Cats and Babies, Are they Compatible with Each Other?

It is a common concern for many pet owners whether cats and babies are compatible or not. Some of the parents worry to bring a cat to home as it may affect the health of their baby. On the other hand, some decide to not consider having a baby since they already have a cat at home. And there is even some cruel parents who reject their cats to get a baby.

Regardless it’s easy to say; Cats and babies are extremely compatible with each other.

Should I have a cat if I have a baby?

It is a common misconception that a cat is rude and arrogant and self-centered. On the other hand, it is well known that a baby demands utter attention. But your misconception can be thwarted if you keep a baby and a cat in a room for some time. You will find that the cat will find curious and the baby will be surprised initially, but as time progresses, they will be attracted to each other. In fact, there are even some records where cats have found to have killed a snake or other harmful animals approaching a child and thereby protected it.

Are babies and older cats compatible?

A pet, no matter whether a dog or a cat is always lovable to the children. This is because the pets are as innocent as the babies and automatically they grow a strong affinity.

However, we do have a few tips that you should check out if you have an older cat as a pet. We recommend you to take these into consideration an infants immune system is still growing and you need to take adequate measure for that.

Here are a few things that you should do:

Initial stages - 

During the initial phase, keep an eye on the cat and the baby when they stay together. You may have noticed that a cat loves to get into your lap and that often leads to scratches. But a baby’s skin is extremely soft and a little scratch can cause serious injury to the child. So make sure that the feline and the baby can co-exist together.

Vaccination

Make sure to vaccinate the cats against several diseases and the baby should be also vaccinated against any disease that can be spread through the cat.

Though cats have a tendency to roam around various places, pet cats generally stay within a home for about the entire day. So chances are that they are not much contaminated and are not carrying diseases. Even then, we should keep an eye on them to make sure they and the baby are not at risk.

Make sure that the cat their kitty litter and keep that far away from the baby room or the play area. It will help to remove any dust and ensure that any disease is not spread around the home.

Cleaning the Litter 

Invest in a good quality vacuum cleaner that can clean the dust and dirt lingering in your floor. Ideally the cleaner would be good at picking up any cat hair. Also, make sure that the cat food is a high-quality product and perfect for your cat. Remember, every cat food is not ideal for every type of cats. Some prefer dry food while others prefer wet food but you should not be manipulated with the foods of their choice. Make sure to consult a vet and identify which cat food is ideal for your type of cat.

This point is purely psychological. You know how much a cat wants to get the whole of your attention. She may feel jealous if you cuddle the baby too much ignoring her. On the other hand, the baby will also feel to be left out if you don’t prioritize him or her. This is why you should maintain a balance and not surpass anyone over the other. This will make them feel like friends and not competitors to each other, and this will lead to creating a great bond between them. They will take care of each other after one point in time and won’t fight to get your attention.

Make sure that the cat doesn’t befriend any neighboring cats while you are pregnant. Because the parasitic infection called toxoplasmosis can occur when a cat eats small birds or other mammals like rodents. This type of parasite present in a pregnant woman can cause miscarriage, or stillbirth or make the baby blind, deaf, or affected by epilepsy.

How about infected cats?

Toxoplasmosis cysts appear in the faces of these infected animals. If the cat does its littering in the garden, make sure to wear gloves while cleaning the garden or planting flowers. It is also a great practice to wear gloves while washing any raw fruits or vegetables, handling any meat, or scrubbing any surface. Also, ensure not to rub the eyes in dirty hands and wash your hands with a hygienic hand wash.

Do not feed any under cooked or raw meat as it can produce cysts. Also, prevent the infection of any faces and make sure to scoop these out of the kitty litter at least twice per day. Use a proper room freshener to remove any facial odor. However, make sure that the room spray is not extremely strong as it can irritate the sensitive and fresh nose of the babies. If you or the baby is allergenic to any particular smell, make sure to avoid the same while purchasing a room spray.

Invest in a good quality crate and a crib

As we already mentioned that you need to keep a balance while caring for a baby and a cat, this is a part of it. Buy a spacious crate where the cat can sleep comfortably during the night. Also, crate training is a must before you take this step. This will also make sure that the baby is safe during the night as the cat cannot disturb the child’s sleep. For additional safety, invest in a sturdy crib that has high sidebars. This will help to keep the baby inside the crib where the cat cannot suddenly jump into it.

Now that you have learnt how to implement the right tactics, you can easily make it possible to keep the baby and a cat in the same place.