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Posted by Phil on January 28, 2003 at 16:49:03:
In Reply to: Are cats safe with babies? posted by Lisa on January 28, 2003 at 15:36:11:
Believe it or not, I actually know something about this: Cats aren't inherently dangerous to babies, there are a lot of myths out there, but most are not true. 1 - Myth: their fine fur can make the baby sick. Fact: Only if the baby is allergic to the pet dander (not the fur) will there be a problem. And even then, you can either find a new home for the cat, or give your child allergy meds (with a doctor's guidance). Allergies are like a really bad cold. Typically bad colds don't kill you. 2 - Myth: Litter boxes are toxic to babies. Fact: this is an old wives tale that still has a ring of truth. Cats used to be utilitarian as well as nice pets in that they'd eat mice/rats, etc. Sometimes their prey had diseases, which, after digested, and passed, could still be toxic. That's why pregnant women shouldn't clean out litter boxes. The possibility still exists that the cat ate a diseased rodent. But to babies, if they are kept away from the litter box, they'll be fine. Simply having a litter box in the house isn't going to harm a baby. And if your cat is an indoor only cat, YOU CAN STILL CHANGE THE LITTER - though if you don't tell your husband that, he won't be any the wiser. 3 - Myth: A cat can "take a baby's breath away" if they get too close. Fact: I have no idea where that myth came from. But my own mother wouldn't let my son near a cat for fear of this. There is no truth to this. If a cat is lying on your baby's face, well, there might be a problem, but you probably don't have to worry about that. Babies, while cute to us, typically are repugnant to cats. Both of my cats wanted nothing to do with our son and, still don't to this date. Hope this helps. You can always look up stuff on google.com about this topic. Try searching for "cats and babies" or something like that.
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