Cats

gsd mommy

Idk if this is the right place to post this.. but i have a cat that i've had for 5 years and my mother and many more people are urging me to get rid of him and my dog.  The dog is a 7 month old German Shepherd and the cat is long haired but declawed.  I've already been working with Sammy, the dog, about what is hers and what is the babys, making sure she doesnt jump, and having my best friends baby over a lot.  But how can i prepare Winchester?  My mom said something about cats can suffacate the babys, so i really want to know if anybody who has already had a baby and a cat and what measures they took to avoid any problems..  I don't want to get rid of Winchester, but  i would if i absolutly had to...

Mominator

That is such an old wives tale. I had three cats at one point and never once did any of them lay on my baby's head. Quite frankly, they stayed as far away from the baby as possible and still do. Please don't get rid of your pets, you made a life long commitment to them when you brought them home and it wouldn't be fair to get rid of them. Now, before any one jumps all over me, if the pet were EVER a risk to the baby I would say get rid of it, but this is not one of those situations.

AnnapolisLari

I have 2 cats and 2 kids. Had the cats long before the kids. My mom has 3 cats.

None of them showed the slightest interest in either of my babies. The "sucking the baby's breath" is a crazy old wives tale.

DandelionMom

Pets and babies are fine together with supervision.  I have 3 cats, 2 dogs (plus usually a foster dog) and 3 kids.  Cats do not suck a baby's breath.  They usually stay far away from babies.   

A nestie has a good blog about raising kids with pets https://www.babiesandbeasts.blogspot.com/ 

maxebook29

AnnapolisLari:

I have 2 cats and 2 kids. Had the cats long before the kids. My mom has 3 cats.

None of them showed the slightest interest in either of my babies. The "sucking the baby's breath" is a crazy old wives tale.

This. I have three cats and all are fine with my daughter. Have been since day 1. The first two ignore her and the third adores her. 

gsd mommy

Thank God!!  I love Winchester and Sammy!! They are my children, and it would kill me to get rid of Winchester or Sam... I just really needed somebody to tell me whoever came up with that is FOS!!

penguingrrl

Cats suffocating babies is an old wives tale.  I have two cats and have had no trouble at all.  They steer pretty clear of both kids because they're terrified of them.  As long as you don't leave the cats alone in a room with the baby, nothing will happen.  In fact, it might not even happen if they were alone with them, it's just not a risk you should take.  Pets are good for kids.

hopefulmom

The cat will more than likely stay away from the baby.  We had to keep the door to the nursery closed (all the time...not just when baby was in there) becaue the cat loved to lay in the crib.  lol  Now that it has been a couple of years she stays away...although will go under the toddler bed to get away from the dog!  As for your dog...just keep training it not to jump.  Don't ask it to beg, speak (unless you want a barker), or jump up for any reason.  My DD's DH was having their dog jump up on his chest until I told him that eventually the dog will jump on their DS...did he want that?  So he stopped and the dog never has done it since.  As one pp said, pets are good for kids and I've read that if children/babies are exposed to dogs and cats there is actually less chance of allergy.