Yes. A cat and a newborn can live in the same home, provided an adult supervises every interaction and keeps the cat out of the baby’s crib, bassinet, and all other sleep spaces. Prepare your cat gradually, handle litter with care, and wash hands after handling the cat or cleaning up after it.
Can my cat be around my newborn?
Yes, with active adult supervision. Stay close enough to intervene whenever the cat and baby are together; never leave a newborn alone with a cat. CDC advises supervising children around cats because bites and scratches can spread germs.
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ASPCA cautions that a cat near a newborn’s face could make breathing difficult. This is a reason to keep a cat away from the baby’s face, not a quantified estimate of how often an injury occurs. No source cited here establishes a probability that a particular cat will interact safely, so consider your cat’s behavior and ask a veterinarian for individual advice if you have concerns.
Can a cat sleep in the crib or bassinet?
No. Keep cats out of the crib, bassinet, and every other place the baby sleeps, including during naps. ASPCA advises making these locations off-limits to cats. A barrier controls access; it does not replace safe-sleep practices or supervision.
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For every sleep, place the baby on their back on a firm, flat surface in a safety-approved crib or bassinet. Use only a fitted sheet and keep soft bedding and toys out of the sleep area, following CDC’s summary of the 2022 American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations.
Choose a way to block access
- If the nursery has a door: Close it while the baby sleeps to keep the cat out.
- If it has no door: ASPCA suggests a temporary screen door. Choose a barrier that reliably prevents cat access, fits the room, and does not obstruct the infant’s sleep space.
The sources cited here do not establish that crib tents or other covers over a baby’s sleep space are safe. Do not use a cover as a substitute for keeping the cat out.
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How to prepare your cat before the baby arrives
Make changes gradually during pregnancy rather than introducing every new sound, object, and routine at once. ASPCA recommends giving the cat time to adjust to nursery furniture and baby sounds and scents. If feeding, grooming, play, or sleeping routines will change, begin shifting them before the birth.
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- Introduce new sounds and scents. Allow the cat to become familiar with them gradually.
- Adjust caregiving routines in advance. Shift the activities that will change after the baby comes home.
- On arrival home, keep the first introduction calm. ASPCA suggests greeting the cat in a quiet room, then letting it investigate a used receiving blanket or infant clothing in a quiet area. Watch the cat’s behavior and keep the baby’s sleep spaces inaccessible.
These general steps cannot guarantee how an individual cat will respond. If your cat has a history of aggression or shows concerning behavior, ask your veterinarian for individualized guidance.
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Toxoplasmosis: what cat owners need to know
CDC describes toxoplasmosis risk in terms of exposure and accidental ingestion: people can acquire Toxoplasma after contact with infected cat feces or contaminated soil, among other routes. Its guidance does not identify simply being near a cat as a transmission route.
Infection acquired just before or during pregnancy can pass to the fetus, which makes litter, gardening, and hand hygiene especially important for pregnant people. CDC recommends having someone else change the litter if possible during pregnancy or when immunocompromised. If that is not possible, wear disposable gloves and wash hands afterward.
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Reduce exposure from litter, soil, and food
- Change the litter box daily. CDC says the parasite does not become infectious until 1–5 days after it is shed in feces.
- Keep the litter box away from children and food-preparation areas.
- Wash hands after handling, feeding, or cleaning up after cats.
- Keep cats indoors and feed them commercially prepared food rather than raw or undercooked meat to reduce their chance of infection.
- Use care when gardening or handling soil, which can also be contaminated.
CDC estimates that approximately 11 percent of the U.S. population age six and older has had a Toxoplasma infection. That population estimate does not measure a newborn’s risk from living with a cat.
What to do about cat bites and scratches
CDC warns that cat bites and scratches can spread germs, even when a wound looks minor. If a bite or scratch happens, promptly wash it with warm, soapy water.
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Contact the baby’s healthcare professional if the newborn’s skin is broken and follow their advice for the specific injury. Seek medical attention for a serious wound, if it becomes red, painful, warm, or swollen, if the cat appears sick, or if its rabies vaccination status is unknown.
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