Toxioplasmosis

I think it's fine to have the cat once the baby is born and with you. Can you buy one of those "self" cleaning cat boxes? It won't take care of the problem entirely but will decrease the amount of time you'll need to ask someone else to deal with the poop. I do think having someone else scoop the poop is the best solution, better safe than sorry. Good luck.

Don't change the cat box! I dated a guy that was born with an underdeveloped eye due to his mom changing the litter and he had to wear a plastic prosthesis over it and had no vision in that eye. As for cats being harmfull to infants, I had 2 cats when my son was born and they would sleep in his crib when he wasn't using it but they never tried to lay on him, they would sit in the window sill next to his crib and watch over him as he slept. I think it depends on the cat.

I don't know if it would be safe, but they do sell several types of self cleaning kitty litter boxes. You might also want to pay someone (like a friend/neighbor/highschooler)to come and clean it for you.

Does your cat go outside or eat raw meat? If the answer is no then the chances of your cat giving you toxoplasmosis is about 0%. Once a cat is infected they are only contagious for 10 days. Then they are immune and cannont get it again. Most people who get toxoplamosis get it from eating undercooked meat (especially pork or wild game) or not washing thier hands after gardening (toxoplasmosis lives in the soil.)

As for the whole cat + baby thing. There are a lot of old wives tales about cats and children. Any doctor will tell you that the only real concern is if the cat falls asleep on the baby and suffocates it. And I don't know of any cases where this has actually happened. I have two cats and neither has been a problem. Also children who are regularly exposed to cats or dogs are less likely to develope allergies, so having pets are actually good for kids.

Good luck with the pregnancy and try not to worry about your 4 legged furry baby.

The response below is spot on - all of those things you hear from people about cats suffocating a baby, hair getting into their lungs, or anything else like that are purely old wives tales! There is NO truth to them. Tell me, when is the last time - or EVER - you heard a story, a news report, ANYTHING about a house cat injuring a baby? Both veterinarians and pediatricians alike can also assure you that having a cat, or several, around a newborn poses no threat. Your child is much more likely to die of SIDS, an upper respiratory infection (IE a simple cold), or complications during birth: your cat, especially at 12 years old, will go out of its way to stay away from your screaming newborn. The only thing you may have to deal with is cat hair on the baby's things: we always had a heck of a time keeping the cat off of the babies changing table and out of the drawers (my cats open drawers) where I kept all the clean linens and blankets. After awhile, I just started putting a towel on the changing table for the cat to sleep on when we weren't using it - you know how cats love to be cozy. One of our cats who is unusually social and not scared of a thing on earth liked to lean against the baby when she was brand new, and I always thought it was super cute - I love the pictures we have of the cat when she was twice the size as our newborn!

As far as the changing of the litter box: there is very little risk, but might it be possible for you to have her stay with a friend or a family member until after the baby is born? It might be nice for you not to have to worry about that for the duration of the pregnancy. If you cannot find her another place to stay, think of getting one of those "litter mate" automatic litter boxes for use during the rest of the pregnancy so you can further limit the time you have to spend being near the cat excrement - the machine cleans the litter for you, and then deposits the waste into a plastic container with a sealable lid so you never really have to touch it or breath in the odors.

You are not at risk of toxoplasmosis if you clean the box every day. It takes 24 hours for the parasite to get to a point where it can infect you. I was told this by a vet board certified in preventative medicine. You will be fine plus if you cat has toxoplasma you have probably already been exposed. Keep wearing the gloves wash your hands etc and you will be fine. I as in the same situation I have 2 cats and I have a beautiful healthy baby girl. I have had no prblems with the cats after the birth either. Just use common sense don't leave the baby alone with the cats, shut the door when the baby is asleep etc. Our cats now we know they are fine have free run of the house again. As for inhaling cat hair I've never heard of that, personally I would think environmental polution from cars and forest fires is of greater concern. Don't get rid of your cat!

Hi, I would not worry too much about changing the litter especially taking all of the precautions, and washing your hands extremely well after wards. My own OB warned me about the toxicplasmosis situation and then admitted to changeing her own cats litter through out her 2 pregnancies- it is a concern but only if one is not careful and does not wash their hands. We also have a cat and my 14 month old loves her- e never hand any problem with her and my infant- the only issue was that the cat does like all of the baby blankets, and soft changing tables and bassinets for baby, so I would have to shew her out of the room or keep the door closed, Our cat never gets to close to the baby because he makes too much noise for her to relax around, so I would not worry too much about your cat and your newborn, just watch both of them and enjoy your new family

We had 3 cats when our children were born. There was no problem with our cats getting in the crib with them, etc. We did allow the ones that were interested to smell the clothes as we prepared for their arrival. After arrival, ths interested ones would sit by them but never harmed.

Regarding changing the liter box, I would keep doing what you are doing and add having good ventilation while you are changing the box.

Hope this is helpful.

Just by chance my cat became sick during my first trimester of my first pregnancy. I took him to the vet for other tests and requested the test for tox... and it came back negative so I had no worries the remainder of my pregnancy. He slept with us so when the baby arrived I was a bit concerned he would try to sleep with the baby. When the baby was older and moved to her own crib I bought a safety net to keep the cat out just in case. My daughter is now 5 & our cat is 9 - no problems whatsoever.

As PPs have said... just wear gloves and be sure to wash your hands afterwards. You probably are actually okay since you have been exposed to this cat for many years, but the gloves and handwashing should do the trick if not.

As for the baby... There are many wives tales out there about cats and babies but none of them are based in reality. I was raised with a cat who would not leave my side from the day I came home from the hospital until he died when I was 16. he slept with me every night starting at 6 months old (before that he slept on a chair next to my crib because my mother wouldn't let him in my crib. Our 2 year old son refers to our cats as his "furry sisters" and his pediatrician assured us that they were no risk to him in infancy.

I probably wouldn't let the cats sleep with the baby, but other than that you are fine. There is no way cat hair is getting into a babies lungs, if that were the case, we would also have to worry about grasses, and feathers etc outside. I have never known a cat that likes human breastmilk, but even if they did, how would licking the babies face/lips cause suffocation?!?! that is just silly.

Enjoy your baby and your cat and good luck!

T.

I changed my kitty litter throughout my entire pregnancy because I had no one else to do it. Just wear rubber gloves and a dust mask.

I keep my cats out of the nursery and my room since the baby sleeps with me. Just take normal precautions with the cat and you should be fine. No need to get rid of it. There's lots of suggestions online for mixing cat and baby.

Honestly, You are more likely to get Toxo from gardening,eating undercooked meat or not washing veggies thoroughly than from your cat. If your cat is an indoor/outdoor cat it is definitely possible for your cat to be a toxo carrier. Less likely if kitty is indoor only. Check out this website to answer most of your questions. If you are still worried, you can have the cat blood tested (expensive) to ease your fears. Good luck to you and your new little one.
http://www.cdc.gov/toxoplasmosis/factsheet.html#spread
As far as if the cat and baby will be ok together, most of what you hear are Old Wives' Tales. A cat may seek out warmth from the baby and accidentally sufficate them. I do not allow my cats into my son's room while he is sleeping. Your cat will probably steer clear of the baby. My kitties do not mind my son, but when they have had enough they get up and leave. Bring a blanket or something home from the hospital for kitty to get used to baby's smell and let the cat see baby if he is interested. Some cats like kids, other prefer adult and avoid children. Do not get rid of your beloved pet just because you are having a baby. See how things work before making the decision to find a new home.

Hi,

I had the sample pbl when my 2 year old was born! I did lots of research on toxioplasmosis. If your cat is an indoor cat you are fine! Toxioplasmosis is mainly found in very young cats or outdoor cats that have contact with other animals.
Here are the basics:
Avoid changing cat litter if possible. If no one else can perform the task, wear disposable gloves and wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water afterwards.
Change the litter box daily. The Toxoplasma parasite does not become infectious until 1 to 5 days after it is shed in a cat's feces.
Feed your cat commercial dry or canned food, not raw or undercooked meats.
Keep cats indoors.
Avoid stray cats, especially kittens. Do not get a new cat while you are pregnant.
Keep outdoor sandboxes covered.
Wear gloves when gardening and during contact with soil or sand because it might be contaminated with cat feces that contain Toxoplasma. Wash hands thoroughly after gardening or contact with soil or sand.

As far as what we did when the baby was born, our cat was old as well he was almost 13 at the time. As soon as we got back from the hospital we put one of the baby's blankets on his pillow so that he could get use to her, it worked!
We restricted some areas of the house and we retrain him not to go on top of furniture. Restricted areas upstairs i.e. bedrooms. When our daughter began crawling we decided to put him downstairs with my husband in his office. He had enough room to move around and we always made sure he had enough attention from me and the baby. I didn't want him to feel jealous and be dangerous for our daughter. He was very happy with his new set-up.
Try to see how you can limit certain areas to avoid a crawling baby to get in contact with too much cat hair. No more jumping on beds, sofas etc...but always make sure he has enough attention from you.

It worked with our cat unfortunately because of health problems he died at age 15. He had a very nice life and I am happy things work with our baby...I hear of cats that get very jealous and it could be dangerous for the baby.
Just make sure you keep an eye on him and make sure he feels loved and included in the new family!

Congrats and good luck!

Hi! I am a 31 year old mother of 2 children, ages 5 and 3, and I was the primary housekeeper/cat littler changer at my house during both pregnancies. Like you, I was constatnly worried about the effects that the litter could have on my unborn baby, but I took all the necessary precautions. I wore rubber gloves and covered my nose and mouth with a towel or something to limit the air-born particles from going into my breathing passages. Then, when I was done cleaning the box, I would wash my hands WITH THE GLOVES ON! Then take the gloves off and wash my hands (bare now) again. My kids are perfect in every way and we've never had any problems at all. Hope this helps. Good luck with everything. I know it must be hard to be doing this on your own, but it will only make you stronger in the end. I was raised by a single mother and wouldn't change that for anything. She was the most important person in my life until my kids came along. I wish you all the best!

I have 2 cats that I have had for the last 9 years. I have changed the litter box, with awareness of what i am doing, without problems with BOTH pregnancies. There has been no harm nor damage to either myself or my children (other child is still on the way).

And no, i do not feel cats are a danger to young children. I make sure my cats are not near the baby, when he is put down nor in his room when he is sleeping. Their fur is fine, yes, but i dont see it being any more dangerous than any other hair/fur.

Hope this helps
R.

O K,
Its not safe to be around cats when your pregnant.I know you had your cat for a long time, there is something in a cat's stool that can make your unborn child sick. I never seen anyone get sick yet, but its a precaution. A cat can suffocate a newborn by laying on them. Its best to keep the baby away from the cat. The smells of the litter box, your better off letting someone else tend to it.

If your cat is anything like mine, he'll be scared shitless by the baby and won't come near him for 3+ years (even if he's tempted by licking milk, which I've never heard of happening outside of Old Wives' Tales)!

As for the litter--can a friend help? If not, wear gloves and a mask/bandana over your nose/mouth. Or just let the kitty suffer for a few months by just dumping in new litter and not taking out the old. Or just chuck the entire litter box, creating as little dust as possible, and give the cat a new box instead of cleaning the poop. Use aluminum roasting pans as disposable litter boxes.

Good luck!

If you wear gloves, I think you should be okay. But I'm not positive. Have you asked you doctor about this? I know they 'recommend' you don't do it (clean the litter) but if you have no other option, what are their thoughts? We had two cats when my son was born. They never laid on our necks or faces, so I don't know if that was why, but they never got up in the babies face. Maybe a little sniff hear or there, but very brief. I know some people who's cats lay on their neck when they sleep, so if your cat does that, I would be extra cautious. Just clean up your little ones face after feedings and spitting up. You would probably do that anyways I'm sure. Also, we purchased a net/sunshade cover for the pack'n'play because we weren't sure how the cats would act. It worked great, and after 2-3 weeks I realized the cats were not interested in the baby, so all was good. Oh, and we never noticed any bad effects on the baby after he was born from being around the cats. You are doing a great thing by taking care of yourself and removing yourself (a baby) from a bad situation. Stay strong, get help when needed and have faith. Take care.

Ask your Dr what he thinks about the questions about the cat. and you can have your cat tested at the vet. Talk to your vet about how the cat gets the toxioplasmosis. I think it is from eating raw meat. so if your cat is always indoors and can't catch any little animals it may not be able to get the illness. Wearing gloves is really a good Idea and incase the illess is airborn you may want to get a little paper face mask to wear just while you change the litter. They sell those at drug stores. wash your hands well after changing the litter box. I would not let the cat be around the new baby just in case it scratches the child. after the baby is a bit older and more mobile it is probably ok. but you still have to watch for cat scratches. They can cary a lot of germs and get infected easily.
Good luck
J.

I had to scoop and change the cat litter occassionally when I was pregnant. I wore gloves and a mask (maybe overkill) and immediately washed my hands after. We have two cats and they were fine around our son. We kept the cats out of his room and definitely out of the crib or cradle when he slept in our room.

I hope this helps. Good luck.

J.

Wear rubber gloves and a dust mask and you're good to go.

Your cat may want to sleep with your baby. Just be sure your cat knows to sleep next to your baby and not on your baby. But otherwise it's all good. If you're worried about that stuff just get a baby monitor for your kiddo's room and keep the cat locked out when the baby is sleeping alone.

http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/pregnancy_and_toxoplasm...

try this link

I know you can have the cat checked for toxioplasmosis. Not all cats carry it. I think as long as you take all the percautions you should be ok.

As for cats and babies. I can speak a lot more into this one. Some cultures do have superstitions about the cat stealing the babies breath and stuff. My experieance with our three cats is that they wanetd nothing to do with the baby and still dont. They sniffed him a few times but the first time that he cried and moved in the house they were gone. Thye do like the warmth his stuff though. They would never go up to him but if I picked him up they would curl into the area he sas laying in as soon as they thought the coast was clear. I never had a problem with them in his crib because when we first set it up For the first week or so I wrapped it in contact paper with the sticky side up. They would look at it and put there paws up to see it but then they would stick to the paper and did not like that. To this day they still will not go up there.

Dear O K,
I had cats during each of my pregnancies and cleaned the litter boxes. I was warned, as we all are, to be careful about it. But, sometimes, I just had no option but to do it myself. I wore latex gloves and one of those little masks that covers your nose and mouth. You can get them just about anywhere. I was worried about breathing in the dust from the litter. I also wore a big, oversized sweatshirt that I tossed in the washer afterwards. Just be sure to wash your hands very, very well with hot water and antibacterial soap. I probably was perhaps a little overly cautious, but it was my routine and as a result, I didn't really worry too much about it.
All cats are different, but neither of my cats ever bothered either of my babies. They were pretty aloof about the whole thing as a matter of fact. They never once got in the babies' cribs or anything. Of course, once the kids got a little older they had to learn to be gentle with the cats. At least in my experience, the cats were not a problem at all. We had Lillian for 14 years. She was one of the best cats ever and a very special part of my kids' lives. Your cat is older and may well be happy just keeping it's distance from the baby.

I know it's not easy going through things alone, but if father is agressive, then it's best for him to be removed.
You just take care of yourself and your baby.
Be sure to let us know when your little bundle of joy arrives.

If your test was negative and your cat is an indoor only cat - then you are fine, just wear gloves and wash before putting hands in your mouth. As for the newborn, those are just old wives tales. You should be aware that a cat will like to snuggle with a baby cause it is warm and monitor interactions, but they do not suck the air out of a baby's lungs and suffocate them. Recently there have been studies that it is actually better to get your kids used to aniumal hair early in an attempt to make them less likely to have allergies!! The theory is that if they are exposed early and do not have a genetic predisposition toward allergies their immune system will get used to the allergens early and be less likely to become allergic to them. PLEASE take your cat with you!!!! Your cat would be very upset to lose you.

C.

Can you get the white masks like they use at the hospital? Then you won't be breathing the litter dust. I'm sure the cat will be fine with the baby. Just watch to see how kitty acts and you'll know how much supervision is needed. I am in Concord, let me know if I can help. C.

Hello,

I have an eight year old son now. I was a single, pregnant mom with a 7 year old cat. I too was careful not to breath the dust from the cat litter. I had to change it myself. My son is perfectly healthy. Now issues with cat hair in his lungs either and my cat is very hairy and sheds a lot.

I put a netted tent over the top of the crib that I could zip up so my cat couldn't jump into the crib when my baby was sleeping. I never had to use it. My cat had no interest in getting into the crib with the baby. But, it was a safe precaution to have. I hope this helps. God bless you for caring so much about protecting your precious gift.

B. - still a single mom and happy to be!

could you buy a litter maid?
pay a pet babysitting service?
my last idea is to contact a group like towncats.org in your area, and explain that you don't want to surender your cat, but do they have a volunter to help you out? They have volunteers clean the litterboxes at PetSmart, so why not your home?

With all the cats I have owned (and they slept on my bed) I was amazed that I hadn't been exposed to the toxioplasmosis and had no anti-bodies. Stanford said "no cats in the bedroom" as they tend to track in litter and I was !@#$%^ about it. So were our three cats.
I read up on toxioplasmosis exposure to fetuses, and YIKES.... okay I was on board. Totally not worth it.

After our daughter was born, our cats TOTALLY seemed to get it, and I could tell you stories endlessly about how good they are with our daughter. Our male Ahz did jump in her crib *once* and he could tell by the blood curdling yell, scruffing, and being kicked outside, to NEVER do that again. Our female BooBoo might have jumped in the basenette once, and didn't like the result either. Honestly, I bet they smelled the comfy place, and it smelled like the kitten and realized their mistake by our reaction. They would come up and smell our daughter's head when she was nursing, but I don't think I ever had to use the squirt bottle to get them off us. I might have hissed once. They seemed to get the uproar, and while normally sittng on the sofa we can expect them to be really assertive about demanding love... not if they baby was there first! My gray cat Satin liked to hover at the end of the sofa, and hang out, but not get too close.
The funny thing is that Ahz doesn't trust my husband when the baby cries. My husband has had that cat since he was a kitten over 14 years ago! But if the baby cried he rushed to protect her, and yowls. (When she had colic it was a bit much. Nothing like a baby and a cat howling.) When she was a toddler she found it charming, and now that she is 6 she knows that he is the first to come running when she cries. But playful wrestling with Daddy (or Mommy) is OUT, or the kitty has to be put out first (it's just too freaky or distressing for him, clearly we are going to break the girl.)

Hi. You've got alot of good responses and I just wanted to ditto on them. We had two cats when my daughter was born. I did shut the door of the nursery when my daughter was sleeping but all other times it was open for the cats to check out. I did take a small baby blanket to the hospital with me and wrapped our daughter in it. My husband brought it home a day before we came home from the hospital. He put it on the floor and let the 2 cats and dog smell it. This way they had the baby smell recognized. Our dog was more curious than the cats but they were all very good with the baby.

I was lucky and my husband cleaned out the cat box so I never really dealt with that, though the doctor has said I could do it if I took precasions (but I never told my husband that, Ha!). Best of luck to you....you'll be fine.

We have two kids and the cats came before the children so the cats are older...The cats liking the milk ect from the childs mouth is an olds wives tale. The cat was the early detector for S.I.D sudden infant death and the cat would notice the child stopped breathing or was no longer alive and the cat would get the blame because the kitty would hover over the infant. Children don't get exposed to enough germs and kids with animals tend to get sick less because they get more exposed and antibodies...hopes this helps with your decissions.

Just wear gloves and wash your hands when you're done. Since you've had your cat for 12 years you've already been exposed to it if he has it. You'll be fine. As far as the cat sufficating the new born, not going to happen. I have a 15 year old cat and my boys are 7 & 5 and the cat really doesn't even want to be near the kids. If you are worried about the cat getting in the crib set it up now and put balloons that will pop or something that will make noise and scare the cat should he jump in it...he won't come back. Good luck you'll be fine.

Hello,

All I can tell you is that when I was an infant my parent's had a dog and a cat. There are many photos of me with the cat. Even napping in the crib with the cat next to me. My mother told me it was as if the cat was protecting me. I never had any problems. I also believe you can have the cat tested to see if he/she has the parasite. There has also been as study that children who grow up with animals are less likely to have allergies.

Hope that helps, reassures you.

We have had out two cats through two pregnancies with no problem. My husband ususally changes the litter but sometimes I have to. I just wear disposable gloves and am careful not to breathe the dust. Wash hands afterwards. No problems. As far as after the baby is born, we found it helpful to have my husband bring home the baby's cap from the hospital ahead of time and let the cats sniff it. My cats really wanted nothing to do with the baby for almost two years (until his activity level got to the point that he can go after them and force interaction). SOme cats will warm up to the baby though. It just takes tireless supervision. Keep the babys door closed at night so they do not sleep with the baby. As the baby grows he/she will pull, kick, tug, hit and chase the cat without understanding the consequences. Cats will scratch or bite if they are threatened or overly irritated. You will have to supervise and if you can't, you will have to put the cat in another room or outdoors for awhile until you can. Often when I cook dinner or am otherwise occupied, the cats go "out". Overall animals are a wonderful experience for a child. As far as the hair is concerned, just vacuum your home/furniture weekly/regularly. As pet owners we put up with a certain amount of animal hair. If you vacuum/dust regularly this is no problem for a child either. However,overly built up hair, especially once they are crawling, can be problematic. Lastly, please be sure to use Frontline or some other good flea product to be sure fleas do not invade your cat/home.Fleas bites are not good for children, not to mention are very irritating.And flea bombs which would be necessary to get rid of them are harsh and potentially dangerous. Better not to get the fleas in the first place.

The only part of this I can answer is about cats being bad for infants. No, they will not try to suffocate a child. That is a very old, OLD wives tale. Do not worry about that part. Good luck with your current situation.

If your cat is an indoor animal who does NOT catch mice, then the chances of toxoplasmosis are next to nil.

I have a cat that I have had for 16 years. She doesn't like my son and stayed away from him. As long as you just keep your cat out of the baby's things - crib, bassinet, etc. you're baby will be fine.

As to changing the litter box, you should be fine if you where gloves. To be extra careful, invest in a few disposable dust masks. And always wash your hands after you change the litter box, even if you are wearing gloves. And, also, if you can, change the litter box outside.

Good luck!

your concern is valid but being realistice let's think of all the people who own cats and have been pregnant and have had children. MANY. just be careful, wash your hands and don't worry too much. also there is natural kitty litter out there as well. i grew up with cats and am fine as many of us are. take your cat with you! :)

Hi,
Definitely take the kitty with you. I believe the more children are around animals the less likely they are to have allergies later in life. We have always had cats and never have we had a problem with our twins and the cats. You just have to teach little ones how to pet nicely and not pull whiskers, ears or tails. Our son Hunter (11 months) plays with our cat with his feather toy already.

Have you thought about having a pet sitter/doggy poop servie come in and clean the litterbox for you? Most would charge less than normal since they are only cleaning the box. My husband has a pet sitting service and we have done this for pregnant clients before. You can go to http://www.petsit.com and put in your zip code for some sitters in your area. Let me know if you need additional info and I will be glad to help.

Hello OK,
First of all, I have raised three sons along with numerous cats, a minimum of two at any given time. We have never had any problems with cats and babies.
With respect to the litter box, just wear gloves and a mask when you change it. I really don't think you'll have any problems I never did.

I think you need your kitty right now.
All my best, S.

Of course, talk to your doctor about this, but, if your cat is an indoor cat there shouldn't be a problem. My understanding is that cats only carry this bug if they have hunted/eaten rodents. I too had to change litter so I bought a self-cleaning box - WASTE OF MONEY - I spent more time messing around with that litter box than I would have scooping the old-fashioned way (and you still have to empty the receptacles, so what's the point?). Even though my cat was indoor only I was still super careful (just in case)- washed my hands extra well after cleaning cat box, Lysol sprayed all instruments before and after use, and as an added measure rinsed my hands with rubbing alcohol as the very last step in the clean-up.

And, as far as the cat around your newborn - I'm pretty sure the things you mentioned are urban legends - not to worry.

Good luck!

My understanding from my pedi is that birds and rodents carry toxioplasmosis and when the cat hunts them, it can contract it. If you cat is an strictly indoor cat (as mine are) you have absolutley no reason to worry about the litter box because it has never been exposed to the germ. Even if you cat were an indoor/outdoor kitty, chances are that you were exposed to TPM earlier in your cats life and have immunity to it. I was told by my doctors not to worry about it at all with both pregnancies. I even went into a panic when I was playing with a neighbors new kittens during my 2nd pregnancy and forgot about the TPM thing. I called my doctor and she said that the kittens have never hunted so they have never been exposed to it.
We have had ZERO problems with our cats bothering either one of our girls. They avoid them like the plague!! Our cats are 7 and 15 so they think children are rather boring! My oldest drags the 7yr old around (when she can catch her) and has a great old time! Take your kitty with you and use the normal precautions when scooping the litter....but don't stress about it. Enjoy your new baby and your "old" baby!

Hi there- I seem to remember hearing about a cat box that sortof self cleans...probably on tv but bed bath and beyond often carries those 'sold on tv' products. Sounds like you will also take all the necessary precautions- HAND WASHING is probably huge but not sure about skin absorption issues with the litter. Don't let your head worry about the 'cat myth' ..lots of babies are born to homes with cats. All animals need to be watched at first but sounds like your cat is older and may not be as interested after getting used to your new addition. :0) Good Luck!
M

They make nets that go over cribs to keep cats from being able to jump into the crib. As well, though it's kind of expensive I have a litter box that has the crystals. Its called Scoopfree. It's an automatic litter box that you change cartridges instead of having to scoop. The cartridges can last up to 30 days with one cat and when you change it you pull the mechanical unit off, put the lid on the cartridge and have no contact with the cat feces. It's something you might want to look into, with this if you still didn't want to change the cat box yourself, you would only need to change it a couple of times instead of like every week.

I feel like if your cat is an indoor cat and doesn't interact with outdoor cats the chance they would get taxioplasmosis is so small it wouldn't be a problem to change the litter.
I have two cats and I had no problems with them being around my 14 month old when he was a newborn. I kept the door to his room closed at night so they could jump in the crib with him, but other than that, they were more put off by all the crying and lack of attention they were getting.
Hope this helps.

HI :-) I just wanted to let you know my experience with cats after the baby is born. My son was born on March 30, 2008 and we have 2 cats. The doctor knew about this and did not say anything about cat hair in the lungs, etc. One cat had been around babies before; one had not. They both have been great. Neither cat EVER went for his milk or anything or even wanted to get near him. When I first brought him home they sniffed around him in the car seat, but once he moves they ran off and gave him his space!!! My son is now at the point where he tries to pet them and giggles everytime he does! It's great! As for changing the box; I don't know about that. My MD told me not to change it, and luckily my 7-year old step son did that for me. I would ask the MD. I would think if you wore gloves, had shoes on (in case anything is on the floor) and maybe even wore a little mask over your mouth (if need be) and of course washed your hands after wards, that it would be ok. But I would of course ask to be sure. Good luck :-)