tristanspeed Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 Unfortunately our cat Ficelle has to find a new home because we're expecting a baby any minute and we're worried about her sitting on the newborn - our house is very open plan and you can't really watch everything at the same time.So, what could we do with her? Does anybody have any suggestions? If you're a cat lover and live anywhere near me - Lyon/Macon - then you're more than welcome to give her a new home! She's a superb mouse chaser, absolutely amazing in fact. She's more the kind of cat you let come and go than the kind you can cuddle on the sofa though. If you have a country house and want to keep the rodents down I may have the answer! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 have you considered putting a cat net over the cot and pram? at least that's what we used to do in the old days. i have personally not heard of any cats sitting on a baby (and i was a health visitor) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Katie Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 Or, if it is a country cat, why not keep it outside? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lizzy h Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 I am so sorry but I get absolutely furious when I hear of people getting rid of thier cats just because they are expecting, it is a old wifes tale and shear nonsence! I was a nurse and midwife in the uk and had to deal with worried parents saying this all the time, I also in my experience have never heard of a cat killing a baby and yes there are cat nets to buy, I had 6 cats with both if my kids and the cats never went near them! I used a net at first but infact is was not needed, the cat is part of your family too and not a disposible item just to be got rid of when a child comes along, I am speaking as avery careful and loving parent and a cat lover too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Smith Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 We raised 3 kids with up to 5 cats at a time, never a problem, despite my grandmother assuring me that the cats would actively choose to sleep on the babies' faces.If you are worried, when the babies are small sleep them under a net.The kids adored the cats, of course, who would put up with any indignity from them. Imagine a killer tomcat sitting with a hat on to get the idea...I think kids need animals around them in order to develop properly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catalpa Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 Maybe when you're heading towards a birth, there's so much to worry about and plan for that random things - and a cat is nothing if not random - become excessively worrisome. I don't think cats are a problem around babies - provided the cat is wormed regularly; I think that's far more important than any likelihood of cat suffocating child. I think I've read that children who grow up with animals are less likely to develop allergies... because their immune system becomes stronger earlier. So that's a substantial benefit over and above Dick's valid point about it simply being good for kids to grow up around animals.Perhaps you could wait till after the birth to decide whether your cat is really going to be the problem you imagine it will be. The problem may sort itself out - in that once things settle down when the baby has arrived, you'll realise there isn't a problem to be solved. Best wishes for an unexciting and simple birth. [:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tresco Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 Tristan, congatulations on the imminent birth of your baby.I do agree with the other posters, and I hope their replies have helped put your mind at rest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Smith Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 My grandmother, it must be said, believed that cats f*rted through their mouths, and my mother believed that if you didn't turn the switch off when you took a plug out, the electricity leaked out of the socket. She said she could smell it...Puts those myths in context a bit, doesn't it [:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rose Posted March 14, 2007 Share Posted March 14, 2007 [quote user="Dick Smith"]my mother believed that if you didn't turn the switch off when you took a plug out, the electricity leaked out of the socket. She said she could smell it...[/quote]Dare I admit on this forum that I too thought the electirc kept coming if the switch was still on... [:$] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWINKLE Posted March 14, 2007 Share Posted March 14, 2007 Well if you're admitting to that then I'm telling about a french bloke I know who goes to the local café and is missing his little finger on one of his hands.It was bitten off by a cat when he was a baby during a nap. So it does happen and tristanspeed will obviously worry about things like this as she's having her first baby (I bet!) and a lot of women (me included[:$]) get anxious about awful things happening - it's the hormones.The cat didn't belong to the french blokes family - he got in through an open window. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rose Posted March 14, 2007 Share Posted March 14, 2007 my grandad lost a finger in a sausage making machine when he was young... and the sausages were still sold (yuk!)... but I guess that's nothing to do with cats![:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rose Posted March 14, 2007 Share Posted March 14, 2007 Getting back on the subject.... when I was pregnant my cat seemed to take a huge dislike to me and my bump and started weeing all over the house when we weren't looking (nice!). Once my son was born thwe cat became almost jealous of the attention he was getting - when I was feeding she would come and sit on my lap trying to get closer to me than the baby, she slept in his cot but not while he was in it... I don't think she would have ever harmed him but we did sort of fall out of love with each other! In the end I was having to lock her out of the room when I was with my son and felt really mean! My friend's mum adopted her and she lived happily ever after... and it was years before I would have another cat... We have three cats now and three chidren and all live very happily together. The youngest cat was born here and has been handled by the kids almost from birth... he just goes limp when they cuddle him almost as if to say... ok I give up - love me for a while and then let me go! For me... I love our cats but not in the same way as I did before motherhood... very strange! [blink] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renaud Posted March 14, 2007 Share Posted March 14, 2007 Meinou maintained a slim figure until our first baby was born. Then she discovered that the baby was fed on demand so she soon started demanding too. Soon developed a fine 'traditional' shape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali-cat Posted March 14, 2007 Share Posted March 14, 2007 [quote user="Renaud"]Meinou maintained a slim figure until our first baby was born. Then she discovered that the baby was fed on demand so she soon started demanding too. Soon developed a fine 'traditional' shape.[/quote]I had to read that twice!! The first time I thought you were talking about your wife!! [:-))] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tristanspeed Posted March 14, 2007 Author Share Posted March 14, 2007 Hello everyone - what a funny, lively discussion! I'm relieved to hear what you-re saying. I suppose it-s because our cat can be a bit scary when she-s in hunting mood that we're worried. But she could effectively live outside most of the year, you're right - as long as she gets Friskies and somewhere to sleep she seems happy, but we did lend her to a the woman who runs the pharmacy for a few days who said she thought Ficelle was "sauvage"...Ficelle ran away and came home you-ll be pleased to hear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicos Posted March 14, 2007 Share Posted March 14, 2007 I wonder - if she's not really a lap cat then would she really want tosleep on a 'noisy' baby . I would have thought she'd want to keep wellaway.We had 2 cuddly cats when we had our babies, and the cats gave them a wide birth for the first 2-3 years!There are plenty of more realistic dangers to look out for!!!Congratulations on your new arrival...enjoy!!!![:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre ZFP Posted March 14, 2007 Share Posted March 14, 2007 We had 2 cats when my boys were babies. One of them just ignored the babies and the other would always curl up on my wife's lap at feeding time (draught first then bottled) we rekoned it was because she (the cat) could snuggle up against something warm that smelt of milk. We too had a net for the pram but I can't remember the cats ever trying to get in the pram. And both my boys have no allergies and are big fine strapping lumps now so it didn't do them any harm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
londoneye Posted March 21, 2007 Share Posted March 21, 2007 I 100% agree with most of the posts here; however i do have to sound the tiniest note of caution, because my cat absolutely loves (given the opportunity) to sleep across someone's face ...... many myths have the basis of fact somewhere deep in the past. In truth I am sure that one cat has suffocated one baby, out of the millions of parents who have cats and babies living together with nothing untoward happening. Don't misunderstand me; i am a cat lover of the highest order, and to me it is unfathomable that i could ever give away a cat even if i was having as baby. But in my own experience i would do what has been suggested and get a net for across the pram - you will need a mosquito net anway so perhaps you can double up !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suninfrance Posted March 21, 2007 Share Posted March 21, 2007 I would think that when the baby is born, you wouldn't want to be too far away from him/her anyway. The cat may be inquisitive, but it it is basically an outdoor cat, then I really don't think you have anything to worry about. So please keep the cat and if you are truly worried then a cat net is the answer. Ficelle is part of your family too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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