Myth or Danger: Is Being Pregnant and Having a Cat Dangerous or Not?

Posted on 07/17/2021

Cats, these silky but deceptive beings (let’s stop lying to ourselves, cats will one day rule the world, and it won’t be done softly, I tell you) would also have the power (and the desire) to suffocate little children of humans in their sleep, lying face down to prevent them from breathing.

So, legend or reality? Are cats really Satan’s henchmen or have they nothing to do with a baby who smells like a diaper in his crib?

We decipher this question for you, with the help of Sylvie Masson, a veterinarian specializing in Companion Behavioral Medicine and holder of a DU in veterinary psychiatry.

Suffocating cats, that old urban legend

What pregnant woman, and also the owner of a furball, has not heard warnings from the mother, grandmother, baker or anyone else who can speak, about the alleged dangers of the animal in the presence of a child?

Statements like ” she could lie face down in the middle of the night and keep him from breathing ” Where is it “ Cats like to sleep in warm, comfortable places, and a baby is perfect for them “, but also “ How? ‘or what? You don’t part with your cat when you are about to have a baby ? they keep pouring out of the mouth of too many people, all without any foundation and with much judgment.

Poor cats, you have a bad reputation behind you. However, when I ask Sylvie Masson if these hairballs from hell are really responsible for the deaths of children by suffocation, her response is reassuring:

“I have never heard of a case like this since I started practicing. Cats like to cuddle with humans (some anyway) and the fear of choking must stem from that.

In practice, I think they prefer to put themselves elsewhere than on the head. Babies are unable to move in the first few weeks if the cat climbs on them, so I think you should be careful when the baby is asleep and close the bedroom door for the first few weeks. “

In fact, it seems perfectly logical to pay attention to your newborn baby, and to prevent a furry little thing from taking over the crib.

For safety reasons, of course, but also for hygiene! I remind you that we are still talking about an animal that systematically rests its anus on the surface it touches as soon as he sits down. Do you want the cat’s anus to end up on the baby’s sheets? I do not think so.

Cats, those good jerks with a bad reputation

If it is impossible to find a reliable source that proves that a cat once actually killed a baby by sleeping on its head (and by reliable source, I mean a TRUE source, not gossip from the internet or the stepmother’s uncle’s cousin who told the passage -zia of the thing), it is even more prudent to deny a cat access to the child’s room.

For those who suggest separating from the animal as soon as a baby arrives at home or during pregnancy, both for these alleged risks of suffocation and to avoid contracting toxoplasmosis (parasitic infection that can be transmitted to the pregnant woman through cats, but also washed vegetables bad), we might want to tell them to go get their asses cooked.

Fortunately, Sylvie Masson is much more diplomatic than me and explains it parting with the animal when a child arrives is not justifiedand that there is no rational reason to do so, on the contrary:

“A cat is an excellent companion for children, so it is also a pity. Toxoplasmosis is often accused of the risks associated with expectant mothers whose serology is negative, but basic hygiene measures are enough to limit the risk (cleaning very often the litter or leave this to the second parent.) Most of the contamination of toxoplasmosis during pregnancy comes from raw vegetables! “

That’s it, it’s really very simple! If you are pregnant and are not immune to toxoplasmosis, let the other parent empty the creature’s litter box or do it with gloves on, and avoid letting the pad owner sleep in the same room as the heir as long as he is strong enough. to turn his head or howl if the cat has the crazy idea that he wants to put his royal dance on the little boy’s head, who, according to all the RELIABLE sources in the world, never really arrived.

Next time we will tackle the myth of black cats bringing bad luck (or not).