Should I wait to get a cat if planning TTC next year?

[barnabia]

I am planning on TTC next year but would like a cat! I know cats can be dangerous to pregnant women. i would like 2 children. Shall i wait?

dont get a cat at all.

your children will need you. you will not have time for a cat. the cat may hate the children. just dont.

If you wear plastic gloves when you change the litter and wash your hands it will be fine. If the cat doesn’t like the baby it will avoid it. I have 2 kids and have always had cats. I also went through chemo seriously immunocompromised and had 3 cats, never had an issue.

Yep; this. So many cats end up in rescues because of exactly this sort of situation. Wait until the dc are older.

Ive had a cat when pregnant and now with two small DC. We made sure we got an adult from a reputable rescue who got on with kids and he did not disappoint. As an adult he was mature enough to just get up and leave if he didn’t like the kids doing something. Also through pregnancy I just got DH to clean up. Apart from that the bastard slept on my head most nights. Love him.

I don't buy the "cats and babies don't mix" mantra. I remember when we had our first son a work colleague asked when we were getting rid of our cats. I just told him not to be so fucking stupid.
Both of our children were brought up from birth with cats in the house. It helps them understand boundaries and develop empathy, and there is also some evidence that children brought up in households with pets are healthier, specifically in terms of lower levels of asthma.
So OP - I'd go ahead, and to reduce risk just get your partner to do the litter tray.

BUT - if you think there is the remotest possibility you might get rid of the cats when the babies arrive then just don't do it.

We already had two cats and rescued a third from the bins while I was pregnant. The rescued kitten and DD both turn 19 this year.

My late DP did all the cat litter cleaning and our other two didn't use a litter tray as they were outside a lot.

We were both cat people though and had always had them before DD was born.

As another PP has said don't get a cat if you think you might have to get rid of it when the baby comes.

It can be really difficult to bring a baby into a home with cats who have not lived with them before. My friend had to rehome hers because the cat started spraying in response to the stress. Spraying stopped as soon as the cat moved in with her friends who did not have children.

Best to introduce a cat into a home as a kitten where there is already a child/children. They will cope better with this than having a child brought into their lives.

i've lived with cats before for 9 months 5 years ago. Live in landlady.

i was thinking of just going to the cat shelter and adopting the cat noone else wants which i guess would be an elder cat.

The only way i would get rid of the cat would be if my baby was allergic. i'm sure every pet owner has that situation.

I don’t think that’s a good strategy. It’s not just age you need to consider. When we said we have a child and another on the way, out of the hundreds of cats they had they only told us two were suitable.
a lot of these cats have trauma and cannot deal with other pets or children. I’d ask for the best recommendation. I know having the one nobody wants seems like the noble thing to do, but that’s often the cat with the most complex needs (including medical)

I’ve always had cats. They did not have a litter box as they went outside. One cat slept in my baby’s room - I got a cat proof net but it didn’t go in the cot when the baby was in it.

I’m all for cats and kids, we have 1 cat that pre dates the kids and another we got when the youngest was 3. However, if you’re thinking of a family pet you really want a kitten that you can socialise properly. An unwanted older cat from a rescue might really struggle in a busy house with noisy kids. Even better get a pair of kittens that can keep each other company if you’re going to be busy. Just don’t touch the litter when pregnant. Ideally DH should do it if they’re not going outdoors but if you must always wear gloves and wash your hands throughly.

I'm amazed this is even a question.

Our previous cat was 3 when DS was born. She soon learned to stay away from him when he was a baby. He grew up with her and aged 12 strongly feels that all children should grow up with a cat.

You’ll be fine, you just need to take care when emptying the litter tray. It’s a good excuse for getting your partner to do it! I found out I was pregnant a few days after we got our rescue cat. Once it had settled in (we kept it inside for a few weeks to get used to its surroundings), it never actually used the litter tray. And we had no issues once baby arrived.

were in a top floor flat so will need an indoor cat