to recycle pet toys for my baby?

[Zara1984]

What do you all think about, erm, recycling unwanted pet toys for baby...?? It hopefully sounds worse than it is.

I'm currently pg with my first. My spoilt rotten two cats have got way more toys than they use - some of which are actually baby toys from Ikea. In particular a carrot shaped rattle, a bat puppet, a large stuffed soft white rat/mouse. If I wash them it should be ok... right??? Otherwise they'll go to charity and I hate things going to waste and wasting money generally (not that giving things to charity is a waste, at all!)!!

Or is that really really bad/something my child will demand therapy about if they discover the truth???

Be very careful as they won't have been safety checked for children. Choking risks, what is the paint made out of, that kind of thing.

Oops, missed that they are originally baby toys. In which case, no problem!

When I read that I thought you were going to say Kongs or something. Its up to you - I'd not consider it unless they were machine washed though. Are the cats likely to get territorial about their old things? You do not want kitty jumping in your baby's bed to rescue their old carrot and giving him a scratch or sitting on his face.

It's a bit rank. Donate them to a cat shelter and spend a few quid on some stuff for the baby.

at the idea of handing baby a squeaking bone. Yes would machine wash on 40/60!

Don't think the cats would be territorial... they ignore all the toys I've given them except their favourites! But that it is something to consider - I hadn't thought of that. One of them is quite a precious little madam of a Siamese and might develop strong sibling rivalry... in fact I'm certain of it.

Go for it. My 2 dogs have a large box of toys, a mixture of dog and baby toys and my 16 month old son seems to prefer playing with these old scabby toys than his gazillions of fancy new baby toys. Go figure!

YABVVU in my opinion - that's just skanky beyond belief. The baby will get loads of toys when born - use those instead

Why on earth is it skanky beyond belief? How strange to feel so strongly. After all, babies put everything in their mouths, including their hands that touch all manner of germy, dirty and cat spitty things.

Go for it OP. Wouldn't bother me at all. And Kongs would be good for teething babies, no?

Ever heard of zoonotic diseases? That is why it is skanky. No harm in babies being exposed to a bit of muck but when there is the chance that they could contract fungal infections then I think that's where you draw the line

I wouldnt do it, it sounds a bit disgusting

There could be crap in the muck.

Don't be ridiculous.

I wouldn't. My dog eats shit.

Some people are being a bit dramatic here . My dd's toys and my cats' toys are interchangeable. I used to try to keep them separate but the toddler hoards the cat balls and the cats run off with the toddler toys, so I've given up. Neither child nor cats have picked up anything from each other yet. I cringe more about her sucking her fingers after touching the seats/buzzers/handles on London buses quite frankly.

Wait till baby is crawling and everything will be in his/her mouth.

i dont see a problem.

however, please dont buy stuffed toys that are meant for babies for your pets to play with. they should only play with toys designed for pets. specifically stuffed toys have a flame retardant in them and mite control which when ingested can kill pets.

It sounds fine to me. My 11mo steals the dog's toys all the time and is fine.

first child - soother gets sterilised.

second child - you clean soother in your mouth.

third child - the dog licks it clean.

Boil wash them they'll be fine - don't tell DC -no therapy required

Fair enough if it just sort of happens when babies are crawling etc but to actually plan to give your baby used cat toys - yuk.

Are you really that tight? Don't buy your baby toys, other people will. Or go to your local jumble sale.

I'm all for germs etc and realise babies put things in their mouths, but why increase that exposure with skanky old cat toys from the cat toy tub?

not for me ... but each to there own .

I dunno, Ive bought loads of toys from charity shops and wash / disinfect them (for all I know they could have been used as pet toys!!) so I guess its not much different to that.

Cant do much harm I guess, IME they dont play with them much for the first few months anyway and by that time they are already putting the cats tail in their mouths/chewing the dogs ears/eating your fingers etc.

As a side if you are a bit stuck for cash to buy stuff try charity shops and car boot sales. Loads of great things and as long as you give them a bloody good clean they are fine. And as pp's said you'll get about twelvty rattles/cuddly bears when lo is born anyway.

I definitely wouldn't. Seems a but odd that you would spend all that $ on cat toys yet wanna give your 1st born unwanted cat toys [hmmm] each to their own! Good luck with baby :)

Have your cats used them as toys? If so, I really wouldn't give them to a baby. Aside from the risk of disease vectors, there's the issue of cat hair as a possible irritant to skin/eyes/ in mouth. You also have the issue of the cats trying to reclaim the toys from the baby .

If they are child safe and have never been used, no issue.

If the toys are not safe for your baby, then giving them to a charity shop for somebody else's baby to use is not very helpful is it ?

Just buy a new toy for the baby, or see whether any are bought as presents. They don't need much. And if money is too tight to buy what the baby needs , then you need to consider what you're spending on the cats.

Second hand, safe items are fine for babies. Stuff reclaimed from animals is grim.

NO way would I do that........I know we're in a recession and all that but eeuwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww, that is gross!