Making himself comfortable, and baby loves the extra heat too – they are each others’ living hot water bottles.
If you’re not a cat person then you’re probably like my own parents were – very afraid of what life looks like in a household with a newborn human infant and a cat (and two large dogs in our case). A quick Google search on ‘cat smothers infant’ will show you that the newsworthy headline is far more rare than the circulating fear on the same topic.
That’s not to say caution shouldn’t be taken with cats and infants, there’s a lot of precautions to take regardless of how many documented events have taken place, if there’s a big enough risk, you don’t take it. But…it also begs the question, ‘when it comes to cats and babies, what’s a myth and what’s reality?’
It goes without saying that every cat, every baby, and every household are different, so take my anecdotal stories with a grain of salt, but I have tried to provide some verifiable information too. The long and short is, don’t believe everything you hear – but don’t take silly risks either.
Myth 1: Your Cat Will Try to Smother Your Baby
Debunking the myth:
One of the most widespread myths is that cats will run like a moth to a flame to smother a sleeping baby by lying on their face while they sleep. There are, unfortunately, few reported cases of a cat sleeping on an infant’s face and leading to untimely death (even one is too many to not take seriously),1 however, there is no scientific evidence to support the claim that they will attempt to do this on purpose. Cats, like many animals, are naturally curious and may be drawn to the warmth of a crib and a baby, but the idea that they will intentionally smother one is unfounded.
Reality:
While it is true that a cat could smother an infant, it is unlikely that they would, and even more unlikely that they would lay on a child with the intention of smothering them. But, to ensure safety and peace of mind, it’s recommended to keep doors closed and cats out when the baby is sleeping, or to supervise. And if you provide your cat with alternative warm and inviting spaces, they are less likely to head for your baby.
Having a little supervised snooze together.
Our situation:
Even though I was not buying into the fearmongering, I still did not take my chances, and kept the cat out whenever our baby was sleeping. We were also lucky that she was born in winter (fireplace season). That didn’t stop him from wanting to snuggle with her though, and whenever the supervised opportunity presented itself, Baby Cat would snuggle into our daughter’s legs and have a nice warm cozy cuddle. I am happy we allowed this because it helped with their bonding and keeping Baby Cat feeling like he was still a main part of the family after she arrived. I will reiterate that these situations were always supervised, but we never saw him trying to climb onto her face. He is a respectful little lad.
Myth 2: Cats Are Jealous of Babies
Debunking the Myth:
While not as common as the first, another myth that travels farther more in the cat person circles is that cats will become jealous of new babies, and it could lead to aggressive or destructive behaviors. If you have a cat, you know that they are creatures of habit and may initially be unsettled by changes in the household, but this does not equate jealousy. Cats do not possess the complex emotions and social structures that would lead to human-like jealousy.2
Reality:
Your cats may show signs of stress or confusion when a new baby arrives, such as hiding or changes in eating or sleeping habits, peeing outside the litter box, talking/meowing back, etc, because there is a change in their daily routine. However, with proper introduction and gradual adjustments, most cats not only adapt well to the presence of a new family member, but can become best friends with the newest being that will feed them when the bowl is empty because they aren’t sure when the last feeding was. Creating positive associations with the baby, such as giving treats and attention to the cat when the baby is around, can help ease the transition. The more you can keep your cat’s life as close to what it was pre-baby, the less stressed they will be about the changes.
It’s like the photo was taken in 1945 but I swear this was 2022, only about 6 weeks after our baby was born.
Our situation:
We were told by our doggie daycare owner gave us some incredibly helpful advice for when we were introducing our dogs to our baby, and we also did the same for Baby Cat:
Introduce them to her, not the other way around. Don’t say, ‘This is Baby Cat’, but say, ‘Hey Baby, this is your new sister.’ and tell the animals the baby’s name, over and over again, so they know that this tiny human is above them on the chain of command. But then, give them tons of praise and treats for being calm and kind around the baby.
This worked for us.
We actually filmed the introductions thinking it would be some cute shareable content, and all three animals were indifferent and went straight for the treats. That indifference continued for the first day, which was actually the best thing we could have hoped for (no risk of immediate smothering since the animals were barely affected by her presence!). That indifference evolved into cautious interest, where they would slowly smell her feet or head, and maybe lay down beside her. But we never sensed any jealousy. Baby Cat did get a little more snuggly with us for a while, but if that’s the feline form of jealousy, I’ll take it.
Myth 3: Cats Carry Dangerous Diseases and Will Transmit Them to Babies
Debunking the myth:
A common concern amongst cat people and non cat people is that cats carry diseases that can be harmful to babies. Toxoplasmosis, a disease caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii, is the most often disease people refer to. While it’s true that cats can be carriers of this parasite, the risk of transmission to humans, particularly infants, is low with proper hygiene practices.
It is of course a risk for pregnant women, because it can be transmitted to the fetus, but once the baby is out and at home, the effects are less likely and less severe.3
Reality:
To reduce the risk of toxoplasmosis, pregnant women and new parents should always practice good hygiene, such as washing hands after handling cat litter and ensuring the litter box is cleaned regularly. This should be happening regardless of pregnancy and motherhood, but extra caution is suggested to be taken (if possible, not having the pregnant or early mother changing the litter). Keeping cats indoors and feeding them commercial cat food rather than raw meat can also minimize the risk.4 And of course, regular veterinary care is essential to maintain the overall health of your cat and reduce potential risks.
Our situation:
This was probably the most commonly regurgitated story I heard from my family, even more than the smothering myth, and I have to admit, that for a few months while pregnant, I bought into it hard. Better to be safe than sorry, right? But actually, I had a completely unfounded aversion to Baby Cat. It makes me sad to even write that out, but it’s true. I was so worried his little paws were carrying Toxoplasmosis or other diseases that I would wipe his paws before letting him sit near me on the couch or bed (he wasn’t allowed on me), and often would just ask my husband to cuddle him instead of me.
This went away naturally, like the flip of a switch, after I was about 32 weeks pregnant, and while we still kept incredibly high cleaning standards around the litter box, I was far less afraid of germs or disease.
He does eat a blended raw diet, and there was no way we were allowed to change that, so we just made even more sure we were disinfecting everything daily with wipes and keeping the litter cleaned daily.
When it comes to other germs and diseases, while there is not much actual research for cats and babies, there is some for dogs and babies, which suggests that kids who are exposed to animals in the first year of life “are 30 percent less likely to experience colds, ear infections and coughs than children who are not exposed to animals.” And, in our house, touch wood, we have not had to battle any of the aforementioned sicknesses in the past two years – whether it’s the cat or the dogs or just pure dumb luck, we keep the place clean and take all necessary precautions, but aren’t worried that Baby Cat will be the one to make our daughter sick.
Baby Cat claiming his domain.
The Ultimate Baby’s Cat
In general, if you’re talking to a non cat person about cats and babies, you’re likely to hit a few roadblocks of well-intentioned fears. Many are unwarranted, but that doesn’t mean caution should be thrown to the wind. It’s never worth taking risks when it comes to your baby.
We made sure we never thought ‘that would never happen to us,’ but also, we never wanted to let fear ruin our lives and our relationship with Baby Cat. We nurtured him, and showed our baby to do the same, and their relationship has blossomed into one of the most beautiful things. We often can’t believe how much Baby Cat loves her, he will seek her out just for a quick snuggle before moving on to his next retirement ritual (toileting, sitting in a heat spot, or sitting by the empty bowl pretending he’s starving to death).
Some cats may not fare well with babies, depending on age and how accustomed they are to being the king or queen of the castle, but in our case, we had the best reception that keeps blossoming as they continue to grow together and towards one another. It is too painful for me to think about our lives without our geriatric boy but I am so happy when I think about the love he had for our daughter from the moment we brought her home.
