Should new born babies be kept away from cats?

i had never heard of this. my mum has always had a cat and my kids have grown up with it

Way back in the Middle Ages, people used to think that cats "stole the breath" from newborns. This probably got started because a cat would crawl into the cradle with the baby, and accidentally smother it. The chances of this happening, are slim to none. My cat didn't even like to go in the crib when my son was in it. There is a possibility of an allergy developing from the cat's dander, but, an easy solution would be to keep the cats out of the baby's room. My son has been around dogs and cats all of his life, and I was too. He's fine, and so am I. I didn't think you need to be that concerned about it.

It all depends on the parents and the cat. My cousins had cats, a dog before their twins were born, and the twins were fine. The cats and the dog didn't bother the children, in fact, they loved the children.

There are so many myths about cats and babies. I don't think cats are really different than any other pet... babies and animals have to be socialized to live together. Pregnant women should be cautious, though - they should try to avoid being the one to clean the litter box because of the concerns with toxoplasmosis and, if there is no one else to do the job, they should wear gloves and practice very thorough hand-washing. The CDC gives some information on that: http://www.cdc.gov/healthypets/pregnant.htm I don't see why Arijit should have to part with his beloved cats... he will need to supervise them and the baby while everyone gets to know one another and adapts to the new life of having a baby in the home. There are lots of resources and advice online about how to introduce a new baby to pets that were in the home first. I hope Arijit will take the time to learn about it so that there is less risk of upset when the baby comes home :) http://westwoodanimalhospital.com/BhvArticles/Infants,%20Children,%20And%20Cats.htm

Depends on the cat. If it shows no sign of jealousy, & has always had a gentle nature, just be sure its claws are trimmed. Also, I have a friend whose cat saved the bay from a spider, who hissed at it & drew attention to it, & I've heard of other brave cats who've awakened parents when something has caught fire. Cats are far more intelligent (& loving!) than many give them credit for being. Maggiepie "The only statistics you can trust are those you falsified yourself." ~ Benjamin Franklin

Not totally way far as what I can think of. But the idea of keeping the cat in a distance because the baby is sensitive and furs of cats are not good. Keep the cat away especially if it is scratching off its fur. But don't throw away your cat and abandon your pet, this is also not good. We do have cats at home but we just keep them away from the baby's room.

The reason some people say this is because cats like to be somewhere warm and there have been cases where a cat has got into ed with the baby and if the cat lays on top the baby could suffacate. But this problem is very rare all you have to do is make sure the cat is not alone with the baby so this can not happen. I wouldn't get rid of the cat though, and try not to worry.

Absolutely, cats have rabies. Their saliva can spread some rabies and its fur can cause some allergic reactions to the newborn