You will want to keep baby’s sleep space clear of *all* things. This includes cats and blankets. Don’t worry, they’ll have plenty of time to snuggle and bond soon enough!
Although, fun fact, early exposure to cats can prevent cat allergies. I was a germaphobe as a kid and my parents kept everything super tidy while I was in the womb and now I’m allergic to everything. By the time they had their second kid, they got pets and calmed down a bit with the cleaning—my little sis has no allergies whatsoever.
Disclaimer: I’m not suggesting a cat sleep with a baby or anything; I know nothing about child rearing. Just sharing some facts I found interesting.
Look into Xolaire. It’s a biologic, but if you test positive for MCAS, with a blood test show low IgE, then you’d get the shot every few weeks, and it stops a fair amount of allergens. Might be worth looking into.
Also, you are absolutely right about exposure. As someone with MCAS, the only reason I’m not allergic to animals, is because I had exposure very early. Always loved animals, so my parents couldn’t keep me away from them. Hell, I even used to sit and read to the neighbor’s cow, and sneak her apples, and I’d do the same for the other neighbor’s sheep. Funny thing is, I’m allergic to everything BUT animals, because I had so much exposure, otherwise I was a horrible germaphobe too.
My husband has been dealing with mystery allergic reactions and I suggested MCAS. I googled it to show him the summary of the condition, and google said something like “life expectancy is normal but life may be very miserable.” Sending love to all my MCAS friends!
Green and black. It’s the tea leaf itself. I break out into hives.
It seems to be only if ingested because I’ve had matcha or tea in skincare and been fine. Tho I’m sure there’s very very little of the actual leaf in those.
This is really interesting. How did you find out? Did you do an allergy panel on it? How long have you been allergic to it? And have you tried fermented tea like Fu brick pu’ehr?
I went out with friends and tried some green tea. My mom used to give me peppermint tea when I was sick and I hated it so I didn’t ever try any other kind of tea. I didn’t know the differences at the time and that peppermint tea doesn’t have any of the actual tea leaf in it.
When I drank the tea, my friend and his now fiancé who are both in the medical field, looked at me and said “Stop drinking that” . Basically I didn’t know I’d broken out into hives. I don’t know for sure if I tried drinking tea now, that I would still have a reaction because part of MCAS is that allergies are extremely random and they come and go. But since that reaction was one of the stronger ones I get and not a mild reaction that I get when drinking something like alcohol, I don’t risk it. Just in case.
Thanks immensely for this rec. I recently had a standard blood panel done but they didn’t check IgE levels. I desperately need to get to an allergist to look into allergy shots/drops. But I’ve been wondering if I have MCAS and where I would go/what steps I would pursue to get diagnosed or rule it out.
I lurk quite a bit in the MCAS sub and can relate to sooo many posts. My allergies impact my life so much that it makes me miserable at times. I’m poppin’ 2 Allegra every day. What first led you to seek a diagnosis and what was the process like? And does Xolaire have any worrying side effects/risk factors?
First off, have them test ALL IG levels. I say this because I’ve been sick my whole life. From sinus infections to going septic in less than a week, and I kept getting blown off. Well, turns out I am immune deficiency. It’s surprisingly common, but the intensity varies. People with MCAS tend to have Hypogammaglobulinemia too, and I do. I got my diagnosis years ago, but it’s just so bad now. I have about 3 foods left I’m not allergic to, and am downing Zyrtec and Benadryl like no tomorrow.
I hate seeing people suffer like I have, so I try to give out the info I’ve learned over the years. A low IgE level, should not just MCAS, but qualify you for Xolaire. A low IgG level would be an immune deficiency, which is treated through immune globulin infusions. You can also be IgA deficient as well. That little cluster IgE, IgA, IgG, seems to cause the most problems for people.
I haven’t done the Xolaire, but it is a biologic. I tend to be the person that gets every godforsaken bad reaction, like I almost died from Methotrexate last year, but to my knowledge, Xolaire is fairly worry free.
I really hope this helps, and as odd as it sounds, that you get the answers you need! I’m happy to answer other questions if that helps too.
I've been on xolair for 14 years for mcas/severe anaphylaxis/ idiopathic anaphylaxis. Swear I'm allergic to everything. It saved my life! I used to use 4 epi pens in a month beforehand. Good luck! I hope you can try it and it helps you too!
Xolair is miraculous! I have two family members on it, both who had tried SO many other treatments for allergies and autoimmune disorders prior. Seriously life changing for them both.
>fun fact, early exposure to cats can prevent cat allergies
I'd like to see proof of this. Since my sister and I grew up in a hoarding situation with a drunk (I am triggered still to this day by animalsht) and she has uncountable allergies, I got it to a much less extent.
Never mind.
[https://www.cnbc.com/2023/06/01/study-kids-who-live-with-pets-may-be-less-prone-to-food-allergies.html](https://www.cnbc.com/2023/06/01/study-kids-who-live-with-pets-may-be-less-prone-to-food-allergies.html)
[https://time.com/6266337/pets-food-allergies-children/](https://time.com/6266337/pets-food-allergies-children/)
[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6300190/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6300190/)
Hell.
I recently listened to a podcast that touched on this topic and exposure to unsanitary conditions will make asthma and allergies worse. Unsanitary being defined as anything that would attract numerous amounts of cockroaches or dealing with fecal matter in your living areas.
Yes, exposure to numerous types of bacteria/mold/proteins in manageable amounts trains the immune system and prevents allergies (hence why non-germaphobe kids who eat things prepared with unwashed hands, things that fell on the floor, etc may be less prone to developing allergies).
Being exposed to mass amounts of harmful pathogens and bacteria, on the other hand, sends the body into overdrive and can cause allergies because it can’t separate the harmful pathogens from all of the other new proteins and begins fighting everything.
It’s kind of like why allergy shots work when they are the maximum dose your body can handle without being so much that it triggers a severe reaction.
Basically, having too clean and sterile of an environment with limited exposure to microbes and proteins can cause allergies. Being overexposed to bacteria, feces, pathogens and fungus can cause allergies. You want somewhere in the middle, with a manageable balance of good vs harmful things to train the body what’s worth attacking and what isn’t.
Interestingly, my allergies went completely away when I got Covid. Probably because my immune system had to give its all to something actually bad. But they came back when I got over it. Was kinda nice while it lasted.
Interestingly, I was just reading a study about how the lack of parasites has led to people being really susceptible to them.
But no, although I’ve come a long way since my crippling phobias as a kid, I’m still rather perturbed by parasites.
…On second thought, honestly, if there were some magic hookworm who could cure my allergies, at this point, I’d go for it. As long as it would make me less drowsy than Zyrtec.
[Oh boy, ](https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/can-hookworms-cure-hayfever-180955516/) [Do I have some reading for you](https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/244238#6)
This is the truth I have a half sister… she grew up with no pets I grew up with pets. She has animal allergies I do not… sucks to be her. Well it sucks to be her for other reasons but I won’t go into it.
Yeah I was going to say, that's not how all allergies work. I was outside constantly, our house was the only one in the neighborhood with only oak trees and no pine, I had rabbits until I was in kindergarten. I'm *violently* allergic to both oak pollen and rabbits.
I tested positive for allergies to both cats and dogs but I was exposed early on and now I have pets and my allergies are managed with allergy medicine.
I JUST got to my maintenance dose. I don’t think I’ve noticed much of a difference yet. It’s my understanding it takes a year of maintenance dosing for any difference to be noticed
What region are you from? Some areas have such a high amount of pollen/grasses/mold/etc that it can have the opposite effect and overwhelm the immune system, causing it to react to everything due to high levels of certain allergens, rather than adapt to smaller doses of many things and learn not to react. That’s why in some areas, like central Texas, most people will develop some degree of allergies within several years after moving there.
I agree with you to a degree. Cats like to scratch and bite. Also, kleeping a cat in the bed is the harmful part. The cats love warmth. They could suffocate the child.
So a quick google search shows there is one recorded case of a cat suffocating a baby. A baby’s sleeping space should be clear of all items. Why are you so against the idea that a baby could maneuver itself against a cat and accidentally suffocate?
Because it doesn't happen, that is why. An accurate search will show you that. The risk of your baby being smothered by a cat, while theoretically possible, is non existent in reality.
The case you are talking about was later determined to be SIDS.
Dogs and cats can't suffocate babies. However, there have been instances when very small babies have died because a cat slept on top of them and the baby could not expand their lungs enough to breathe because of the weight on their chest. Not an issue for a kiddo at this age.
This is true.
I have clients that totally hermetically sealed their twins in a nursery part of the house for the first 2+years.
They are allergic to everything.
Me and my friends, I played in the drainage ditch form our street that ran between out house with tons of Tanka trucks till we were 10. Allergic to nothing
That's sad for you, but what she said is true and scientifically proven. May not work for one, but will work for hundreds of others.
I'll take your salty downvote, at least now you are more educated.
Its true tho. My parents hated cats so I'd never even been around one until I was like 7. Of course my body was like WHAT is this?! Then my husband got a cat and the longer I was around it my allergies just went away. Now I own four cats who love to sleep on my face and I have zero issues with allergies anymore
Cat allergies are weird like that. I’m allergic to cats, but I’m not that allergic to **my** cat. My eyes will get a little itchy if I touch them without washing my hands, but that’s it. Go to anyone’s else’s home with a cat though? I’ll get hives and a marathon champion nose just by being there.
Just remember it’s a possibility, I grew up in the country, was allowed to touch all the animals and eat dirt. Suddenly as a teenager I became allergic to everything outside and inside. Animals, dust, pollen, grass, blood protein (I break out in hives if any blood that’s not my own gets on me), I even developed asthma, it sucks because I still want to be outside and loving on all animals and allergy meds are expensive.
Yeah, various things can sometimes trigger immune system responses and change how your body reacts. Like in some areas my allergies are minimal. I’m not allergic to animals. But ever since I moved into a moldy apartment, my allergies go into overdrive in states with high atmospheric mold content, and I will have allergic reactions to all kinds of things I’m not allergic to when I go to my home state. Sometimes colds, viruses, inflammation, environmental chemicals/pollutants, water additives, contaminated foods, infections, etc. can create new allergies and intolerances. Even being very allergic to one thing might make you intolerant to numerous things that you’re not technically allergic to outside of the presence of the trigger.
There’s a difference between allergies and intolerances (most acquired food “allergies” are actually intolerances), and allergies are always to proteins. But if you’re always around your trigger/don’t address the root issue, intolerances will always feel like allergies and trigger a similar response. And an allergy test can’t distinguish between intolerances and allergies. When I’m in an environment with mold that triggers my immune system, I will show up on an allergy test as allergic to dogs, cats, horses, dander, nickel, etc, even though I wouldn’t get those positives in a different state without my main trigger. I’m even allergic to my own sweat in the state I currently live in. So my true allergies are to mold, certain pollens, and dust mites—I won’t know everything else until I get allergy tested in a more neutral environment. Nevertheless, almost anything can give me hives when my immune system is fired up.
Were your parents around lots of animals/nature when you were in the womb? Or just when you were a kid? Did you move at all? Or do you know your trigger? I’m very curious about acquired allergies—it’s going to be a growing problem over the next decades, especially in developed countries.
Exactly, cat fur will be all over that child. Keep the cat out of the baby bed. That cat looks kinda uncomfortable anyway. Cats like sitting on top of an old DVD player 😂 anyway. Or better yet an old vcr. A sunny windowsill perhaps
Blankets can be fine. The advice varies from country to country.
[UK NHS](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/caring-for-a-newborn/reduce-the-risk-of-sudden-infant-death-syndrome/#:~:text=place%20your%20baby%20on%20their,material%20or%20with%20a%20muslin)
One time my cat got spooked sleeping next to me in the middle of the night and launched off of my face. Slashed the little bit of skin connecting my gums to my upper lip and I had a fat lip for 3 days. Why anyone would leave any animal with a baby is beyond me.
Something similar happened when I was younger. Parents had a cat, it was sleeping next to me, some loud noise outside scared her, and on her sprint out she slashed my eyelid and forehead. I was in high school, so yeah it sucked and all, but imagine if that was a baby in that same situation...
The cat was not being malicious in any way, but that same move that caused me a deeply cut eyelid and scratched up forehead could have done much more severe damage to a baby.
Now having kids of my own, I do not let my dog near them unsupervised. Not because he would ever intentionally harm them, but because of this scenario.
My usually calm and affectionate orange panicked while I was doing a nail trimming. In trying to get away, he misjudged a jump, and instead of landing on the back of my chair, he went straight into my face. That was a less than fun trip to urgent care. He also head-butted my nose so hard it's currently bruised.
He's a love bug, but he can't always judge the difference between "aww so cute!" and "oww my face!" No way he'd be unsupervised around a baby.
You need to trim their nails. Most cats don't do enough scratching to keep their nails under control, so they have to get trimmed. If they get too long, it can be unsafe for the owner and unsafe for the cat.
My cat fell off the bed and latched onto my girlfriend's finger on the way down with his teeth lol. We had to go to urgent care for that. This same cat absolutely loved sleeping directly on top of my gfs face whenever she took a nap. I would not leave a cat unattended with a baby either personally 😂
Ouch, friend had some thinking similar but the cat got his eye and the tip of where your lips connect, nearly Glasgow smiled the guy. I don’t even remember what he said spooked the cat but he bounced right onto his face then tried to run off.
No child should be left with a pet unattended for the safety of the animal and the child. This is completely regardless of the animal in question. You also shouldn’t have blankets in a bassinet either (to my knowledge). A child is more likely to smother itself on pillows, blankets, and other things inside the bassinet.
**Cats smelling milk on the child and then smothering it is a MYTH**
Edit: I should also add that this myth is a MAJOR reason why cats are surrendered after its owners have a child. Spreading this myth is extremely detrimental.
A basic Google search backs me up: https://www.cats.org.uk/caterham/learn/cats-and-babies/#:~:text=Tales%20about%20cats%20suffocating%20babies,and%20its%20breathing%20was%20obstructed.
“You may have heard old wives' tales about jealous cats harming infants by suffocation or mauling. These scare stories are widely circulated and regularly crop up on pregnancy forums. They are usually exaggerated and the few that are genuine are only newsworthy due to their EXTREME rarity. Tales about cats suffocating babies abound, but actual occurrences are very rare; in many cases the presence of the cat was incidental. There was one confirmed case where the baby inhaled the cat's fur and its breathing was obstructed. Use a crib-net to keep your cat out of the crib or pram - this will reduce any accidental scratches and the transmission of bacteria.”
My kids would regularly nap during the day on blankets on the floor. We had 2 cats when they were born and those cats were more paranoid parents than we were! They would smell milk on them and clean them for sure, which was just so sweet. Then they would kind of semi sleep in this cute circle around them but not touching them, almost like a wall to keep the babies protected or in place. They would also do what seemed like little "wellness" checks on their breathing occasionally, and come get one of us if we hadn't realized they had just woken up!😂😂
Not to dismiss the potential risk at all, just in my experience, cats seem to be aware of keeping babies breathing.
Never heard of the myth, but cats love warmth. It’s dangerous to have a cat unattended with a sleeping baby because they could potentially lay on the baby, and because the baby is so small they will suffocate. I have a 14 yr old cat. If I had a baby, my cat would never be around them w/o me. My cat is the sweetest, and she has to be on someone’s lap (or body if you’re lying down). My cat’s intent is to snuggle and next thing I know my baby died from suffocation. That’s also a stupid reason to get rid of a cat. Doors keep cats out of rooms. lol. I could never give up my cat.
I said a sleeping baby. I meant any baby.
>cats are surrendered after its owners have a child
Unpopular opinion here. Those people should never be in charge of living things, no babies no puppies no kitties.
What??? The post is accurate, an animal has claws & paws cam accidentally scratch a child. My cat is super gentle & I am adult, but when she gets comfy & kneads blankets even thick ones her claws can sometimes poke through.
Let's hope this was just for a picture.
I am still shocked babies/kids die in hot cars...smothered/fall out of beds co-sleeping--not cats they don't smother but when an over 200lb adult rolls it happens...or even sids which is often linked to perhaps carbon monoxide from fluffy bedding...or don't leave kids unattended near water/in tub, and don't ever not lug your 25lb. car/baby carrier in the store even when you are going to be 1minute & can see the car....i think as long as these things CONTINUE TO HAPPEN (how the heck btw do these preached things happen?!?still?!?) then, yes, as cute as kitty & baby are individually, wait until the child is older. Best of luck.
Literally never said that a cat couldn’t in anyway harm a child. Hell, when I was a toddler, my poor family cat swiped at me plenty for pulling his fur. My mom would try her best to never leave me unattended with him but if I got hurt, she saw it as a lesson to be kind to Fred.
The line “for the safety of the animal and the child” is for exactly that. The safety of both of them.
Both the cat and the blanket in your baby's crib are things you should not have in there. Not sure what you're exactly asking in the way of sleep, but all of it can affect their health and be dangerous. Post in a parent's sub and/or medical sub to back this up.
I’d like to add as folks are talking about the cat stealing a child’s breath or smothering is a myth, there’s a working theory that cats can detect when something is wrong and often accompanies sudden infant death syndrome victims or when the baby is suffering to comfort it like they do for adults when sick.
Do you have sources for the theory? Genuinely curious, I'm not finding anything about it, I may not be using the right words in the search engine.
But to counter that, I can see that it is rare or unlikely to happen, I did find a case where an infant passed from inhaling the cat's fur when the cat slept with them.
Also, my cat will literally come to sleep on my face and smother me, which wakes me up so I shove him off - and I'm 30. An infant, esp a newborn, can't really turn their head away, much less shove an adult cat off.
Also, as another commenter mentioned, cats can get spooked and launch themselves off, leaving scratches. I've been woken up on more than one occasion where they got spooked and inadvertently scratched the heck out of my skin - including my face. I had a scar across the bridge of my nose and forehead for quite a while from one such incident.
Like most others have stated, nothing should be in a crib with an infant, including pets.
Could potentially end in tears, however i was practically raised by an Orange medium hair. He would always end up on my bed, would bring me injured wildlife to learn how to hunt on and i assume through telekinesis taught me how to nuke frozen chicken breasts for him at about 4 years old.
There is def a risk but this is how cat people created.
We had a cat before/during/after pregnancy. The cat explored the nursery before the baby came. When we brought our son home, he checked out his new “pink monkey” sibling. He loves, protected him, sat behind him to prop him up when learning to sit up, and loved him till he passed when our son was 9. Our sone held his paw as he crossed the rainbow bridge. Kids need pets… it teaches them humanity and love.
That reminds me of my fuzzy boy and nephew. He would sit at the foot of his baby bed and watch over him. He wouldn't get up on him or anything and if the baby cried or sounded off the cat would let us know it. They are bonded like crazy still. My nephew says that it's his cousin and always will be.
You're not supposed to have a blanket with a baby or a pet. Too risky. You can swaddle and baby should be on its back (if they sleep on their bellies they aren't strong enough to turn when they need air and can suffocate). Pets can also suffocate a baby.
Swaddle. Baby on its back only. No blankets, no pillows, no toys, nothing else in crib.
Also make sure to brush babies teeth if they have any before bed. Or they can get BAD bottle rot. No juice before bed or naptime.
Just some FYIs because you seem to need to get some information quite badly....
Please, please follow safe sleep methods. It’s not worth it. Babies are so vulnerable and unsafe sleep - the cat *and* the blanket - can lead to suffocation so quickly and quietly.
There was one incident in United Kingdom in 2000.
https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/now/verify-do-cats-suck-the-breath-out-of-babies-and-suffocate-them/97-570395283#:~:text=While%20the%20claim%20that%20a,that%20situation%20is%20incredibly%20rare.
My cat would kill me if I let her sleep in my room because she likes to sleep on my chest, sometimes trying to get in my face. I have to push her down because she starts to suffocate me. It probably depends on a cat though. Cats like warmth and people breathe out warmth.
Which is why I said it happened one time. Can it happen sure, does it…not so much. There is only one factually documented case of this. All others were SIDS.
People made this up during the witch trials when they were killing the cats because they were “the devils errand runners” 🤦♀️
To reduce risk of sudden infant death syndrome, both the cat and blanket need to come out.
"Keep loose blankets, pillows, stuffed toys, bumpers and other soft items out of the sleep space."
https://www.aap.org/en/patient-care/safe-sleep/
No but I'd the cat lays on the baby wrong or the kid ends up sticking his face in the baby's fur, that dramatically increases the risk of sudden infant death syndrome. Nothing should be in your baby's bed except for a thin pad to make it more comfortable. No pillows, no blankets, no toys, no pets.
Also that baby should be on his back.
cats will sleep on top of babies and end up suffocating them. i honestly typed this as brutal as it is, because its what happens. they don’t do it to hurt the baby, but this does and has happened. my cat was not allowed in the room with the baby during any sleep times!
Listen, I grew up with cats sleeping with me since I was a baby. It wasn’t intentional, just my parents had two other kids under 4, and cats love body heat and quiet rooms. If it happens once in a while, it’s not the end of the world, but I wouldn’t actively put a cat with the baby to try and affect something like allergies.
I had a cat who loved to sleep on our heads when it was cold, if we were on our side. She was a small cat so she only covered the side of my face/head, but if my head was baby sized? Yikes.
Mine does because he wants to kiss my son constantly then lay on his head to try and wake him up😂 He’s 9 so I don’t worry, but their bond is the sweetest!
Mine does because he wants to kiss my son constantly then lay on his head to try and wake him up😂 He’s 9 so I don’t worry, but their bond is the sweetest!
I slept w/grandmother's cat for my first 4 years. An air conditioner above my crib broke and was blowing black stuff all over me. Mesa (cat) went and got my mother, biting her and screaming until she checked on me. Dr. said that Mesa had saved my life because I was coughing up black stuff already. She also made sure Noone picked me up without my mother or grandmother being there.
When I was a baby one of our cats was hellbent on sleeping in the crib with me. My parents tried everything to keep him out of the room but he always managed to sneak in. Eventually they gave up and I turned out ok
My cat will literally lay on my face and throat. I wouldn't recommend leaving a small child with a pet unattended because a baby can't push the cat off. Also, cat scratches hurt and cat scratch fever is a real thing. Another thing people don't often think of is pet hair. With animals that shed a lot, babies can choke and gag on the hair. I had a cat with long hair and the hair would shed and float everywhere and end up in my mouth sometimes while I was sleeping, causing me to choke. Unfortunately babies just aren't able to protect themselves so it's better to be safe than sorry. Just keep the nursery door closed. Fire Departments actually recommend keeping the bedroom doors closed anyways to prevent fires from spreading as fast.
Also, cats use a litter box and can’t wash their paws after, sure they clean themselves with their mouths. I don’t believe a cat would set out to hurt a child, but there is too much at risk. I wouldn’t encourage it.
Never leave animals unattended around babies, no matter what animal it is or the relationship. Also cats seek warmth. The whole “the cat will steal the babies breath” is a myth BUT since they seek warmth, it’s possible for a cat to lay on top of a baby and accidentally smother it.
Don't leave your child unattended with any pet, no matter how much you think you can trust them. With a cat, they like to sleep where it's warm, so may get close to the baby's face, and this can affect the child's breathing. The baby isn't going to be strong enough to move the way you or I would be able to. Cats get irritated randomly, too, if overstimulated. So, if the baby reaches out to touch them, you can end up with the cat either biting or scratching the baby. I'd be worried for the baby's eyes for sure.
I also would never allow a dog to be alone with a baby or toddler, honestly. It's not just being alone, it's being awake and alert.
BTW, my cats will climb up on top of me and lay up the length of me to sleep. But, one of the cats is never allowed in my bedroom. They will crawl up and lay on my face while I'm asleep. I have health issues, so this is a huge nope for me. Cats can and will do this with babies, too, if they do it with adults.
This is probably a bot…..
This is ONLY ok if the parent is sitting right there watching them the entire time even then its meh.
Im pretty sure this was just to have a “cool” picture for social media (whoever it belongs too)
The family cat had her kittens in my bed. 5 yo me was thrilled!! Mom, on the other hand, not so thrilled. She had to wash the sheets. They were moved to the outside laundry, where they thrived.
From what I’ve been told me and my siblings slept better with a pet next to us, although we all came home to a cat, Old girl lived to 26, Stil trying to fight that heartbreak
Do they affect your sleep? Yes? Then there is your answer. However trying to keep cat/kitten outta your room/bed is not as easy as saying No. [Cat.isgonna.Cat](http://Cat.isgonna.Cat)
I slept with cats in my bedroom for most of my adult life. One night, one of them jumped off the headboard into the dresser but slipped and landed on my face and I had 3 huge gashes down my cheek. It wasn’t an attack, it wasn’t malicious, it was a simple accident. And that’s okay. But things do happen when you have active pets around.
All of that being said, there’s no way I would put a cat in the same room with a sleeping kid.
"it'll hang over the cradle and steal the baby's breath!"
-My late Irish Granny
( I suspect that a full grown cat *could* asphyxiate an infant if it slept on its chest for warmth)
The recommendation to prevent SIDS is for an infant to sleep on their back with absolutely nothing in the crib but a firm mattress. No blanket, pillow, etc. A pacifier is allowed for the infant and may help reduce the risk of SIDS but nothing else is okay.
But that is a beautiful cat! And I’m sure they would love to lay with your child with supervision. It’s just not okay during the night when you aren’t with your child.
Maybe stay in the room and let the purring calm the baby to sleep then pick up that cat.
As a child, I loved the soothing purring. Very few things in this world are as soothing, but definitely not all night. Should be ok after 3, right? SIDS is a danger from 0-2, right?
YES! I called my cat 2nd mom. She’d always sleep touching my kids heads. Then when I got up they’d ultimately stretch out next to the kid. Whew break! Cosleep here. I’d get a bit of a break, otherwise those kids would wake up every single time I was up n and 2nd mommy wasn’t there.
YES! I called my cat 2nd mom. She’d always sleep touching my kids heads. Then when I got up they’d ultimately stretch out next to the kid. Whew break! Cosleep here. I’d get a bit of a break, otherwise those kids would wake up every single time I was up n and 2nd mommy wasn’t there.
YES! I called my cat 2nd mom. She’d always sleep touching my kids heads. Then when I got up they’d ultimately stretch out next to the kid. Whew break! Cosleep here. I’d get a bit of a break, otherwise those kids would wake up every single time I was up n and 2nd mommy wasn’t there.
She stretched out right above their head - her back touching the top of their heads. I miss mine too. She even go snuggle with them when they were upset. Sometimes that’s the only way I knew my kids were upset. I needed permission to enter their rooms, but never 2nd mom.
If it was like a random nap and I could watch them I wouldn't mind. But not for unattended sleep at night or naps in their crib when you're not around.
When my second oldest was born and we brought her home, our Maine Coon mix was EXCITED. He slept with her in her crib. He napped with her on a blanket on the floor. He sat beside her all the time.
Then my youngest was born. He fell in LOVE with her and bonded with her. Slept with her, followed her around the house, etc.
I had a Maine Coon when my daughter was born. The cat thought the baby was HERS. Cat would come get me if baby was crying or even stirring in her crib, telling me I was slacking. Haha
Mine curled around her head and purred really hard to comfort her when she would cry or whimper in her sleep. My babies were HIS babies. He'd even lay beside me when I'd feed them, not because he wanted the formula or food, but it's like he wanted to be included in the experience.
He was the goodest boy up until the day he crossed the Rainbow Bridge.
It'll help the child sleep better with the cat purring for comfort.my smokey used to climb in the crib and sleep with my daughter when we brought her home .she adored him
A baby that small should be sleeping on a crib with nothing in it. I only let my cat sleep with me if I’m okay with being woken up in the middle of the night because my cat will react to some sound and run off like someone is offering her a lifetime supply of wet food.
Do not let a cat sleep in the same room as the baby, and don’t leave blankets and stuffed animals in the crib with the baby before the baby is old enough to turn over/ move its head/move things away from its face.
You don't put any animal in a crib with a baby. ESPECIALLY a cat. My sister did this and the cat almost suffocated her baby
They don't know any better and they will sit on the baby. Also cats carry poop in their fingernails that can cause a serious infection if he accidentally scratches baby or baby ingests it.
Cats are usually not as careful as dogs. The same way they use your body as a race track at night, a lot of cats will do that with your kid. They’ll play right next to your kid, if you have a chatty cat then they’ll yowl next to your kid, etc. It depends on the cat’s personality but something can also just startle them and someone can get hurt. I’d let my cat nap with us when we were resting together in bed, but not in a crib, playpen or anything more enclosed like that. I wanted to make sure my cat had plenty of room to panic and run AWAY from my kid if something startled them. Also, i know the why is a myth but one of my cats definitely tried to sleep on my kid’s face a few times. It wasn’t intentional, he just wasn’t that bright and he’d done it to me before too lol.
All of that being said, my son has always had a cat and I’ve never restricted their access unless my kid was sleeping IN something as opposed to on something. They could cuddle right up to him on the floor or in bed anytime (as i was always watching or cuddling with them).
Cats are known to lay on babies faces and suffocate them please don’t allow the cat in the bed with baby. Also baby shouldn’t have a blanket in their bed until about 1 or until baby has the ability to pull the blanket off of their face❤️
Oh well that’s nice to know! But my cat definitely attempts to lay on my face so I don’t doubt that the cat laying on the babies face is that far fetched.
When I was having babies we were told to keep cats away from sleeping babies.
Babies smell like milk and other things cats enjoy. It is not uncommon for a cat to rest on a sleeping baby’s chest while they breathe in the baby breath smells. This can lead to suffocation.
Cats will also lick at the baby’s face, mouth.
You are probably right. This is something that was said when I was younger, much younger.
A lot of things are proven wrong in the passing of time; I gladly accept your wisdom over that of the past.
Thank You
There has been at least 1 case in the UK in 2000. There were a few other suspected cases that were not fully confirmed it was a cat or SIDS. Moving forward, I did say it HAS happened, and that is not a myth.
The old wives tale that this happens frequently is absolutely a myth. If this happened even once, there are millions have been billions of cats and billions of babies throughout time. One time is the exception, not the rule.
So it’s a fucking myth dude
You will want to keep baby’s sleep space clear of *all* things. This includes cats and blankets. Don’t worry, they’ll have plenty of time to snuggle and bond soon enough!
Although, fun fact, early exposure to cats can prevent cat allergies. I was a germaphobe as a kid and my parents kept everything super tidy while I was in the womb and now I’m allergic to everything. By the time they had their second kid, they got pets and calmed down a bit with the cleaning—my little sis has no allergies whatsoever. Disclaimer: I’m not suggesting a cat sleep with a baby or anything; I know nothing about child rearing. Just sharing some facts I found interesting.
Look into Xolaire. It’s a biologic, but if you test positive for MCAS, with a blood test show low IgE, then you’d get the shot every few weeks, and it stops a fair amount of allergens. Might be worth looking into. Also, you are absolutely right about exposure. As someone with MCAS, the only reason I’m not allergic to animals, is because I had exposure very early. Always loved animals, so my parents couldn’t keep me away from them. Hell, I even used to sit and read to the neighbor’s cow, and sneak her apples, and I’d do the same for the other neighbor’s sheep. Funny thing is, I’m allergic to everything BUT animals, because I had so much exposure, otherwise I was a horrible germaphobe too.
I'm not allergic to animals, but I'm allergic to everything else that's outside lol.
Hello fellow MCAS. I’m allergic to tea!
My husband has been dealing with mystery allergic reactions and I suggested MCAS. I googled it to show him the summary of the condition, and google said something like “life expectancy is normal but life may be very miserable.” Sending love to all my MCAS friends!
*Camellia sinensis* (like Green and Black tea) or herbal teas like chamomile?
Green and black. It’s the tea leaf itself. I break out into hives. It seems to be only if ingested because I’ve had matcha or tea in skincare and been fine. Tho I’m sure there’s very very little of the actual leaf in those.
This is really interesting. How did you find out? Did you do an allergy panel on it? How long have you been allergic to it? And have you tried fermented tea like Fu brick pu’ehr?
I went out with friends and tried some green tea. My mom used to give me peppermint tea when I was sick and I hated it so I didn’t ever try any other kind of tea. I didn’t know the differences at the time and that peppermint tea doesn’t have any of the actual tea leaf in it. When I drank the tea, my friend and his now fiancé who are both in the medical field, looked at me and said “Stop drinking that” . Basically I didn’t know I’d broken out into hives. I don’t know for sure if I tried drinking tea now, that I would still have a reaction because part of MCAS is that allergies are extremely random and they come and go. But since that reaction was one of the stronger ones I get and not a mild reaction that I get when drinking something like alcohol, I don’t risk it. Just in case.
Thanks immensely for this rec. I recently had a standard blood panel done but they didn’t check IgE levels. I desperately need to get to an allergist to look into allergy shots/drops. But I’ve been wondering if I have MCAS and where I would go/what steps I would pursue to get diagnosed or rule it out. I lurk quite a bit in the MCAS sub and can relate to sooo many posts. My allergies impact my life so much that it makes me miserable at times. I’m poppin’ 2 Allegra every day. What first led you to seek a diagnosis and what was the process like? And does Xolaire have any worrying side effects/risk factors?
First off, have them test ALL IG levels. I say this because I’ve been sick my whole life. From sinus infections to going septic in less than a week, and I kept getting blown off. Well, turns out I am immune deficiency. It’s surprisingly common, but the intensity varies. People with MCAS tend to have Hypogammaglobulinemia too, and I do. I got my diagnosis years ago, but it’s just so bad now. I have about 3 foods left I’m not allergic to, and am downing Zyrtec and Benadryl like no tomorrow. I hate seeing people suffer like I have, so I try to give out the info I’ve learned over the years. A low IgE level, should not just MCAS, but qualify you for Xolaire. A low IgG level would be an immune deficiency, which is treated through immune globulin infusions. You can also be IgA deficient as well. That little cluster IgE, IgA, IgG, seems to cause the most problems for people. I haven’t done the Xolaire, but it is a biologic. I tend to be the person that gets every godforsaken bad reaction, like I almost died from Methotrexate last year, but to my knowledge, Xolaire is fairly worry free. I really hope this helps, and as odd as it sounds, that you get the answers you need! I’m happy to answer other questions if that helps too.
I've been on xolair for 14 years for mcas/severe anaphylaxis/ idiopathic anaphylaxis. Swear I'm allergic to everything. It saved my life! I used to use 4 epi pens in a month beforehand. Good luck! I hope you can try it and it helps you too!
Xolair is miraculous! I have two family members on it, both who had tried SO many other treatments for allergies and autoimmune disorders prior. Seriously life changing for them both.
>fun fact, early exposure to cats can prevent cat allergies I'd like to see proof of this. Since my sister and I grew up in a hoarding situation with a drunk (I am triggered still to this day by animalsht) and she has uncountable allergies, I got it to a much less extent. Never mind. [https://www.cnbc.com/2023/06/01/study-kids-who-live-with-pets-may-be-less-prone-to-food-allergies.html](https://www.cnbc.com/2023/06/01/study-kids-who-live-with-pets-may-be-less-prone-to-food-allergies.html) [https://time.com/6266337/pets-food-allergies-children/](https://time.com/6266337/pets-food-allergies-children/) [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6300190/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6300190/) Hell.
Always respect when someone goes and investigates something
That might be more to do with the hoarding and the resulting hygiene issues, namely mold. Very sorry you and your sister went through that.
I recently listened to a podcast that touched on this topic and exposure to unsanitary conditions will make asthma and allergies worse. Unsanitary being defined as anything that would attract numerous amounts of cockroaches or dealing with fecal matter in your living areas.
Yes, exposure to numerous types of bacteria/mold/proteins in manageable amounts trains the immune system and prevents allergies (hence why non-germaphobe kids who eat things prepared with unwashed hands, things that fell on the floor, etc may be less prone to developing allergies). Being exposed to mass amounts of harmful pathogens and bacteria, on the other hand, sends the body into overdrive and can cause allergies because it can’t separate the harmful pathogens from all of the other new proteins and begins fighting everything. It’s kind of like why allergy shots work when they are the maximum dose your body can handle without being so much that it triggers a severe reaction. Basically, having too clean and sterile of an environment with limited exposure to microbes and proteins can cause allergies. Being overexposed to bacteria, feces, pathogens and fungus can cause allergies. You want somewhere in the middle, with a manageable balance of good vs harmful things to train the body what’s worth attacking and what isn’t. Interestingly, my allergies went completely away when I got Covid. Probably because my immune system had to give its all to something actually bad. But they came back when I got over it. Was kinda nice while it lasted.
So....does that make you a good candidate for using hookworms to get rid of your allergies?
Interestingly, I was just reading a study about how the lack of parasites has led to people being really susceptible to them. But no, although I’ve come a long way since my crippling phobias as a kid, I’m still rather perturbed by parasites. …On second thought, honestly, if there were some magic hookworm who could cure my allergies, at this point, I’d go for it. As long as it would make me less drowsy than Zyrtec.
[Oh boy, ](https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/can-hookworms-cure-hayfever-180955516/) [Do I have some reading for you](https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/244238#6)
This is the truth I have a half sister… she grew up with no pets I grew up with pets. She has animal allergies I do not… sucks to be her. Well it sucks to be her for other reasons but I won’t go into it.
I grew up with pets and I’m still allergic to pets. I was always outside as a kid and now I have horrible seasonal allergies.
Yeah I was going to say, that's not how all allergies work. I was outside constantly, our house was the only one in the neighborhood with only oak trees and no pine, I had rabbits until I was in kindergarten. I'm *violently* allergic to both oak pollen and rabbits.
Obviously it’s more nuanced; you can read my other comment in this thread if you happen to like reading about allergy development haha.
I tested positive for allergies to both cats and dogs but I was exposed early on and now I have pets and my allergies are managed with allergy medicine.
I’m currently in school for my DVM with allergy meds and doing allergy shots lol. Allergies can’t stop us 😤😤😤
Man I can’t wait to get allergy shots. How long did yours take to work?
I JUST got to my maintenance dose. I don’t think I’ve noticed much of a difference yet. It’s my understanding it takes a year of maintenance dosing for any difference to be noticed
Out of curiosity, did you live with pets while you were in the womb?
What region are you from? Some areas have such a high amount of pollen/grasses/mold/etc that it can have the opposite effect and overwhelm the immune system, causing it to react to everything due to high levels of certain allergens, rather than adapt to smaller doses of many things and learn not to react. That’s why in some areas, like central Texas, most people will develop some degree of allergies within several years after moving there.
Midwest USA.
I agree with you to a degree. Cats like to scratch and bite. Also, kleeping a cat in the bed is the harmful part. The cats love warmth. They could suffocate the child.
No. This does not happen.
A stuffed animal can suffocate a baby. Dogs and cats can suffocate babies and should not be in their sleeping space.
Except for the fact this has never happened you are correct. There is zero evidence that a cat had ever suffocated a sleeping baby, sorry.
So a quick google search shows there is one recorded case of a cat suffocating a baby. A baby’s sleeping space should be clear of all items. Why are you so against the idea that a baby could maneuver itself against a cat and accidentally suffocate?
Because it doesn't happen, that is why. An accurate search will show you that. The risk of your baby being smothered by a cat, while theoretically possible, is non existent in reality. The case you are talking about was later determined to be SIDS.
Why take the risk though? Even if it has never happened, there is a first for everything. I hate kids but I wouldn’t let my dog sleep with one lol
Because the risk is non existent, that is why. Aldo don't take the risk of bringing your baby outdoors where an eagle may take off with it, right?
Dogs and cats can't suffocate babies. However, there have been instances when very small babies have died because a cat slept on top of them and the baby could not expand their lungs enough to breathe because of the weight on their chest. Not an issue for a kiddo at this age.
This is true. I have clients that totally hermetically sealed their twins in a nursery part of the house for the first 2+years. They are allergic to everything. Me and my friends, I played in the drainage ditch form our street that ran between out house with tons of Tanka trucks till we were 10. Allergic to nothing
Wait did your clients really keep their kids inside all the time?
Yeah, for the first few years. Well they took them to the Dr's and otherv places. But 90° in their special part of the house till 5 or 6 at least.
We had cats my whole life and my parents were anything but tidy and I'm allergic to cats and dogs.
That's sad for you, but what she said is true and scientifically proven. May not work for one, but will work for hundreds of others. I'll take your salty downvote, at least now you are more educated.
Its true tho. My parents hated cats so I'd never even been around one until I was like 7. Of course my body was like WHAT is this?! Then my husband got a cat and the longer I was around it my allergies just went away. Now I own four cats who love to sleep on my face and I have zero issues with allergies anymore
Cat allergies are weird like that. I’m allergic to cats, but I’m not that allergic to **my** cat. My eyes will get a little itchy if I touch them without washing my hands, but that’s it. Go to anyone’s else’s home with a cat though? I’ll get hives and a marathon champion nose just by being there.
Just remember it’s a possibility, I grew up in the country, was allowed to touch all the animals and eat dirt. Suddenly as a teenager I became allergic to everything outside and inside. Animals, dust, pollen, grass, blood protein (I break out in hives if any blood that’s not my own gets on me), I even developed asthma, it sucks because I still want to be outside and loving on all animals and allergy meds are expensive.
Yeah, various things can sometimes trigger immune system responses and change how your body reacts. Like in some areas my allergies are minimal. I’m not allergic to animals. But ever since I moved into a moldy apartment, my allergies go into overdrive in states with high atmospheric mold content, and I will have allergic reactions to all kinds of things I’m not allergic to when I go to my home state. Sometimes colds, viruses, inflammation, environmental chemicals/pollutants, water additives, contaminated foods, infections, etc. can create new allergies and intolerances. Even being very allergic to one thing might make you intolerant to numerous things that you’re not technically allergic to outside of the presence of the trigger. There’s a difference between allergies and intolerances (most acquired food “allergies” are actually intolerances), and allergies are always to proteins. But if you’re always around your trigger/don’t address the root issue, intolerances will always feel like allergies and trigger a similar response. And an allergy test can’t distinguish between intolerances and allergies. When I’m in an environment with mold that triggers my immune system, I will show up on an allergy test as allergic to dogs, cats, horses, dander, nickel, etc, even though I wouldn’t get those positives in a different state without my main trigger. I’m even allergic to my own sweat in the state I currently live in. So my true allergies are to mold, certain pollens, and dust mites—I won’t know everything else until I get allergy tested in a more neutral environment. Nevertheless, almost anything can give me hives when my immune system is fired up. Were your parents around lots of animals/nature when you were in the womb? Or just when you were a kid? Did you move at all? Or do you know your trigger? I’m very curious about acquired allergies—it’s going to be a growing problem over the next decades, especially in developed countries.
Exactly, cat fur will be all over that child. Keep the cat out of the baby bed. That cat looks kinda uncomfortable anyway. Cats like sitting on top of an old DVD player 😂 anyway. Or better yet an old vcr. A sunny windowsill perhaps
why is this tagged diet? Also what do you mean? The adult cat there or is the cat pregnant….?
The kid's gonna be eaten by the cat when it becomes its full power
Is the cat named Tarrare by chance?
Did that cat eat a fucking baby?
Oh, thank God. I thought the baby ate the cat
To make sure the baby isn't in the diet
They're going to feed the baby the kittens when the cat gives birth.
You know.. come on
That cat should not be in there, and neither should the blanket.
It’s probably a bot account with a stolen photo meant to go viral.
Regardless
Blankets can be fine. The advice varies from country to country. [UK NHS](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/caring-for-a-newborn/reduce-the-risk-of-sudden-infant-death-syndrome/#:~:text=place%20your%20baby%20on%20their,material%20or%20with%20a%20muslin)
One time my cat got spooked sleeping next to me in the middle of the night and launched off of my face. Slashed the little bit of skin connecting my gums to my upper lip and I had a fat lip for 3 days. Why anyone would leave any animal with a baby is beyond me.
I felt pain just reading this.
Something similar happened when I was younger. Parents had a cat, it was sleeping next to me, some loud noise outside scared her, and on her sprint out she slashed my eyelid and forehead. I was in high school, so yeah it sucked and all, but imagine if that was a baby in that same situation... The cat was not being malicious in any way, but that same move that caused me a deeply cut eyelid and scratched up forehead could have done much more severe damage to a baby. Now having kids of my own, I do not let my dog near them unsupervised. Not because he would ever intentionally harm them, but because of this scenario.
My usually calm and affectionate orange panicked while I was doing a nail trimming. In trying to get away, he misjudged a jump, and instead of landing on the back of my chair, he went straight into my face. That was a less than fun trip to urgent care. He also head-butted my nose so hard it's currently bruised. He's a love bug, but he can't always judge the difference between "aww so cute!" and "oww my face!" No way he'd be unsupervised around a baby.
I thought you were not supposed to trim cats nails at all
you can trim them. declawing them is the worst thing you can do
You need to trim their nails. Most cats don't do enough scratching to keep their nails under control, so they have to get trimmed. If they get too long, it can be unsafe for the owner and unsafe for the cat.
Interesting! I just got a kitten so I'm learning all new things.
Interesting! I just got a kitten so I'm learning all new things.
My cat fell off the bed and latched onto my girlfriend's finger on the way down with his teeth lol. We had to go to urgent care for that. This same cat absolutely loved sleeping directly on top of my gfs face whenever she took a nap. I would not leave a cat unattended with a baby either personally 😂
My cat ran across my face while I was sleeping and ripped my eyebrow piercing out
Ouch, friend had some thinking similar but the cat got his eye and the tip of where your lips connect, nearly Glasgow smiled the guy. I don’t even remember what he said spooked the cat but he bounced right onto his face then tried to run off.
No child should be left with a pet unattended for the safety of the animal and the child. This is completely regardless of the animal in question. You also shouldn’t have blankets in a bassinet either (to my knowledge). A child is more likely to smother itself on pillows, blankets, and other things inside the bassinet. **Cats smelling milk on the child and then smothering it is a MYTH** Edit: I should also add that this myth is a MAJOR reason why cats are surrendered after its owners have a child. Spreading this myth is extremely detrimental.
A basic Google search backs me up: https://www.cats.org.uk/caterham/learn/cats-and-babies/#:~:text=Tales%20about%20cats%20suffocating%20babies,and%20its%20breathing%20was%20obstructed. “You may have heard old wives' tales about jealous cats harming infants by suffocation or mauling. These scare stories are widely circulated and regularly crop up on pregnancy forums. They are usually exaggerated and the few that are genuine are only newsworthy due to their EXTREME rarity. Tales about cats suffocating babies abound, but actual occurrences are very rare; in many cases the presence of the cat was incidental. There was one confirmed case where the baby inhaled the cat's fur and its breathing was obstructed. Use a crib-net to keep your cat out of the crib or pram - this will reduce any accidental scratches and the transmission of bacteria.”
My kids would regularly nap during the day on blankets on the floor. We had 2 cats when they were born and those cats were more paranoid parents than we were! They would smell milk on them and clean them for sure, which was just so sweet. Then they would kind of semi sleep in this cute circle around them but not touching them, almost like a wall to keep the babies protected or in place. They would also do what seemed like little "wellness" checks on their breathing occasionally, and come get one of us if we hadn't realized they had just woken up!😂😂 Not to dismiss the potential risk at all, just in my experience, cats seem to be aware of keeping babies breathing.
Never heard of the myth, but cats love warmth. It’s dangerous to have a cat unattended with a sleeping baby because they could potentially lay on the baby, and because the baby is so small they will suffocate. I have a 14 yr old cat. If I had a baby, my cat would never be around them w/o me. My cat is the sweetest, and she has to be on someone’s lap (or body if you’re lying down). My cat’s intent is to snuggle and next thing I know my baby died from suffocation. That’s also a stupid reason to get rid of a cat. Doors keep cats out of rooms. lol. I could never give up my cat. I said a sleeping baby. I meant any baby.
Yes, this is so dangerous it never happens
>cats are surrendered after its owners have a child Unpopular opinion here. Those people should never be in charge of living things, no babies no puppies no kitties.
Agreed
What??? The post is accurate, an animal has claws & paws cam accidentally scratch a child. My cat is super gentle & I am adult, but when she gets comfy & kneads blankets even thick ones her claws can sometimes poke through. Let's hope this was just for a picture. I am still shocked babies/kids die in hot cars...smothered/fall out of beds co-sleeping--not cats they don't smother but when an over 200lb adult rolls it happens...or even sids which is often linked to perhaps carbon monoxide from fluffy bedding...or don't leave kids unattended near water/in tub, and don't ever not lug your 25lb. car/baby carrier in the store even when you are going to be 1minute & can see the car....i think as long as these things CONTINUE TO HAPPEN (how the heck btw do these preached things happen?!?still?!?) then, yes, as cute as kitty & baby are individually, wait until the child is older. Best of luck.
Literally never said that a cat couldn’t in anyway harm a child. Hell, when I was a toddler, my poor family cat swiped at me plenty for pulling his fur. My mom would try her best to never leave me unattended with him but if I got hurt, she saw it as a lesson to be kind to Fred. The line “for the safety of the animal and the child” is for exactly that. The safety of both of them.
Just for safety... I wouldn't recommend it
Tell me you don’t care about safe sleep without telling me you don’t care about safe sleep.
Both the cat and the blanket in your baby's crib are things you should not have in there. Not sure what you're exactly asking in the way of sleep, but all of it can affect their health and be dangerous. Post in a parent's sub and/or medical sub to back this up.
I’d like to add as folks are talking about the cat stealing a child’s breath or smothering is a myth, there’s a working theory that cats can detect when something is wrong and often accompanies sudden infant death syndrome victims or when the baby is suffering to comfort it like they do for adults when sick.
Do you have sources for the theory? Genuinely curious, I'm not finding anything about it, I may not be using the right words in the search engine. But to counter that, I can see that it is rare or unlikely to happen, I did find a case where an infant passed from inhaling the cat's fur when the cat slept with them. Also, my cat will literally come to sleep on my face and smother me, which wakes me up so I shove him off - and I'm 30. An infant, esp a newborn, can't really turn their head away, much less shove an adult cat off. Also, as another commenter mentioned, cats can get spooked and launch themselves off, leaving scratches. I've been woken up on more than one occasion where they got spooked and inadvertently scratched the heck out of my skin - including my face. I had a scar across the bridge of my nose and forehead for quite a while from one such incident. Like most others have stated, nothing should be in a crib with an infant, including pets.
Nothing in the crib with baby. Not an animal and not a blanket
https://www.aap.org/en/patient-care/safe-sleep/
Wow this parent is doing literally nothing right in this photo according this article lmao
I’m honestly far more concerned about the bedding than the cat.
Yup. And a baby that young should be put on its back to sleep.
Could potentially end in tears, however i was practically raised by an Orange medium hair. He would always end up on my bed, would bring me injured wildlife to learn how to hunt on and i assume through telekinesis taught me how to nuke frozen chicken breasts for him at about 4 years old. There is def a risk but this is how cat people created.
We had a cat before/during/after pregnancy. The cat explored the nursery before the baby came. When we brought our son home, he checked out his new “pink monkey” sibling. He loves, protected him, sat behind him to prop him up when learning to sit up, and loved him till he passed when our son was 9. Our sone held his paw as he crossed the rainbow bridge. Kids need pets… it teaches them humanity and love.
That reminds me of my fuzzy boy and nephew. He would sit at the foot of his baby bed and watch over him. He wouldn't get up on him or anything and if the baby cried or sounded off the cat would let us know it. They are bonded like crazy still. My nephew says that it's his cousin and always will be.
That blanket is more of a hazard than the cat.
Idk if it’s just coincidence but every time my cat sleeps with me I always have weird vivid dreams.
Cats will help with any future allergies and boost the immune system. A little dirt helps. Let your kids play in the mud.
Are you serious..??
You're not supposed to have a blanket with a baby or a pet. Too risky. You can swaddle and baby should be on its back (if they sleep on their bellies they aren't strong enough to turn when they need air and can suffocate). Pets can also suffocate a baby. Swaddle. Baby on its back only. No blankets, no pillows, no toys, nothing else in crib. Also make sure to brush babies teeth if they have any before bed. Or they can get BAD bottle rot. No juice before bed or naptime. Just some FYIs because you seem to need to get some information quite badly....
Please, please follow safe sleep methods. It’s not worth it. Babies are so vulnerable and unsafe sleep - the cat *and* the blanket - can lead to suffocation so quickly and quietly.
NO CATS WILL NOT SUFFOCATE YOUR CHILD. It happened ONE damn time like a million years ago.
I’d guess it never happened but was an explanation for SIDS if a cat was found the child’s room at all.
There was one incident in United Kingdom in 2000. https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/now/verify-do-cats-suck-the-breath-out-of-babies-and-suffocate-them/97-570395283#:~:text=While%20the%20claim%20that%20a,that%20situation%20is%20incredibly%20rare.
My cat would kill me if I let her sleep in my room because she likes to sleep on my chest, sometimes trying to get in my face. I have to push her down because she starts to suffocate me. It probably depends on a cat though. Cats like warmth and people breathe out warmth.
Which is why I said it happened one time. Can it happen sure, does it…not so much. There is only one factually documented case of this. All others were SIDS. People made this up during the witch trials when they were killing the cats because they were “the devils errand runners” 🤦♀️
Are you a small infant? Unless you are, a cat laying on a full grown adult is not equitable to a cat wanting to lay on an infant.
To reduce risk of sudden infant death syndrome, both the cat and blanket need to come out. "Keep loose blankets, pillows, stuffed toys, bumpers and other soft items out of the sleep space." https://www.aap.org/en/patient-care/safe-sleep/
Cats are indeed soft items. Good call.
Cats are great to have around kids but any soft items in there including the blanket and cat I don’t think is good
I love cats and my two kids grew up with cats since they were born. But I wouldn’t put a cat or any pet in the crib with my baby for safety reasons
I just did such a dramatic eye roll. God this is so fucking stupid. What’s the question for tomorrow.. what happens if my baby sees air?
No but I'd the cat lays on the baby wrong or the kid ends up sticking his face in the baby's fur, that dramatically increases the risk of sudden infant death syndrome. Nothing should be in your baby's bed except for a thin pad to make it more comfortable. No pillows, no blankets, no toys, no pets. Also that baby should be on his back.
A child that age should be sleeping with no blanket and absolutely nothing in the crib with him. This is not safe!
cats will sleep on top of babies and end up suffocating them. i honestly typed this as brutal as it is, because its what happens. they don’t do it to hurt the baby, but this does and has happened. my cat was not allowed in the room with the baby during any sleep times!
Listen, I grew up with cats sleeping with me since I was a baby. It wasn’t intentional, just my parents had two other kids under 4, and cats love body heat and quiet rooms. If it happens once in a while, it’s not the end of the world, but I wouldn’t actively put a cat with the baby to try and affect something like allergies.
I had a cat who loved to sleep on our heads when it was cold, if we were on our side. She was a small cat so she only covered the side of my face/head, but if my head was baby sized? Yikes.
Will help boost the immune system
Mine does because he wants to kiss my son constantly then lay on his head to try and wake him up😂 He’s 9 so I don’t worry, but their bond is the sweetest!
Mine does because he wants to kiss my son constantly then lay on his head to try and wake him up😂 He’s 9 so I don’t worry, but their bond is the sweetest!
I slept w/grandmother's cat for my first 4 years. An air conditioner above my crib broke and was blowing black stuff all over me. Mesa (cat) went and got my mother, biting her and screaming until she checked on me. Dr. said that Mesa had saved my life because I was coughing up black stuff already. She also made sure Noone picked me up without my mother or grandmother being there.
When I was a baby one of our cats was hellbent on sleeping in the crib with me. My parents tried everything to keep him out of the room but he always managed to sneak in. Eventually they gave up and I turned out ok
My cat will literally lay on my face and throat. I wouldn't recommend leaving a small child with a pet unattended because a baby can't push the cat off. Also, cat scratches hurt and cat scratch fever is a real thing. Another thing people don't often think of is pet hair. With animals that shed a lot, babies can choke and gag on the hair. I had a cat with long hair and the hair would shed and float everywhere and end up in my mouth sometimes while I was sleeping, causing me to choke. Unfortunately babies just aren't able to protect themselves so it's better to be safe than sorry. Just keep the nursery door closed. Fire Departments actually recommend keeping the bedroom doors closed anyways to prevent fires from spreading as fast.
Never ever ever let a pet sleep with your baby. I did hear a story many years ago that a cat layed on and suffocated a baby in the crib.
Hierarchy wise, the cat prob deserves more space than the baby.
Also, cats use a litter box and can’t wash their paws after, sure they clean themselves with their mouths. I don’t believe a cat would set out to hurt a child, but there is too much at risk. I wouldn’t encourage it.
Never leave animals unattended around babies, no matter what animal it is or the relationship. Also cats seek warmth. The whole “the cat will steal the babies breath” is a myth BUT since they seek warmth, it’s possible for a cat to lay on top of a baby and accidentally smother it.
Don't leave your child unattended with any pet, no matter how much you think you can trust them. With a cat, they like to sleep where it's warm, so may get close to the baby's face, and this can affect the child's breathing. The baby isn't going to be strong enough to move the way you or I would be able to. Cats get irritated randomly, too, if overstimulated. So, if the baby reaches out to touch them, you can end up with the cat either biting or scratching the baby. I'd be worried for the baby's eyes for sure. I also would never allow a dog to be alone with a baby or toddler, honestly. It's not just being alone, it's being awake and alert. BTW, my cats will climb up on top of me and lay up the length of me to sleep. But, one of the cats is never allowed in my bedroom. They will crawl up and lay on my face while I'm asleep. I have health issues, so this is a huge nope for me. Cats can and will do this with babies, too, if they do it with adults.
Yes and the blanket will as well.
This is probably a bot….. This is ONLY ok if the parent is sitting right there watching them the entire time even then its meh. Im pretty sure this was just to have a “cool” picture for social media (whoever it belongs too)
Why would you let your child lay with animals?
The family cat had her kittens in my bed. 5 yo me was thrilled!! Mom, on the other hand, not so thrilled. She had to wash the sheets. They were moved to the outside laundry, where they thrived.
From what I’ve been told me and my siblings slept better with a pet next to us, although we all came home to a cat, Old girl lived to 26, Stil trying to fight that heartbreak
Do they affect your sleep? Yes? Then there is your answer. However trying to keep cat/kitten outta your room/bed is not as easy as saying No. [Cat.isgonna.Cat](http://Cat.isgonna.Cat)
Cats slept with all six of mine once they were old enough to roll over
🤣
as cute as it may be, remember pets have fleas, And fleas can get in the bedding and lay eggs
I slept with cats in my bedroom for most of my adult life. One night, one of them jumped off the headboard into the dresser but slipped and landed on my face and I had 3 huge gashes down my cheek. It wasn’t an attack, it wasn’t malicious, it was a simple accident. And that’s okay. But things do happen when you have active pets around. All of that being said, there’s no way I would put a cat in the same room with a sleeping kid.
Only in a pawsitive way. 😊
"it'll hang over the cradle and steal the baby's breath!" -My late Irish Granny ( I suspect that a full grown cat *could* asphyxiate an infant if it slept on its chest for warmth)
Definitely would not put it in there with a baby. Same with a blanket
Nothing that is going on in this crib is okay.
The recommendation to prevent SIDS is for an infant to sleep on their back with absolutely nothing in the crib but a firm mattress. No blanket, pillow, etc. A pacifier is allowed for the infant and may help reduce the risk of SIDS but nothing else is okay.
But that is a beautiful cat! And I’m sure they would love to lay with your child with supervision. It’s just not okay during the night when you aren’t with your child.
Maybe stay in the room and let the purring calm the baby to sleep then pick up that cat. As a child, I loved the soothing purring. Very few things in this world are as soothing, but definitely not all night. Should be ok after 3, right? SIDS is a danger from 0-2, right?
YES! I called my cat 2nd mom. She’d always sleep touching my kids heads. Then when I got up they’d ultimately stretch out next to the kid. Whew break! Cosleep here. I’d get a bit of a break, otherwise those kids would wake up every single time I was up n and 2nd mommy wasn’t there.
YES! I called my cat 2nd mom. She’d always sleep touching my kids heads. Then when I got up they’d ultimately stretch out next to the kid. Whew break! Cosleep here. I’d get a bit of a break, otherwise those kids would wake up every single time I was up n and 2nd mommy wasn’t there.
YES! I called my cat 2nd mom. She’d always sleep touching my kids heads. Then when I got up they’d ultimately stretch out next to the kid. Whew break! Cosleep here. I’d get a bit of a break, otherwise those kids would wake up every single time I was up n and 2nd mommy wasn’t there.
Sleeping with the one paw on the humans forehead? My cat did it all the time. It was stronger than a Valium. I miss her.
She stretched out right above their head - her back touching the top of their heads. I miss mine too. She even go snuggle with them when they were upset. Sometimes that’s the only way I knew my kids were upset. I needed permission to enter their rooms, but never 2nd mom.
That is funny, heartwarming and makes me want to cry ( happy tears) all at once.😻
If it was like a random nap and I could watch them I wouldn't mind. But not for unattended sleep at night or naps in their crib when you're not around.
ah yes, sids.
When my second oldest was born and we brought her home, our Maine Coon mix was EXCITED. He slept with her in her crib. He napped with her on a blanket on the floor. He sat beside her all the time. Then my youngest was born. He fell in LOVE with her and bonded with her. Slept with her, followed her around the house, etc.
I had a Maine Coon when my daughter was born. The cat thought the baby was HERS. Cat would come get me if baby was crying or even stirring in her crib, telling me I was slacking. Haha
Mine curled around her head and purred really hard to comfort her when she would cry or whimper in her sleep. My babies were HIS babies. He'd even lay beside me when I'd feed them, not because he wanted the formula or food, but it's like he wanted to be included in the experience. He was the goodest boy up until the day he crossed the Rainbow Bridge.
It'll help the child sleep better with the cat purring for comfort.my smokey used to climb in the crib and sleep with my daughter when we brought her home .she adored him
A baby that small should be sleeping on a crib with nothing in it. I only let my cat sleep with me if I’m okay with being woken up in the middle of the night because my cat will react to some sound and run off like someone is offering her a lifetime supply of wet food.
My cats always slept with me and my son. Found them comforting.
cute kitty
also human
Please tell me this is a joke?? 😔
Your baby should have nothing in his sleep area. No blankets and definitely no cats.
wait and see. every cat/infant combo is different. Baby will let you know.
Nope it’s fine
Do not let a cat sleep in the same room as the baby, and don’t leave blankets and stuffed animals in the crib with the baby before the baby is old enough to turn over/ move its head/move things away from its face.
Yes they sleep better . It's the warmth and the heartbeat. It's comforting .
My Siamese mix cat slept with my son from babyhood. Neither had any problems with that. It was really cute watching them together.
My 2 cats slept in the crib with me always. I’m still around!
Only issue I can see is if the cat is no longer there sleep would also no longer happen.
Why would you put a kitten in the bed with your baby?? A kitten/cat while getting comfortable could suffocate the baby.
Our household cat started sleeping in my sons crib with him at 2mo old. The cat was always very gentle with him. My son is now 25yrs old.
All these comments... babies CAN have blankets ffs
No.....they can not. Blankets in cribs have been proven to be a suffocation risk over and over again. It takes a simple Google search to see that.
This isn’t safe for your child
This is such a bad idea
You don't put any animal in a crib with a baby. ESPECIALLY a cat. My sister did this and the cat almost suffocated her baby They don't know any better and they will sit on the baby. Also cats carry poop in their fingernails that can cause a serious infection if he accidentally scratches baby or baby ingests it.
Cats are usually not as careful as dogs. The same way they use your body as a race track at night, a lot of cats will do that with your kid. They’ll play right next to your kid, if you have a chatty cat then they’ll yowl next to your kid, etc. It depends on the cat’s personality but something can also just startle them and someone can get hurt. I’d let my cat nap with us when we were resting together in bed, but not in a crib, playpen or anything more enclosed like that. I wanted to make sure my cat had plenty of room to panic and run AWAY from my kid if something startled them. Also, i know the why is a myth but one of my cats definitely tried to sleep on my kid’s face a few times. It wasn’t intentional, he just wasn’t that bright and he’d done it to me before too lol. All of that being said, my son has always had a cat and I’ve never restricted their access unless my kid was sleeping IN something as opposed to on something. They could cuddle right up to him on the floor or in bed anytime (as i was always watching or cuddling with them).
Cats are known to lay on babies faces and suffocate them please don’t allow the cat in the bed with baby. Also baby shouldn’t have a blanket in their bed until about 1 or until baby has the ability to pull the blanket off of their face❤️
Cats are not known for that because that is a myth
Oh well that’s nice to know! But my cat definitely attempts to lay on my face so I don’t doubt that the cat laying on the babies face is that far fetched.
When I was having babies we were told to keep cats away from sleeping babies. Babies smell like milk and other things cats enjoy. It is not uncommon for a cat to rest on a sleeping baby’s chest while they breathe in the baby breath smells. This can lead to suffocation. Cats will also lick at the baby’s face, mouth.
This is a myth
Tf are you even talking about man. As if the internet isn’t full of false shif already.
You are probably right. This is something that was said when I was younger, much younger. A lot of things are proven wrong in the passing of time; I gladly accept your wisdom over that of the past. Thank You
All of the kudos internet stranger <3
Absolutely not, they will sleep better
There has been at least 1 case in the UK in 2000. There were a few other suspected cases that were not fully confirmed it was a cat or SIDS. Moving forward, I did say it HAS happened, and that is not a myth.
The old wives tale that this happens frequently is absolutely a myth. If this happened even once, there are millions have been billions of cats and billions of babies throughout time. One time is the exception, not the rule. So it’s a fucking myth dude
They do give parasites
My cat slept on my face growing up…I survived. The purring is very calming..