic watery eyes near cats. The hair of the cat can still be found 6 months after in a clean home.

I think you shoyld follow your instinct. It isn't a phobia but you are right to worry. A hair can cause coughing or worse to anyone. It might be swallowed or it might not. Why take the risk and deal with the consequences?

Since the cat is lovely...anyone will love it and she will get the attention she deserves.

Good luck. Xx

[Alina_M in reply to Mum-of-three-to-be]

Sorry to ask you,but how she lost sight?playing with the cat or disease related to the cat?

[Mum-of-three-to-be in reply to Alina_M]

I think playing and handling cats and kittens that weren't vaccinated and stray. It only happened this spring. I googled it at that time and had found out more.

I'm not sure if kittens would get vaccinated for that anyway.

I'm not sure if it was the Toxocara parasite or another one.

Not the Toxoplasmosis either, since I would have remembered it.

Maybe I can find out more but can't ask at the moment. The family has got other troubles.

Hope this helps.

X

[Mum-of-three-to-be in reply to Mum-of-three-to-be]

It might have been the parasite: ocular toxocariasis. It can cause blindness in kids.

[Shem008]

First things first, don’t panic! You’ve managed 4 months already and baby is doing fine! You are doing a good job!

I am currently 12 weeks pregnant and we own two cats and two dogs. My midwife came to our house for my booking appointment and wasn’t concerned about the animals at all.

If you don’t want to get rid of the cat then don’t. You just need to set some ground rules such as not letting the cat go into the baby’s room or your bedroom and don’t let the cat jump up on or near the baby. Make sure the cat has things to play with so it’s stimulated and not relying on you for entertainment. There’s lots of options out there now. And keep the litter tray clean remembering to wash your hands thoroughly afterwards. Like someone has suggested get a hand held hoover to use when necessary - useful for sofas and things. Regularly brushing your cat will also help to reduce the amount of hair that you’ll find around the place. Hope that helps xxx

[Alina_M in reply to Shem008]

Well my husband is brushing her regularly.

She has her litter tray in the guests bathroom and my husband is cleaning and chanhing her litter.Every evening i let her out of our bedroom as the baby sleeps with us but in the morning she is meowing by the door till she wakes us up and if my husband is opening the door she jumps straight on to bed which i hate .Few times he left the bedroom door open during the night and when i woke up to check the bayby she was sleeping on the bed with us and i am not keen as the baby sleep with us and she is very clumsy.Few times when the bedroom door was open and i've tried to teach the baby to sleep in his cot i cought her on the edge of the cot watching him.She is harmless but i am still worried.Also when the bedroom door was open during the day i cought her sleeping in the cot and had to wash on 90%

I know she is a lovely animal but very curious which usually the cats are and everything i say to her not to do it she is doing and everytime my husband comes near the baby to play with him she is coming and interfering to get his attention as she is sick of attention.She has toys a scratch post ,anyway she destroyed our brand new leather bed despite having a scratch post and she has 2 beds but she is everywhere.Still i love her as i thought her to play hide and seek.I just want to live in a house where the kitchen and living room are separate as always she is sitting on the kitchen border where i am cooking so everyday i have to wash everything with detol .The kitchen,the table and coffee table.Have to hover the sofa and had to change my bed sheets every 3 days as when i am changing she is sneaking in and goes and sleep under the duvet without me seeing it.

[MilkMan]

On the plus side your child will develop a better immune system living with an animal and will get a great deal of pleasure from having a cat around to watch, follow and play with. Toxoplasmosis etc is just as likely to be picked up from places like grass verges and play areas where foxes and dogs might have left their poo. I grew up with a cat and two dogs and our 16 month girl absolutely adores our cat, it's name is one of the first words she said! If you have cat fur brush that can work wonders to help reduce hair left around and if an indoor cat important to brush it anyway to prevent furballs in its stomach. I wouldn't worry enough to get rid of your cat as the pluses outway the negatives. Regarding allergies it is not the fur but cats saliva that causes runny noses and eyes so it is dependent on the cat. They also say that children are less likely to have allergies when grow up with animals as their immune system becomes used to pets.

[BecciBoo]

I'm a veterinary nurse; and I'm pregnant. I work daily with dogs, cats etc and I have many pets at home including a dog, a wild hedgehog and cats; I also grew up with cats my whole life (my mums a veterinary nurse) and I'm told I had a cat sleeping in my cot with me from been very small.

As long as your cat is treated for fleas and worms (monthly for fleas, 3 monthly for worms) you have nothing to worry about. Toxoplasmosis can only be contracted from cat faeces that is over 3 days old and has to actually be eaten! You are more likely to get it from undercooked meat. Other parasites are more likely to be contracted through playing in soil etc.

I won't leave my pets alone with the baby when its born, but I would never consider rehoming any of my animals or leaving my profession.

[Alina_M in reply to BecciBoo]

Thank you.Its very helpful.

[Alina_M]

Thank you all for the advice.I guess i have to keep the cat but i am not letting her to sleep anymore in the bedroom during the night.I am worming her every 2-3 months.And the vaccination she had it in May.Just have to live with the hair so good idea to get an hand held hover x

[136gxx]

I'd be more worried about the Cat suffocating the baby they like the smell of baby's milk and sit on them than the baby and cat hairs. I have a cat and I just put baby safety gates up so the cat couldn't get into the rooms where baby was unless there was someone watching them xx