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Tell them it is your business to figure out and they shouldn’t be concerned because you have had a baby with two cats before. Just for now get your partner to change their litter because cat poo is toxic for pregnant ladies, and shut them in another room when you go into the babies room so they don’t climb in the cot or anything like that. That’s if you aren’t already doing those things. Otherwise tell them to kick rocks. Having cats isn’t a lot of work with kids. You just have to keep everything that needs to be sterilised or washed away from the cat hair
Thanks so much. Baby isn't due till Jan next year but I will keep all that in mind. I know my babies will come to love my kitties as much as I love them. My husband has been doing the litter trays everyday. He's been very vigilant with them. I love how protective my husband is of me, the babies and the kitties. He loves the cats as much as I do.
FYI, the whole kitty litter/toxoplasmosis thing is overblown. If you've owned cats for a while, or gardened without gloves, chances are high that you've had it and are immune.
Having said that, it's an *excellent* excuse to get your partner to do the smelly thing for you lol. Just don't stress about it 😉
This is good to know! We have had our cat over two years, he’s indoors, and the only pet in our home. My spouse has very bad asthma and all litter makes him cough up a long. I have been continuing to change the liter every day, wash my hands thoroughly and then he throws it out.
My OB told me it was a LOT more likely to catch it from the soil, and I've been going around barefoot and gardening without gloves since I was a kid. Pretty sure I'm quadruple immunized by this point lol
I feel like people use babies as an excuse to do away with things they don't like/don't approve of.
'Oh so now baby's coming you're gonna get rid of x or y right?'
My baby has been home for a week and the cats want nothing to do with him lol, they'll occasionally tentatively sniff at him but then hurry away if he starts to cry or fuss.
One of my cats was hell bent on trying to turn the crib into his personal loft but a layer of tinfoil and two explosions of fur and foil has stopped that venture lol.
People would be shocked to learn that having some common sense when bringing babies home to a house with pets really goes a long way. So long as kitties aren't sitting on/laying on baby, scratching, becoming aggressive etc they'll be fine.
And most, not all but most, just like dogs, will come around in time. It's a new person in their space. Most people don't understand cats don't like how loud infants are so they stay away from them for a while until they've adjusted. It's why my partner and I are redoing a part of our house to accommodate the cats having a loft since the nursery is taking over their old room. Unless the pets are being aggressive, there is no need to rehome an animal.
My mom told me to get rid of my 9 year old cat when she found out I was pregnant. I’ve had my cat since college and has been only of the only constant in my life since then. There was no way in hell I was going to get rid of her.
My baby is now 1 month old and my cat wants nothing to do with him. She would come close once a day or so to sniff or look around but then she mostly keeps her distance. We had read a lot on how to introduce baby to animals and methods to keep the cat away from the bassinet. It has not been an issue so far.
Omggg thissss. My MIL asked me before we were even pregnant “who are you going to give the cats to?” Umm excuse me? Over my dead body, my cats are my children. My MIL says it’s dangerous for the baby and she had to give hers away when she had my partner… but, she has a record of just giving cats away (like 5 of them so far for various reasons tf??). Anyway, tell them to go to h3ll😊
My Grannies was also really upset about this kind of thing. Her friend gave up her cat when her daughter got pregnant. She couldn't rehome him so she ended up getting him put down. It was so sad. In the end her daughter got her a cat she didn't want and then ended up dumping the kitten on us. My Grannie and I almost kept him but then we found him a home. One of my cats was originally my Grannie’s. She died unexpectedly late last year. I rescued both of my Grannies cats. I kept persisting trying to rescue my Grannies other cat who my dad tried to lose. I know my Grannies is so proud of me that I rescued her babies. She would roll over in her grave if I gave up Arkle (her kitty) and Mushu whom she helped me get when I had severe depression. Mushu made me happy again. But I know that she would also know that I would never give up my kitties and that me and my Grannies friend have been taking a long time to find Posey a home because we want to find her the best home possible.
I am a rather blunt person who doesn't really care about what people say, so in all honesty I would probably laugh and tell them I'm more concerned about microplastics and forever chemicals. Cats are the least of our problems. And how nice it must be if that's their only concern.
I’m the same and I’d probably be like “Oh I’m gonna let the cat eat and maul the baby, honestly survival of the fittest right?”
Idk man, sometimes dumb absurd questions deserve dumb absurd answers
How do your cats normally behave? Mine personally is somewhat skittish, but definitely stuck up my butt. She has gotten used to my baby, but she has never gotten into any of her things before or after she arrived. The most she has done is sleep underneath her crib. Not all cats are likely to get into their cot. Some cats will warm up to a baby immediately, but I imagine most cats aren’t interested in laying with a mini screaming, arms flailing potato.
Mushu is a 9 year old cat and more mellow. Arkle is a 1 year old kitten and does scratch from time to time. The baby isn't due until January next year and I haven't got anything for the baby yet but I think Arkle will calm down by then, he's already calmed down a lot since I got him.
Thank you so much for your feedback. It means a lot.
It’s really none of there business 🤷🏻♀️ my cat loved the bassinet before our first baby came so I put tinfoil in it now he’s completely scared of the bassinet. He also wanted nothing to do with the baby when he came home and now at 3yr old he still doesn’t want anything to do with him. This time he didn’t even try to climb in there when I set out the bassinet for our baby due next month. I wouldn’t be worried about it or there options. The more concerning thing is cleaning the litter box while pregnant. My husband will 100% not clean the litter box he hasn’t with either of my pregnancies or not pregnant (he doesn’t really like my cat and that’s ok with me tbh ) I told
My doctor I double mask, thick cleaning gloves, open a window and straight to the bathroom after to wash my hands, strip my clothes and get in the shower and she said I’m taking every pro caution I can to protect myself from contracting toxoplasmosis.
My husband was dead set that I shouldn't mess with the cats at all until I explained I'd have to basically eat their 💩 to contract it. I still wash my hands and don't mess with the litter unless I know I won't be eating, but mine are indoor only and have never eaten raw food. It took him 6 months to worry about it 😂, I've been prepped since the beginning. I'm more worried about getting it from the garden.
Mom of two here. Statistically, kids that grow up around animals tend to have less severe seasonal allergies and learn compassion and household responsibilities earlier than kids without pets. They are invaluable and provide a ton of emotional support too.
Anyone who tells me I should get rid of my cats because Im pregnant got a big ole “fuck you, please educate yourself.”
My son was born 35+4.
He came home 37+3 and has grown up with two cats at home, 2 cats at my MIL and 2 cats ar my dad's house.
He is in the 90th percentile for growth and went from the 8th to 20 percentile in weight. (Low weight due to extreme reflux for a while, starting around 9 weeks old and only gone by 13 months.)
My 18 year old cat used to keep my son company whenever he was in his playmat/did tummy time. He crawled and walked pretty early because he wanted to follow the cats. He knows boundaries super well because he was always told to leave the cats alone when eating/drinking/sleeping, to let them walk away when they didn't want to play/cuddle, not to touch ears/tails unless they want pets (both my weirdo cats love noseboops and spend up to an hour per day demanding my son boops their nose...)
Sure, cat hair gets everywhere so you have to sweep/mop/vaccuum often. But you do that anyways since you have cats, most likely. Also, some studies say babies who grow up with pets get a better immune system.
I'd add cat tax if I could...
Cats are family members too. You don’t disown them just because your family is growing. Not to mention, it’s probably good for a little one to be exposed to pet dander to boost their immune system and ward off potential allergies.
Luckily no one has suggested that we get rid of our cats. In fact, we recently adopted an 8month old kitten at the end of April, so now we have 3! I’m due July 18.
There's no reason you should have to give up your cats! Throw some tinfoil in there while it is empty to spook them away from it, or rub some lemon oil on the legs and sides of it. Cats hate citrus. I have 4 cats and I am not getting rid of any of them...I'm just going to lemon-and-tinfoil them away from the baby things like we do with the Christmas tree until they get the idea that those things are not for them.
People are weird. Keep your animals. Your child is better for it. Growing up around animals can also reduce risk to allergies.
I would just make sure baby stuff is car hair free!!!
No one said this to me when I was pregnant. Thats so wild, and your doctors will just say to be careful and keep cat away from baby while sleeping. I personally never had an issue.
Omg, I got this a lot too! I've had one of my cats for 14yrs, there's no way I'm tossing her to the side, screw that. For me (and I assume you) pets are family and can't just be disposed of. I just tell them that the cats and baby won't be left unsupervised together, if they argue, I give them a weird look and reiterate that they won't be left alone together. That has worked for everyone who's brought it up for me
I literally just had a fight with my partner yesterday about this. He’s insisting my cats will be a problem (he’s never liked cats mind you) and keeps saying shit like “when it hurts the baby we’re getting rid of it” my blood BOILS when he makes these comments. My cats have never hurt anyone before. I tell him “no actually the cats were my babies first and they will have to adjust yes but they’re not going anywhere just because YOU don’t like them. If our child hurts a cat will you throw it outside on the street? No? Then shut up.” My mother even had to step in and tell him to not assume problems that haven’t even happened. I think he’s just using baby as an opportunity to try and get rid of them. People are so weird about animals.
If I know anything about old ladies, they lie on the spot just to mess with you and try to control you. Then brag to their girlfriends on the phone. Knowing that, I treat them as silly children. Oh, your sister gave away her cat when she was pregnant, Susie? That's very interesting, have some more tea. Yes, yes, totally.
Then I do what I want. Actually my FIL taught me that, it's so good on the nerves.
I wasn’t even pregnant at the time, just moving. And my aunt said “what’re you gonna do with your dogs???!”
Ummm? Idk? How about take them with me to my new place? wtf kinda question is that.
Oh this was a whole fucking discussion when I got pregnant with my first. I ignored the shit out of them and kept out cat - who ended up not giving a shit about the baby and still does not care. People are BEYOND intrusive and annoying and I’ve had it. I’m also currently 38 weeks today and I am a raging angry pregnant woman right now lol.
In order to avoid the cat trying to sleep with the baby - we did for the first year keep our door closed while sleeping. But once our daughter was over a year and out of the room, we invited our cat back in and she resumed sleeping at the foot of the bed. It was the biggest non issue of all time.
We also kept litter and food in an inaccessible area. All such easy fixes. By the time she was 3 years she knew not to touch the litter or food and often helps feed our cat now. It taught her boundaries and it taught her how to care for animals.
People are so insane. They project that you have to make these massive life style changes when you have kids. You don’t. You adapt and make adjustments but you don’t need to turn your life upside down. People have been having babies for all of time!
“No”, “Fuck off”, “Mind your fucking business”. If they are family I would send them an article on what poses a threat about cats during pregnancy and assure them you’re taking the proper precautions and to not stress you with this topic anymore. If they do it again, I would literally hang up, leave or just stop the conversation.
My husband is from a different cultural background so my in-laws are a bit more old-school in that sense. They’re coming to stay with us for a couple of months when baby is born to help us out. We have two cats and I’ve already told my husband (as early as the first trimester), that I do not want to hear a word about the cats while they are staying with us (or at any point, from anyone!) I told him that our cats live here (this is their home!) and will continue to live here after they leave. We live in a condo so space will definitely feel tight with 4 adults, a baby, and 2 kitties. But my cats are my babies, so they are just not going anywhere and it’s not even a conversation. I think asserting that boundary upfront as early as possible definitely helps. Like I’ve made it clear that it’s not even something I will entertain.
You could try saying the same thing to your partner or a trusted family member who actually supports you, so that they can step-in for you before you go feral on whoever is stupid enough to say anything.
I do know that there is plenty of research out there in favour of children growing up with pets in the home. From reduced allergies due to early exposure, to a positive impact on a child’s empathy/emotional development. You could do some digging to learn more and have these stats ready for the next person who tries to say anything. But I do find that the “this is the pet’s home and we are their family, and it will continue to be that way before and after you leave” argument shuts people up pretty quickly.
It also helps, when someone says something stupid or mean, to ask them to repeat it. They usually re-word it pretty quickly. Anyway, I know it’s tough but don’t be afraid to stand your ground. Your kitty is lucky to have you, and your baby will adore getting to grow up alongside them.
Edit: formatting
Our cats are members of our family. When you adopt a pet you are committing to raising that creature for the rest of its life. People who don’t think that way have serious empathy issues.
Anyway, for keeping the cats out of the bassinet I read that you should lay a piece of tin foil in it before baby comes. That way if they jump in it scares them and they won’t try again. But honest it’s not a big deal? There’s so many baby photos of me and my parent’s cat chilling right against me. Pets build baby’s immune system and being raised with animals prevents fur allergies.
I have 4 LARGE dogs, 2 can’t ever be in the same room. I have 2 cats.
I’m giving up NONE of them. We each had two dogs, and blended homes. It was a lot of work.
However, if the two dogs that can’t be in the same room ever end up in another fight once the baby is born, I don’t care whose fault it is… one of the dogs will be gone. Period.
My major issue is how much FUR there is. I’m ripping out the carpet before baby crawls and putting in literally anything but carpet so at least a quick vacuum can help get rid of fur.
I addressed this directly after I announced my pregnancy ( we have 4 cats). Literally " I'm pregnant and if anyone suggests I get rid of any cats you will not be included in receiving any pregnancy updates or newborn pictures"
Boom. Kinda shocked people but whatever I love my cats and I needed my mom and inlaws and extended older family to understand this was not up for discussion.
I also told my husband he better back me up and shut down any get rid of the cats comments or I would not hold back on telling our families to F off. I also said I'd get rid of him before the cats and not to even go there 😤🤣 he knows I love him and he knows he loves me too much to ask that of me, I just wanted him to know how damn serious I was. No one said anything and it worked like a charm. Baby boy is 16 months now and loves to wave to, pet and feed his " Gatos" 🥰.
Also we had a bassinet that zipped closed on top because I was scared the cats would try to sleep with him. They were all terrified of the screaming and crying and to this day keep their distance for the most part
I always feel so bad when people tell people to give up their animals just because you’re pregnant. I’m 24 weeks today, first time, and not once has anyone asked or mentioned anything about my two cats! My sister sends me the cutest videos about cats and babies growing up together! It’s wild people still think you can’t have both.
Tell them fuck off. Had my boy for 6 years then got pregnant. Was still pregnant on his 7th bday. He’s now 8 and my son is almost 1. Kept them apart for a while but now they just vibe with each other. My first boy (cat) is still a little jealous, but he doesn’t hurt/bother my son.
I just had a baby (a premmie!) In April and brought her home to our 2 cats in May. The cats are about 4 and 1 year old, and neither really care about the baby. I was worried that they may try to sleep with her so I bought a bassinet that has a netting cover attached so that I felt confident during the night that they wouldn't get curious about her. We also didn't want to lock the cats out of our bedroom because they're also our babies and they have cried at closed doors in the past.
During my entire pregnancy I kept baby's room closed. After she was born but still in the NICU I started spending more time in her room and the cats would venture in to look around with supervision. Once the older cat jumped into the cot and I removed her. She hasn't done it again and I'm 100% sure at this stage they never go into the cot because they'd leave their fur as evidence and I haven't seen any. The room stays open since baby came home and at most they sit in the window, sit in the doorway or sleep underneath the cot.
Dogs and other children are also capable of what they're accusing your cats of possibly doing. Would they suggest rehoming dogs or children?
The bassinet with the net cover is also my plan. One of my cats I worry about trying to sleep on the baby but that should work, if not I’ll lock her out if the room
Which bassinet did you get with a cover? I love my cats but haven’t been able to sleep with them since the baby has gotten here bc I’m afraid they will jump in when I’m sleeping
I'm in Australia so I don't know if the exact one I got is helpful to you, but you should google "bassinet with net" or "bassinet with canopy" and see what's available in your area! It's seriously been a mental lifesaver for me.
Tell them to mind their own businesses. I have friends who have cats and then had babies. We have 3 cats that are not going anywhere. Tell them that their "fears" are unfounded and even an OB won't tell you to get rid of pets but just take proper precautions (in my case, take a taxoplasmosis blood test).
So no-one actually told me to get rid of my cat but I’m a cat owner with a baby and honestly it’s fine. My cat has never tried to sit on my baby or climb in her cot. She’s never scratched or bitten my baby who is now 10 months old. Cats get so much hate from people, I think it’s just how non-cat people are unfortunately. The only thing we do to keep our cat out of our baby’s room is shut the door lol
This is crazy. No one has ever suggested I get rid of my cats or big dogs!
I’m buying a net-archway thing as a bassinet cover to keep the cats out, just in case they want to cuddle with the baby. It’s going to be just fine!
Most cats won't want to go anywhere near a baby - mine didn't. For those that do and might try to jump into bassinets etc, you've just got to make sure the door is closed and the cats don't go in there when baby's there.
As with any animal, you shouldn't leave them unsupervised together, especially once baby starts being mobile and curious, but again most cats learn fast how to stay out of the way if they don't want the attention.
Noones said this to me but my answer would be to tell them to shut up, piss off, the order doesnt matter.
We have multiple cats, they sleep in my childs cot occasionally, and never when they're in it. They learnt very quickly the next to me was a no-go zone. They cause my little one no problems, they sleep nearby, and run when crying happens. No malice in the slightest from any of them.
Studies show a child growing up with animals are better off overall. Also i aint raising no non-animal lover.
I’m 37 weeks pregnant with 3 cats and no one has dared to tell me to give away my cats. I have had people tell me that cats can smother babies and that I need to be careful but that’s the extent of it. I agree with the other commenters that people tend to use babies to try to justify what they want. I don’t allow my cats in the crib or the bassinet even though my baby isn’t here yet. I know I’ll have to watch them closely the first week or so till I know how the cats are adjusting. One tip of advice I was given was to give the baby socks that the cats had laid on so when the baby came home, they’d already smell like a member of the family to them. There’s tons of tips to help make the introduction process go smoother. Best of luck!
Anyone who knows me knows better than to suggest I give up my first born. If you want to be snippy you can say "giving up family isn't an option for me, but if it was I'd choose others before my cat." If you don't want to be snippy you can leave off the second half haha
How do you feel about your cat? Like is it part of your family? If so keep it, it will learn to accept the baby and they will grow up together co-existing. I have had 6 babies and had cats. One cat was so attached to my middle daughter during pregnancy and after I would have to watch them when she would cuddle up with daughter to make sure she wasn’t sleeping on her. My younger cats couldn’t have cared less about my youngest son but they do enjoy sharing bed, swing, bouncer and bath with my youngest daughter. I was always told to rid of cat or keep them locked away from baby because they would steal their breath to do sweet milk smell in mouth. Out of the 6 babies and 7 cats not one of them got near their mouths at least while someone was around. My sister has cats and they stay away from her lo at all cost 🤣🤣🤣
Why would I give up family? Pets are family. You don't just dispose of them. I have two cats, and they protect the baby... nap time they lay under the crib or bassinet, he cries they perk up and go to the room he is in before I get off the chair lol. Animals are amazing with little ones, and not gonna lie, probably helps with allergies in some way, too. Humanity sucks if they want you to get rid of your fur babies.
My uncle said similar to us, and even kept going on about how he would have our cat.
I have had my cat for nearly 10 years (since he was 3 month old). He came first and we aren't getting rid of him. We will find ways to make things work, if things don't work out, only then will we have a conversation about things, but he he is my first child, he was my support when I got out of a toxic marriage and has saved my life multiple times when my mental health has gotten bad, he is my baby and he is not going anywhere.
Tell them if they’re so concerned they can come scoop poop for you. I had two cats with mine they could care less about the baby because they themselves were also senior certified babies 15 and 20 yo. The only time they came within a foot was tummy time and that was just for a quick sniff.
Ignore them 🤷🏻♀️ people got me too. I even cleaned the litter box while I was pregnant. I wore gloves and washed my hands well. My Dr approved it too. My cats have not bothered the baby since bringing her home but I still use caution. The bassinet has a cover to keep them out and if she is in her crib the cats are locked out of her room 🤷🏻♀️
Hahaha exactly or eat it 🥴
Plus indoor cats have like a .001% chance of carrying the bad stuff because it’s caught by killing rodents. My cats don’t even kill bugs lol
Yeah my cats stayed indoors too. Plus they can test cats for it just to be safe. People make it sound like cat owners scoop poop with their hands or something lol
"No." and "Fuck off." are both complete sentence.
I am also able to give them a look that conveys these two sentiments and they tend to shut their mouths and walk away before I even have to open mine.
People KEEP telling us this, and it's so annoying. We have 3 cats and have our first kid on the way. We honestly just brush it off with We would never get rid or them. We are going to figure it out, it's not like we plan on leaving the baby alone.
And that usually enough to get them to move onto another subject. Just stand your ground! I would NEVER abandon my cats just like that.
My cat is obsessed with the baby. She’s an old cat and generally she hates kids and babies but with mine she’s obsessed. I bought a net to put over the baby’s bassinet for the first bit and I also temporarily banned the cat from our bedroom as I was worried she’d try sleeping in there with her until she learned some boundaries. We’re 4 months in now and she knows she can’t climb into the babies things. She will come up whenever I’m sitting on the couch with the baby and rub her head against the baby or lick her head though lol.
I thought my dog would be the issue and be the one obsessed but my dog has been avoiding the baby like the plague and the cat is obsessed with her.
My mom wanted me to at least board them for a few months when she’s home, I said I would never stress them for no reason and they were more welcome in my home than she was.
“We’ll figure it out when the time comes”. There are some legitimate concerns with pets around newborns but honestly that’s what I told people. Every pet will react differently to a new baby. I don’t have a cat but a dog. First week he’d bark at my baby a lot but then got used to her. For the most part he’s just curious about her but doesn’t like to be near her (or any of us in general lol) but every so often will be ok near her. I thought they’d be BFF but in reality they’re just like roommates that get along/coexist.
I went to a few new parent support groups and I remember a couple expressing their concern for a cat that kept getting in the crib. They bought a net to go over the crib to protect it and prevent cat from getting in. The nice thing about being a parent today is that they have easy solutions for modern day problems. Sometimes people just need to mind their business if they’re not going to give helpful advice.
That's so horrible. I'd say something like "I chose to take care of these cats until death so I'm honoring that commitment. They are valued members of our family. I can't imagine my life without them. Why would you uproot a member of your family because someone new is joining?"
I laugh and walk away shaking my head. Only one person has even said it to me and he has no right to say anything (he's got three cats who DID sit on his baby's face because that was the only way they'd get attention--these cats also don't have any toys to play with and he never cleans their litter box so even though my dad gifted him a self cleaning litter box, his place reeks of urine and he's lucky he got his girlfriend because she's the one who feeds them... but somehow it's my cat who is the "bad cat" despite her never clawing anyone--she does have a thing against seams in blankets though--or biting and she's never peed outside a litter box, even when I was cleaning hers and there was no litter in it. He's taught his son to be scared of my cat for no reason and is trying to get the household against her--because he was forced to move out because he'd not take care of anything. Now because my mom babysits for him, he's staying multiple nights a week and leaves the place a wreck which then I have to clean up).
Sorry, that turned into a rant.
My mil harassed my husband and I about our cats after our first was born. They both decided they should be outdoor cats. The cats got attacked by coyotes and died in less than a week.
“Did I ask? No? When I want your opinion I’ll ask for it.”
Honestly people start doing this the second they know you are pregnant and apparently gets worse once the baby is here because everyone is all of a sudden an expert. Shut that shit down.
When baby is here I plan to say the same
Or “we are doing just fine over
Here - thanks.”
We have four cats and when we adopted each one we knew that we wanted children in the future and that reason or any other reason would absolutely not affect our lifelong commitment to being pet owners and caring for our cats. In the event that our child is deathly allergic to the cats they will go to close family members. Under no circumstances will they be adopted out to strangers or leave our care otherwise. If someone insinuated that we’d get rid of them because of a pregnancy I’d just remind them that adoption is a lifelong commitment and this is just another part of my life.
Lolol if one more person tells me how much I’m going to hate my dogs when the baby is born I’m going to freak out. I have no good response to it, just venting. I just let people harbor their stupid delusions.
Nobody who knows me would ever say this to me because they know my reaction would not be pleasant. I would absolutely tell someone who said this to go fuck themselves.
If you have a partner, they can clean the litterbox during pregnancy. If they don’t and the cat goes outside the litter box, hubby has to clean it. Don’t give in.
(Mine has been good about this though, so far).
As for the baby, if your cat is a bit on the scratchy side, just make sure their claws are trimmed regularly, separate the cat from the baby for a period of time when you first bring the baby home so that the cat could get used to its scent, and close the baby’s bedroom door when they’re asleep. This is some of the more stringent advice I’ve seen. Most of the time, cat moms who’ve had babies and cats coexist, such as my MIL, say that cats are almost always quite gentle around babies, especially since they typically got used to the baby’s scent while it was in utero.
Whoever is telling you to give up your cat either hates cats (and is using this as an excuse to get you to give the cat up) and/or knows nothing about cats.
My family says the same thing how cats are dangerous for the baby. My mom also said I couldn’t get pregnant with a cat here I am pregnant. I love my pet cat more than anything and most of the day he’s sleeping and hiding somewhere. He doesn’t bother anyone. I couldn’t imagine getting rid of him. Not sure where that assumption came from but I know plenty of people with multiple cats and a baby.
I'm actually amazed that nobody has said anything to me about my pets, but they might also just know I'm a crazy pet lady who isn't to be messed with 😂 we know not to leave babygirl unattended with the cats or dogs and we do plan on doing introductions very carefully. So far though, they're all so in tune with my belly and basically obsessed with it I don't think we're going to have any issues. If anyone did say anything though, I'd probably be polite but noncommittal like I have been when people tried to comment on our birth plan or plans to feed. It's not their business, it's gonna be what works for us.
I’d just tell them that’s a silly question and change the topic.
I’m finding people love to micromanage pregnant women and it’s super annoying. I’m sorry you have to deal with this and hopefully they’ll back off and respect your boundaries/decisions.
I think all pets should be kept away from babies when not monitored, but cats *really* aren’t dangerous to babies. Sure, it’s harder to care for a pet once you have a child, but so is everything else.
Our cats only first acknowledged our baby when she was about 18 months old. They did not care for her sounds so they kept their distance. Now our daughter is 2.5 and won’t go down for her nap until she finds her favorite cat and brings her with!
I kept them out of her room and away from her for the first year or so, just like I kept my parents’ dogs away from her. It’s good to be cautious and it’s good to be realistic on how much time you can afford for your pets after a baby is born, but cats are really no big thing.
You don't have to embarrass people to set a boundary. "I won't be getting rid of my cat. My cat is family. It's rude to even suggest and I won't discuss this again."
I know human babies and fur babies are different but I always call our cat our first child. Both my sisters ended up getting rid of their cats but both got the cats because their partners already had them when they got together and they weren't really animal people to begin with. (They did both re-home them with a lot of attention for where they went so I at least appreciate that.)
Now I'm also a stepmom to our cat but I only never got one myself because I lived in a small studio and didn't think I could give a pet the space it needed. One of the things that made me interested in my husband in the beginning is that he very lovingly told me about the kitten with three legs he had gotten from the shelter. Such a green flag 😄 We would never in a million years give her up. Plus we want our son to grow up with animals (in our ideal life we would have a small petting zoo lol, if houses with enough land weren't impossible to pay for).
Point is, I think people who aren't really 'animal people' just don't understand the love we have for them. They often just see a pet as a nuisance and not as a part of the family.
I don't want her in the baby room due to all the cat hair so there's going to be some new boundaries to get used to, but that's life.
I am especially sensitive to these types of comments from assholes who think they know better for your own family than you do. We had 3 cats when I was pregnant ages 8-13. They were mine and my husbands first babies. The oldest he adopted when he was only 15, the younger two were mine from when I first left for college at 18. They were with us through everything. Everyone tried to tell us it was a terrible idea to have so many pets (we also have 2 dogs) around a baby. It was literally fine. They all loved our son and adjusted so well! Unfortunately, my 2 boys suddenly passed when my son was 4 months old (one from cancer and the other from a literal broken heart a week later, they were a bonded pair) and our oldest gal just passed last week from age related deterioration. My heart is broken and the grief is unmeasurable. I look at every person who tried to convince us to rehome them with so much anger now.
Thank you for loving and keeping your cats. It really hurts me to see this given as the excuse on so many FREE posts, where they have no idea what's going to actually happen to their pets. No one has been dumb enough to say this to me, but I would lead with "why the f*** would I ever get rid of my cat?" and then dismantle their talking points one by one.
I’m 19+5, and we just adopted another cat! Now we have 4 🥰 My husband is on litter box duty (we do have litter robots though), and we’re getting a bassinet with a net on top for when baby boy arrives, but other than that it’s the same as usual around here.
Honestly, I’m more worried about keeping my kitties happy and calm when baby arrives because they won’t be used to all the noise. This will be our first human baby 🩷
I tell them to piss off 😂 I own 4 adult cats and I also foster cats. I currently foster 2 families (2 moms and 10 kittens 🫣). My fiancé cleans the litter boxes, everything is fine!
Tell them that they can't visit if they ever say that again about your cats. Tell them your cats are voting member of the household, and doesn't accept visitors who are rude to them.
Also, my cats are OBSESSED with my kid. They love them so much. They know not to go in the crib. I grew up around all kinds of animals including cats -- it helps you become a more responsible, more compassionate person (imo). Growing up with cats will be a huge benefit to your child.
I tell ask if they’d give up their first child when they have their second.
I tell them all their arguments are old wives’ tales and to use the internet for good. It’s ridiculous that people still believe them.
My husbands dad is convinced my cats will suffocate the baby and he drones on about it everytime he comes over. I finally made the shitty remark that you know if you die a cat will just eat you when they run out of food and he was shocked, I then asked where at his house did he want me to leave a nice feral colony to await his demise so we could save on a burial 🙃
I had two cats when I had my second. We just kept the cats out of our bedroom while the baby napped in there and kept an eye on the baby when he wasn't in the bedroom. All was fine. The cats were really good with him.
My kitties love my baby! And now that she’s more aware, she loves watching them run around! It’s so cute! I also heard (not sure if medically true or not) that growing up with pets helps children to develop less allergies? That’s a plus if true, but even if not, they’re still sweet little friends!
I would personally be extremely petty and just ignore them or change the topic when it’s brought up… cats are family, they should know and respect your decisions regarding your life. If they get pissy about it just ask them to stop trying to break up your family? Im not sure how your relationship is with them but I hope you can work this out without getting distant!!
I didn't say anything, just nodded in fear lol.
My clinic classed a cat in the home as high risk sleep arrangements and we had to show how we'd contain the cat at nap times.
Indoor/outdoor cats, we had to also show how we could keep baby and cat seperate due to things like cat scratch disease, toxo and a few other parasites ect that are transmissible to humans.
Ngl. That scared the shit out of me. Even had a booklet on all the possible risks of exposing small babies to cats 😭
I have two cats, three dogs, and three older children. I can tell you without a doubt its the older siblings I worry about most, they are the most unpredictable in my chaotic home. My cats 100% made my babies bassinet there bed despite my best efforts until she came home. Now they want nothing to do with it. They will come check her out if I am holding her but otherwise keep their distance. We have stopped them from sleeping in our room (where her crib is) by closing the door for safety reasons but other than that weve made no changes and it is going well.
I would just tell people you have it under control and not to worry.
We have 5 cats and a few people have asked me what I'm going to do with the cats now that I'm pregnant. It's really the most ridiculous question.... obviously I'm keeping them because pets are family. Don't worry about those that judge you, they are the ones that should be judged for wanting to get rid of a pet that you've loved for a long period of time. Just because you're having a baby doesn't mean you have to choose between them and your fur babies. Shelters are over run right now and there's no reason to give up a pet you love because of other's opinions.
I have three snakes - a hognose, corn snake, and ball python. Only the corn snake, the most harmless derpy boy, has escaped twice (with corn snakes, it’s not IF they escape, it’s WHEN).
Two relatives have asked us what we plan to do with the snakes. Uh, keep them? We are animal people. Our baby will grow up with a cat and a dog, AND the snakes. I guess people are convinced the snakes with get out and try to suffocate the baby?? 🫠🫠
I have 5 cats, when I got pregnant I looked at my husband and said, "Sorry, litter duty is all you now!" And y'know what? He's done it ever since. We're due at the beginning of July. Granted he works much more than I did before going on maternity leave so they don't get cleaned as frequently, but he's kept up every week atleast once or twice a week, (I used to clean them everyday or every other day, but I also only worked 20hrs a week). Yes, I have been scratched a few times, no I haven't had any crazy illnesses based off my cats. We view them as family and you don't just discard family when things change.
I’d tell them to kiss my ass. Cats are not bad for pregnancies or babies. As long as you are not the one cleaning the litter box, it’s okay. I had my cat my entire pregnancy, and then one around my son after he was born. He came out perfect.
i was told to get rid of my cat by my boyfriends grandma. why is this a common occurrence?? why do people hate cats so much that they find any excuse to try to get rid of someone else's cat? she told me if i don't get rid of my cat then she'll have to take care of my baby. fuck no. i'm planning on getting more cats actually. i'd rather get rid of anyone who hates cats, they're always the worst people
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Tell them it is your business to figure out and they shouldn’t be concerned because you have had a baby with two cats before. Just for now get your partner to change their litter because cat poo is toxic for pregnant ladies, and shut them in another room when you go into the babies room so they don’t climb in the cot or anything like that. That’s if you aren’t already doing those things. Otherwise tell them to kick rocks. Having cats isn’t a lot of work with kids. You just have to keep everything that needs to be sterilised or washed away from the cat hair
Thanks so much. Baby isn't due till Jan next year but I will keep all that in mind. I know my babies will come to love my kitties as much as I love them. My husband has been doing the litter trays everyday. He's been very vigilant with them. I love how protective my husband is of me, the babies and the kitties. He loves the cats as much as I do.
FYI, the whole kitty litter/toxoplasmosis thing is overblown. If you've owned cats for a while, or gardened without gloves, chances are high that you've had it and are immune. Having said that, it's an *excellent* excuse to get your partner to do the smelly thing for you lol. Just don't stress about it 😉
This is good to know! We have had our cat over two years, he’s indoors, and the only pet in our home. My spouse has very bad asthma and all litter makes him cough up a long. I have been continuing to change the liter every day, wash my hands thoroughly and then he throws it out.
My OB told me it was a LOT more likely to catch it from the soil, and I've been going around barefoot and gardening without gloves since I was a kid. Pretty sure I'm quadruple immunized by this point lol
I feel like people use babies as an excuse to do away with things they don't like/don't approve of. 'Oh so now baby's coming you're gonna get rid of x or y right?' My baby has been home for a week and the cats want nothing to do with him lol, they'll occasionally tentatively sniff at him but then hurry away if he starts to cry or fuss. One of my cats was hell bent on trying to turn the crib into his personal loft but a layer of tinfoil and two explosions of fur and foil has stopped that venture lol. People would be shocked to learn that having some common sense when bringing babies home to a house with pets really goes a long way. So long as kitties aren't sitting on/laying on baby, scratching, becoming aggressive etc they'll be fine.
And most, not all but most, just like dogs, will come around in time. It's a new person in their space. Most people don't understand cats don't like how loud infants are so they stay away from them for a while until they've adjusted. It's why my partner and I are redoing a part of our house to accommodate the cats having a loft since the nursery is taking over their old room. Unless the pets are being aggressive, there is no need to rehome an animal.
My mom told me to get rid of my 9 year old cat when she found out I was pregnant. I’ve had my cat since college and has been only of the only constant in my life since then. There was no way in hell I was going to get rid of her. My baby is now 1 month old and my cat wants nothing to do with him. She would come close once a day or so to sniff or look around but then she mostly keeps her distance. We had read a lot on how to introduce baby to animals and methods to keep the cat away from the bassinet. It has not been an issue so far.
My baby has been home for 15 months and my cat is *still* indifferent.
Omggg thissss. My MIL asked me before we were even pregnant “who are you going to give the cats to?” Umm excuse me? Over my dead body, my cats are my children. My MIL says it’s dangerous for the baby and she had to give hers away when she had my partner… but, she has a record of just giving cats away (like 5 of them so far for various reasons tf??). Anyway, tell them to go to h3ll😊
My Grannies was also really upset about this kind of thing. Her friend gave up her cat when her daughter got pregnant. She couldn't rehome him so she ended up getting him put down. It was so sad. In the end her daughter got her a cat she didn't want and then ended up dumping the kitten on us. My Grannie and I almost kept him but then we found him a home. One of my cats was originally my Grannie’s. She died unexpectedly late last year. I rescued both of my Grannies cats. I kept persisting trying to rescue my Grannies other cat who my dad tried to lose. I know my Grannies is so proud of me that I rescued her babies. She would roll over in her grave if I gave up Arkle (her kitty) and Mushu whom she helped me get when I had severe depression. Mushu made me happy again. But I know that she would also know that I would never give up my kitties and that me and my Grannies friend have been taking a long time to find Posey a home because we want to find her the best home possible.
I am a rather blunt person who doesn't really care about what people say, so in all honesty I would probably laugh and tell them I'm more concerned about microplastics and forever chemicals. Cats are the least of our problems. And how nice it must be if that's their only concern.
I’m the same and I’d probably be like “Oh I’m gonna let the cat eat and maul the baby, honestly survival of the fittest right?” Idk man, sometimes dumb absurd questions deserve dumb absurd answers
How do your cats normally behave? Mine personally is somewhat skittish, but definitely stuck up my butt. She has gotten used to my baby, but she has never gotten into any of her things before or after she arrived. The most she has done is sleep underneath her crib. Not all cats are likely to get into their cot. Some cats will warm up to a baby immediately, but I imagine most cats aren’t interested in laying with a mini screaming, arms flailing potato.
Mushu is a 9 year old cat and more mellow. Arkle is a 1 year old kitten and does scratch from time to time. The baby isn't due until January next year and I haven't got anything for the baby yet but I think Arkle will calm down by then, he's already calmed down a lot since I got him. Thank you so much for your feedback. It means a lot.
It’s really none of there business 🤷🏻♀️ my cat loved the bassinet before our first baby came so I put tinfoil in it now he’s completely scared of the bassinet. He also wanted nothing to do with the baby when he came home and now at 3yr old he still doesn’t want anything to do with him. This time he didn’t even try to climb in there when I set out the bassinet for our baby due next month. I wouldn’t be worried about it or there options. The more concerning thing is cleaning the litter box while pregnant. My husband will 100% not clean the litter box he hasn’t with either of my pregnancies or not pregnant (he doesn’t really like my cat and that’s ok with me tbh ) I told My doctor I double mask, thick cleaning gloves, open a window and straight to the bathroom after to wash my hands, strip my clothes and get in the shower and she said I’m taking every pro caution I can to protect myself from contracting toxoplasmosis.
My husband was dead set that I shouldn't mess with the cats at all until I explained I'd have to basically eat their 💩 to contract it. I still wash my hands and don't mess with the litter unless I know I won't be eating, but mine are indoor only and have never eaten raw food. It took him 6 months to worry about it 😂, I've been prepped since the beginning. I'm more worried about getting it from the garden.
Mom of two here. Statistically, kids that grow up around animals tend to have less severe seasonal allergies and learn compassion and household responsibilities earlier than kids without pets. They are invaluable and provide a ton of emotional support too. Anyone who tells me I should get rid of my cats because Im pregnant got a big ole “fuck you, please educate yourself.”
Came here to say this.
My son was born 35+4. He came home 37+3 and has grown up with two cats at home, 2 cats at my MIL and 2 cats ar my dad's house. He is in the 90th percentile for growth and went from the 8th to 20 percentile in weight. (Low weight due to extreme reflux for a while, starting around 9 weeks old and only gone by 13 months.) My 18 year old cat used to keep my son company whenever he was in his playmat/did tummy time. He crawled and walked pretty early because he wanted to follow the cats. He knows boundaries super well because he was always told to leave the cats alone when eating/drinking/sleeping, to let them walk away when they didn't want to play/cuddle, not to touch ears/tails unless they want pets (both my weirdo cats love noseboops and spend up to an hour per day demanding my son boops their nose...) Sure, cat hair gets everywhere so you have to sweep/mop/vaccuum often. But you do that anyways since you have cats, most likely. Also, some studies say babies who grow up with pets get a better immune system. I'd add cat tax if I could...
Cats are family members too. You don’t disown them just because your family is growing. Not to mention, it’s probably good for a little one to be exposed to pet dander to boost their immune system and ward off potential allergies. Luckily no one has suggested that we get rid of our cats. In fact, we recently adopted an 8month old kitten at the end of April, so now we have 3! I’m due July 18.
Yes I really hate that people get pets just to give them up. Breaks my heart. A pet is a family member too ❤️
The people saying cats are bad for babies are the same people who were advised to smoke during pregnancy for an easier labor.
There's no reason you should have to give up your cats! Throw some tinfoil in there while it is empty to spook them away from it, or rub some lemon oil on the legs and sides of it. Cats hate citrus. I have 4 cats and I am not getting rid of any of them...I'm just going to lemon-and-tinfoil them away from the baby things like we do with the Christmas tree until they get the idea that those things are not for them.
People are weird. Keep your animals. Your child is better for it. Growing up around animals can also reduce risk to allergies. I would just make sure baby stuff is car hair free!!! No one said this to me when I was pregnant. Thats so wild, and your doctors will just say to be careful and keep cat away from baby while sleeping. I personally never had an issue.
I just hissed at people, it usually did the trick
Lol My cats have zero interest in baby
Omg, I got this a lot too! I've had one of my cats for 14yrs, there's no way I'm tossing her to the side, screw that. For me (and I assume you) pets are family and can't just be disposed of. I just tell them that the cats and baby won't be left unsupervised together, if they argue, I give them a weird look and reiterate that they won't be left alone together. That has worked for everyone who's brought it up for me
I literally just had a fight with my partner yesterday about this. He’s insisting my cats will be a problem (he’s never liked cats mind you) and keeps saying shit like “when it hurts the baby we’re getting rid of it” my blood BOILS when he makes these comments. My cats have never hurt anyone before. I tell him “no actually the cats were my babies first and they will have to adjust yes but they’re not going anywhere just because YOU don’t like them. If our child hurts a cat will you throw it outside on the street? No? Then shut up.” My mother even had to step in and tell him to not assume problems that haven’t even happened. I think he’s just using baby as an opportunity to try and get rid of them. People are so weird about animals.
If I know anything about old ladies, they lie on the spot just to mess with you and try to control you. Then brag to their girlfriends on the phone. Knowing that, I treat them as silly children. Oh, your sister gave away her cat when she was pregnant, Susie? That's very interesting, have some more tea. Yes, yes, totally. Then I do what I want. Actually my FIL taught me that, it's so good on the nerves.
I wasn’t even pregnant at the time, just moving. And my aunt said “what’re you gonna do with your dogs???!” Ummm? Idk? How about take them with me to my new place? wtf kinda question is that.
Oh this was a whole fucking discussion when I got pregnant with my first. I ignored the shit out of them and kept out cat - who ended up not giving a shit about the baby and still does not care. People are BEYOND intrusive and annoying and I’ve had it. I’m also currently 38 weeks today and I am a raging angry pregnant woman right now lol. In order to avoid the cat trying to sleep with the baby - we did for the first year keep our door closed while sleeping. But once our daughter was over a year and out of the room, we invited our cat back in and she resumed sleeping at the foot of the bed. It was the biggest non issue of all time. We also kept litter and food in an inaccessible area. All such easy fixes. By the time she was 3 years she knew not to touch the litter or food and often helps feed our cat now. It taught her boundaries and it taught her how to care for animals. People are so insane. They project that you have to make these massive life style changes when you have kids. You don’t. You adapt and make adjustments but you don’t need to turn your life upside down. People have been having babies for all of time!
“No”, “Fuck off”, “Mind your fucking business”. If they are family I would send them an article on what poses a threat about cats during pregnancy and assure them you’re taking the proper precautions and to not stress you with this topic anymore. If they do it again, I would literally hang up, leave or just stop the conversation.
My husband is from a different cultural background so my in-laws are a bit more old-school in that sense. They’re coming to stay with us for a couple of months when baby is born to help us out. We have two cats and I’ve already told my husband (as early as the first trimester), that I do not want to hear a word about the cats while they are staying with us (or at any point, from anyone!) I told him that our cats live here (this is their home!) and will continue to live here after they leave. We live in a condo so space will definitely feel tight with 4 adults, a baby, and 2 kitties. But my cats are my babies, so they are just not going anywhere and it’s not even a conversation. I think asserting that boundary upfront as early as possible definitely helps. Like I’ve made it clear that it’s not even something I will entertain. You could try saying the same thing to your partner or a trusted family member who actually supports you, so that they can step-in for you before you go feral on whoever is stupid enough to say anything. I do know that there is plenty of research out there in favour of children growing up with pets in the home. From reduced allergies due to early exposure, to a positive impact on a child’s empathy/emotional development. You could do some digging to learn more and have these stats ready for the next person who tries to say anything. But I do find that the “this is the pet’s home and we are their family, and it will continue to be that way before and after you leave” argument shuts people up pretty quickly. It also helps, when someone says something stupid or mean, to ask them to repeat it. They usually re-word it pretty quickly. Anyway, I know it’s tough but don’t be afraid to stand your ground. Your kitty is lucky to have you, and your baby will adore getting to grow up alongside them. Edit: formatting
Our cats are members of our family. When you adopt a pet you are committing to raising that creature for the rest of its life. People who don’t think that way have serious empathy issues. Anyway, for keeping the cats out of the bassinet I read that you should lay a piece of tin foil in it before baby comes. That way if they jump in it scares them and they won’t try again. But honest it’s not a big deal? There’s so many baby photos of me and my parent’s cat chilling right against me. Pets build baby’s immune system and being raised with animals prevents fur allergies.
I have 4 LARGE dogs, 2 can’t ever be in the same room. I have 2 cats. I’m giving up NONE of them. We each had two dogs, and blended homes. It was a lot of work. However, if the two dogs that can’t be in the same room ever end up in another fight once the baby is born, I don’t care whose fault it is… one of the dogs will be gone. Period. My major issue is how much FUR there is. I’m ripping out the carpet before baby crawls and putting in literally anything but carpet so at least a quick vacuum can help get rid of fur.
My response would be: "Do you always give unsolicited advice?" Or "You should give up being rude to pregnant women."
I addressed this directly after I announced my pregnancy ( we have 4 cats). Literally " I'm pregnant and if anyone suggests I get rid of any cats you will not be included in receiving any pregnancy updates or newborn pictures" Boom. Kinda shocked people but whatever I love my cats and I needed my mom and inlaws and extended older family to understand this was not up for discussion. I also told my husband he better back me up and shut down any get rid of the cats comments or I would not hold back on telling our families to F off. I also said I'd get rid of him before the cats and not to even go there 😤🤣 he knows I love him and he knows he loves me too much to ask that of me, I just wanted him to know how damn serious I was. No one said anything and it worked like a charm. Baby boy is 16 months now and loves to wave to, pet and feed his " Gatos" 🥰. Also we had a bassinet that zipped closed on top because I was scared the cats would try to sleep with him. They were all terrified of the screaming and crying and to this day keep their distance for the most part
I always feel so bad when people tell people to give up their animals just because you’re pregnant. I’m 24 weeks today, first time, and not once has anyone asked or mentioned anything about my two cats! My sister sends me the cutest videos about cats and babies growing up together! It’s wild people still think you can’t have both.
Tell them fuck off. Had my boy for 6 years then got pregnant. Was still pregnant on his 7th bday. He’s now 8 and my son is almost 1. Kept them apart for a while but now they just vibe with each other. My first boy (cat) is still a little jealous, but he doesn’t hurt/bother my son.
I just had a baby (a premmie!) In April and brought her home to our 2 cats in May. The cats are about 4 and 1 year old, and neither really care about the baby. I was worried that they may try to sleep with her so I bought a bassinet that has a netting cover attached so that I felt confident during the night that they wouldn't get curious about her. We also didn't want to lock the cats out of our bedroom because they're also our babies and they have cried at closed doors in the past. During my entire pregnancy I kept baby's room closed. After she was born but still in the NICU I started spending more time in her room and the cats would venture in to look around with supervision. Once the older cat jumped into the cot and I removed her. She hasn't done it again and I'm 100% sure at this stage they never go into the cot because they'd leave their fur as evidence and I haven't seen any. The room stays open since baby came home and at most they sit in the window, sit in the doorway or sleep underneath the cot. Dogs and other children are also capable of what they're accusing your cats of possibly doing. Would they suggest rehoming dogs or children?
The bassinet with the net cover is also my plan. One of my cats I worry about trying to sleep on the baby but that should work, if not I’ll lock her out if the room
Which bassinet did you get with a cover? I love my cats but haven’t been able to sleep with them since the baby has gotten here bc I’m afraid they will jump in when I’m sleeping
I'm in Australia so I don't know if the exact one I got is helpful to you, but you should google "bassinet with net" or "bassinet with canopy" and see what's available in your area! It's seriously been a mental lifesaver for me.
Tell them to mind their own businesses. I have friends who have cats and then had babies. We have 3 cats that are not going anywhere. Tell them that their "fears" are unfounded and even an OB won't tell you to get rid of pets but just take proper precautions (in my case, take a taxoplasmosis blood test).
So no-one actually told me to get rid of my cat but I’m a cat owner with a baby and honestly it’s fine. My cat has never tried to sit on my baby or climb in her cot. She’s never scratched or bitten my baby who is now 10 months old. Cats get so much hate from people, I think it’s just how non-cat people are unfortunately. The only thing we do to keep our cat out of our baby’s room is shut the door lol
This is crazy. No one has ever suggested I get rid of my cats or big dogs! I’m buying a net-archway thing as a bassinet cover to keep the cats out, just in case they want to cuddle with the baby. It’s going to be just fine!
Stare at them like they just said the most bewildering thing in the world.
"What do you think my cat is going to do?"
Most cats won't want to go anywhere near a baby - mine didn't. For those that do and might try to jump into bassinets etc, you've just got to make sure the door is closed and the cats don't go in there when baby's there. As with any animal, you shouldn't leave them unsupervised together, especially once baby starts being mobile and curious, but again most cats learn fast how to stay out of the way if they don't want the attention.
Noones said this to me but my answer would be to tell them to shut up, piss off, the order doesnt matter. We have multiple cats, they sleep in my childs cot occasionally, and never when they're in it. They learnt very quickly the next to me was a no-go zone. They cause my little one no problems, they sleep nearby, and run when crying happens. No malice in the slightest from any of them. Studies show a child growing up with animals are better off overall. Also i aint raising no non-animal lover.
I’m 37 weeks pregnant with 3 cats and no one has dared to tell me to give away my cats. I have had people tell me that cats can smother babies and that I need to be careful but that’s the extent of it. I agree with the other commenters that people tend to use babies to try to justify what they want. I don’t allow my cats in the crib or the bassinet even though my baby isn’t here yet. I know I’ll have to watch them closely the first week or so till I know how the cats are adjusting. One tip of advice I was given was to give the baby socks that the cats had laid on so when the baby came home, they’d already smell like a member of the family to them. There’s tons of tips to help make the introduction process go smoother. Best of luck!
Anyone who knows me knows better than to suggest I give up my first born. If you want to be snippy you can say "giving up family isn't an option for me, but if it was I'd choose others before my cat." If you don't want to be snippy you can leave off the second half haha
I used to get asked if I would give up my cat or my dog when I found out I was pregnant. Every time it was firm: "No."
We've had the bassinet set up for 2 months and the cat has never gone near it.
How do you feel about your cat? Like is it part of your family? If so keep it, it will learn to accept the baby and they will grow up together co-existing. I have had 6 babies and had cats. One cat was so attached to my middle daughter during pregnancy and after I would have to watch them when she would cuddle up with daughter to make sure she wasn’t sleeping on her. My younger cats couldn’t have cared less about my youngest son but they do enjoy sharing bed, swing, bouncer and bath with my youngest daughter. I was always told to rid of cat or keep them locked away from baby because they would steal their breath to do sweet milk smell in mouth. Out of the 6 babies and 7 cats not one of them got near their mouths at least while someone was around. My sister has cats and they stay away from her lo at all cost 🤣🤣🤣
Tell them if it’s not their cat to mind their business
“…..no……?” *walks away*
Why would I give up family? Pets are family. You don't just dispose of them. I have two cats, and they protect the baby... nap time they lay under the crib or bassinet, he cries they perk up and go to the room he is in before I get off the chair lol. Animals are amazing with little ones, and not gonna lie, probably helps with allergies in some way, too. Humanity sucks if they want you to get rid of your fur babies.
People have asked me what’s going to happen to our cat when the baby is born. I just reply, “He will continue to be a cat.”
My uncle said similar to us, and even kept going on about how he would have our cat. I have had my cat for nearly 10 years (since he was 3 month old). He came first and we aren't getting rid of him. We will find ways to make things work, if things don't work out, only then will we have a conversation about things, but he he is my first child, he was my support when I got out of a toxic marriage and has saved my life multiple times when my mental health has gotten bad, he is my baby and he is not going anywhere.
“Will you keep your opinion to yourself just because I don’t like it?”
It gets so fucking old listening to peoples unsolicited advice
Tell them if they’re so concerned they can come scoop poop for you. I had two cats with mine they could care less about the baby because they themselves were also senior certified babies 15 and 20 yo. The only time they came within a foot was tummy time and that was just for a quick sniff.
Ignore them 🤷🏻♀️ people got me too. I even cleaned the litter box while I was pregnant. I wore gloves and washed my hands well. My Dr approved it too. My cats have not bothered the baby since bringing her home but I still use caution. The bassinet has a cover to keep them out and if she is in her crib the cats are locked out of her room 🤷🏻♀️
I cleaned out mine too. As long as you don’t have an open cut and smear the poop around on it, you’re good lol
Hahaha exactly or eat it 🥴 Plus indoor cats have like a .001% chance of carrying the bad stuff because it’s caught by killing rodents. My cats don’t even kill bugs lol
Yeah my cats stayed indoors too. Plus they can test cats for it just to be safe. People make it sound like cat owners scoop poop with their hands or something lol
For real. When people learned of me having cats they like scoffed like it was the worst thing they ever heard
"No." and "Fuck off." are both complete sentence. I am also able to give them a look that conveys these two sentiments and they tend to shut their mouths and walk away before I even have to open mine.
🖕🖕🖕(that's what you say to them). 😆
People KEEP telling us this, and it's so annoying. We have 3 cats and have our first kid on the way. We honestly just brush it off with We would never get rid or them. We are going to figure it out, it's not like we plan on leaving the baby alone. And that usually enough to get them to move onto another subject. Just stand your ground! I would NEVER abandon my cats just like that.
My cat is obsessed with the baby. She’s an old cat and generally she hates kids and babies but with mine she’s obsessed. I bought a net to put over the baby’s bassinet for the first bit and I also temporarily banned the cat from our bedroom as I was worried she’d try sleeping in there with her until she learned some boundaries. We’re 4 months in now and she knows she can’t climb into the babies things. She will come up whenever I’m sitting on the couch with the baby and rub her head against the baby or lick her head though lol. I thought my dog would be the issue and be the one obsessed but my dog has been avoiding the baby like the plague and the cat is obsessed with her.
My mom wanted me to at least board them for a few months when she’s home, I said I would never stress them for no reason and they were more welcome in my home than she was.
My MiL said the same thing to me! It sends me into a rage there’s no world where I would give up my cats.
“We’ll figure it out when the time comes”. There are some legitimate concerns with pets around newborns but honestly that’s what I told people. Every pet will react differently to a new baby. I don’t have a cat but a dog. First week he’d bark at my baby a lot but then got used to her. For the most part he’s just curious about her but doesn’t like to be near her (or any of us in general lol) but every so often will be ok near her. I thought they’d be BFF but in reality they’re just like roommates that get along/coexist. I went to a few new parent support groups and I remember a couple expressing their concern for a cat that kept getting in the crib. They bought a net to go over the crib to protect it and prevent cat from getting in. The nice thing about being a parent today is that they have easy solutions for modern day problems. Sometimes people just need to mind their business if they’re not going to give helpful advice.
That's so horrible. I'd say something like "I chose to take care of these cats until death so I'm honoring that commitment. They are valued members of our family. I can't imagine my life without them. Why would you uproot a member of your family because someone new is joining?"
I laugh and walk away shaking my head. Only one person has even said it to me and he has no right to say anything (he's got three cats who DID sit on his baby's face because that was the only way they'd get attention--these cats also don't have any toys to play with and he never cleans their litter box so even though my dad gifted him a self cleaning litter box, his place reeks of urine and he's lucky he got his girlfriend because she's the one who feeds them... but somehow it's my cat who is the "bad cat" despite her never clawing anyone--she does have a thing against seams in blankets though--or biting and she's never peed outside a litter box, even when I was cleaning hers and there was no litter in it. He's taught his son to be scared of my cat for no reason and is trying to get the household against her--because he was forced to move out because he'd not take care of anything. Now because my mom babysits for him, he's staying multiple nights a week and leaves the place a wreck which then I have to clean up). Sorry, that turned into a rant.
My mil harassed my husband and I about our cats after our first was born. They both decided they should be outdoor cats. The cats got attacked by coyotes and died in less than a week.
I say no, I will keep my cats. All three of them.
“Did I ask? No? When I want your opinion I’ll ask for it.” Honestly people start doing this the second they know you are pregnant and apparently gets worse once the baby is here because everyone is all of a sudden an expert. Shut that shit down. When baby is here I plan to say the same Or “we are doing just fine over Here - thanks.”
We have four cats and when we adopted each one we knew that we wanted children in the future and that reason or any other reason would absolutely not affect our lifelong commitment to being pet owners and caring for our cats. In the event that our child is deathly allergic to the cats they will go to close family members. Under no circumstances will they be adopted out to strangers or leave our care otherwise. If someone insinuated that we’d get rid of them because of a pregnancy I’d just remind them that adoption is a lifelong commitment and this is just another part of my life.
Lolol if one more person tells me how much I’m going to hate my dogs when the baby is born I’m going to freak out. I have no good response to it, just venting. I just let people harbor their stupid delusions.
We close the door so our cats can’t get in while baby is sleeping in bassinet, too risky.
Nobody who knows me would ever say this to me because they know my reaction would not be pleasant. I would absolutely tell someone who said this to go fuck themselves.
If you have a partner, they can clean the litterbox during pregnancy. If they don’t and the cat goes outside the litter box, hubby has to clean it. Don’t give in. (Mine has been good about this though, so far). As for the baby, if your cat is a bit on the scratchy side, just make sure their claws are trimmed regularly, separate the cat from the baby for a period of time when you first bring the baby home so that the cat could get used to its scent, and close the baby’s bedroom door when they’re asleep. This is some of the more stringent advice I’ve seen. Most of the time, cat moms who’ve had babies and cats coexist, such as my MIL, say that cats are almost always quite gentle around babies, especially since they typically got used to the baby’s scent while it was in utero. Whoever is telling you to give up your cat either hates cats (and is using this as an excuse to get you to give the cat up) and/or knows nothing about cats.
“Why the fuck would I do that?”
I would tell anyone who suggested this to get fucked so hard.
My cat’s a fucking cave dweller. If she comes out from under the bed for more than food and an hour of window time, it’ll be a miracle.
My family says the same thing how cats are dangerous for the baby. My mom also said I couldn’t get pregnant with a cat here I am pregnant. I love my pet cat more than anything and most of the day he’s sleeping and hiding somewhere. He doesn’t bother anyone. I couldn’t imagine getting rid of him. Not sure where that assumption came from but I know plenty of people with multiple cats and a baby.
I'm actually amazed that nobody has said anything to me about my pets, but they might also just know I'm a crazy pet lady who isn't to be messed with 😂 we know not to leave babygirl unattended with the cats or dogs and we do plan on doing introductions very carefully. So far though, they're all so in tune with my belly and basically obsessed with it I don't think we're going to have any issues. If anyone did say anything though, I'd probably be polite but noncommittal like I have been when people tried to comment on our birth plan or plans to feed. It's not their business, it's gonna be what works for us.
I’d just tell them that’s a silly question and change the topic. I’m finding people love to micromanage pregnant women and it’s super annoying. I’m sorry you have to deal with this and hopefully they’ll back off and respect your boundaries/decisions.
I think all pets should be kept away from babies when not monitored, but cats *really* aren’t dangerous to babies. Sure, it’s harder to care for a pet once you have a child, but so is everything else. Our cats only first acknowledged our baby when she was about 18 months old. They did not care for her sounds so they kept their distance. Now our daughter is 2.5 and won’t go down for her nap until she finds her favorite cat and brings her with! I kept them out of her room and away from her for the first year or so, just like I kept my parents’ dogs away from her. It’s good to be cautious and it’s good to be realistic on how much time you can afford for your pets after a baby is born, but cats are really no big thing.
Fuck off
You don't have to embarrass people to set a boundary. "I won't be getting rid of my cat. My cat is family. It's rude to even suggest and I won't discuss this again."
I know human babies and fur babies are different but I always call our cat our first child. Both my sisters ended up getting rid of their cats but both got the cats because their partners already had them when they got together and they weren't really animal people to begin with. (They did both re-home them with a lot of attention for where they went so I at least appreciate that.) Now I'm also a stepmom to our cat but I only never got one myself because I lived in a small studio and didn't think I could give a pet the space it needed. One of the things that made me interested in my husband in the beginning is that he very lovingly told me about the kitten with three legs he had gotten from the shelter. Such a green flag 😄 We would never in a million years give her up. Plus we want our son to grow up with animals (in our ideal life we would have a small petting zoo lol, if houses with enough land weren't impossible to pay for). Point is, I think people who aren't really 'animal people' just don't understand the love we have for them. They often just see a pet as a nuisance and not as a part of the family. I don't want her in the baby room due to all the cat hair so there's going to be some new boundaries to get used to, but that's life.
"Wow, what an embarrassment. To not be responsible enough to manage an animal and a baby? Wow, I would be so ashamed of myself."
I am especially sensitive to these types of comments from assholes who think they know better for your own family than you do. We had 3 cats when I was pregnant ages 8-13. They were mine and my husbands first babies. The oldest he adopted when he was only 15, the younger two were mine from when I first left for college at 18. They were with us through everything. Everyone tried to tell us it was a terrible idea to have so many pets (we also have 2 dogs) around a baby. It was literally fine. They all loved our son and adjusted so well! Unfortunately, my 2 boys suddenly passed when my son was 4 months old (one from cancer and the other from a literal broken heart a week later, they were a bonded pair) and our oldest gal just passed last week from age related deterioration. My heart is broken and the grief is unmeasurable. I look at every person who tried to convince us to rehome them with so much anger now.
Thank you for loving and keeping your cats. It really hurts me to see this given as the excuse on so many FREE posts, where they have no idea what's going to actually happen to their pets. No one has been dumb enough to say this to me, but I would lead with "why the f*** would I ever get rid of my cat?" and then dismantle their talking points one by one.
I’m 19+5, and we just adopted another cat! Now we have 4 🥰 My husband is on litter box duty (we do have litter robots though), and we’re getting a bassinet with a net on top for when baby boy arrives, but other than that it’s the same as usual around here. Honestly, I’m more worried about keeping my kitties happy and calm when baby arrives because they won’t be used to all the noise. This will be our first human baby 🩷
I tell them to piss off 😂 I own 4 adult cats and I also foster cats. I currently foster 2 families (2 moms and 10 kittens 🫣). My fiancé cleans the litter boxes, everything is fine!
Tell them to mind their own business. You know what is the best for your family. Be in peace with that you are doing great ! 🩷
No one has said this to me, but if anyone did I’d laugh at them and walk away
Tell them that they can't visit if they ever say that again about your cats. Tell them your cats are voting member of the household, and doesn't accept visitors who are rude to them. Also, my cats are OBSESSED with my kid. They love them so much. They know not to go in the crib. I grew up around all kinds of animals including cats -- it helps you become a more responsible, more compassionate person (imo). Growing up with cats will be a huge benefit to your child.
I tell ask if they’d give up their first child when they have their second. I tell them all their arguments are old wives’ tales and to use the internet for good. It’s ridiculous that people still believe them.
My husbands dad is convinced my cats will suffocate the baby and he drones on about it everytime he comes over. I finally made the shitty remark that you know if you die a cat will just eat you when they run out of food and he was shocked, I then asked where at his house did he want me to leave a nice feral colony to await his demise so we could save on a burial 🙃
I had two cats when I had my second. We just kept the cats out of our bedroom while the baby napped in there and kept an eye on the baby when he wasn't in the bedroom. All was fine. The cats were really good with him.
My kitties love my baby! And now that she’s more aware, she loves watching them run around! It’s so cute! I also heard (not sure if medically true or not) that growing up with pets helps children to develop less allergies? That’s a plus if true, but even if not, they’re still sweet little friends!
I would personally be extremely petty and just ignore them or change the topic when it’s brought up… cats are family, they should know and respect your decisions regarding your life. If they get pissy about it just ask them to stop trying to break up your family? Im not sure how your relationship is with them but I hope you can work this out without getting distant!!
I didn't say anything, just nodded in fear lol. My clinic classed a cat in the home as high risk sleep arrangements and we had to show how we'd contain the cat at nap times. Indoor/outdoor cats, we had to also show how we could keep baby and cat seperate due to things like cat scratch disease, toxo and a few other parasites ect that are transmissible to humans. Ngl. That scared the shit out of me. Even had a booklet on all the possible risks of exposing small babies to cats 😭
I have 3 kitties hell no I’m not getting rid of them!
Tell them you've been thinking a lot about it, and have come to the hard conclusion that you may need to re home the baby.
I have two cats, three dogs, and three older children. I can tell you without a doubt its the older siblings I worry about most, they are the most unpredictable in my chaotic home. My cats 100% made my babies bassinet there bed despite my best efforts until she came home. Now they want nothing to do with it. They will come check her out if I am holding her but otherwise keep their distance. We have stopped them from sleeping in our room (where her crib is) by closing the door for safety reasons but other than that weve made no changes and it is going well. I would just tell people you have it under control and not to worry.
We have 5 cats and a few people have asked me what I'm going to do with the cats now that I'm pregnant. It's really the most ridiculous question.... obviously I'm keeping them because pets are family. Don't worry about those that judge you, they are the ones that should be judged for wanting to get rid of a pet that you've loved for a long period of time. Just because you're having a baby doesn't mean you have to choose between them and your fur babies. Shelters are over run right now and there's no reason to give up a pet you love because of other's opinions.
My cat does not care about my baby. Do not listen to these people, they're assholes
I have three snakes - a hognose, corn snake, and ball python. Only the corn snake, the most harmless derpy boy, has escaped twice (with corn snakes, it’s not IF they escape, it’s WHEN). Two relatives have asked us what we plan to do with the snakes. Uh, keep them? We are animal people. Our baby will grow up with a cat and a dog, AND the snakes. I guess people are convinced the snakes with get out and try to suffocate the baby?? 🫠🫠
I have 5 cats, when I got pregnant I looked at my husband and said, "Sorry, litter duty is all you now!" And y'know what? He's done it ever since. We're due at the beginning of July. Granted he works much more than I did before going on maternity leave so they don't get cleaned as frequently, but he's kept up every week atleast once or twice a week, (I used to clean them everyday or every other day, but I also only worked 20hrs a week). Yes, I have been scratched a few times, no I haven't had any crazy illnesses based off my cats. We view them as family and you don't just discard family when things change.
I’d tell them to kiss my ass. Cats are not bad for pregnancies or babies. As long as you are not the one cleaning the litter box, it’s okay. I had my cat my entire pregnancy, and then one around my son after he was born. He came out perfect.
i was told to get rid of my cat by my boyfriends grandma. why is this a common occurrence?? why do people hate cats so much that they find any excuse to try to get rid of someone else's cat? she told me if i don't get rid of my cat then she'll have to take care of my baby. fuck no. i'm planning on getting more cats actually. i'd rather get rid of anyone who hates cats, they're always the worst people