Cats and Babies...Just a question

I am currently the proud mother of 8 cats and a Chihuahua puppy, but my fiance and I are planning to start trying for a baby in the next month or two. We are going to get married at City Hall, no ceremony as we don't have the time or funds to devote to it, but we are waiting until after tax season so that we can still file seperately and get the largest return possible. But since I won't be under the scrutiny I would be at a large ceremony, it doesn't matter if I'm already showing. After taxes come back this year we will have paid off a large portion of our debt, freeing up enough money every month for me to quit my job and stay home with the baby. We will also be moving closer to where my fiance works about 5 or 6 months into my pregnancy, when I quit my job, which will save us even more money in gas and car maintenence. Also rent will be cheaper since it's a much larger city (assuming we can find somewhere that allows our furry family). So financially we have everything figured out.

My only question is regarding the cats/dog cohabiting with the baby. Fiance is convinced it is unsafe to raise a child around so many animals. With taxes I am going have all my girls spayed (the boys are already neutered) and update everyone's shots so that is one less thing to worry about with a baby on the way. But he still thinks that they will attack the baby out of jealousy, scratch him/her on accident or smother him/her by curling up in the crib and trying to cuddle. It is also a concern that CPS may also get involved if they get wind of the number of pets we have, even though they will all have been vaccinated and are very well maintained. It may also be overwhelming for me to take care of them along with a baby, but that is not reason enough to give them up in my mind. We have discussed what should happen if the cats become exceptionally violent toward the child or if by any chance CPS does step in, and we do have a few friends and family members lined up to take some of them in but that is only in the event of extremely dire circumstances.

So I am wondering if anyone has been in a similar situation and how they handled it. I would also like to know if having my cats would be considered "unsafe" in the eyes of CPS (and if so what precautions I should take to avoid any trouble with them), and what the best way to introduce the furries to the baby would be? Of course I want to get this all figured out before I get pregnant because if it turns out to be a huge conflict and I have to choose between keeping my pets or having a baby, it would be tough but I think I would rather hold on to my existing "children". And choosing that way would most likely also mean the end of my almost-marriage so I really could use some advice and good vibes.

If your house is clean and the animals well-kept, there should be no reason at all for CPS to get involved.

Most pets adapt to babies just fine. Common sense would dictate that babies/small children and animals should never be left together unsupervised. Not just because of what the animal might do to the baby, but also because of what the child might do to the pet.

Taking care of the baby AND that many pets AND the housework would be the biggest hurdle in my mind. Babies are very time-consuming. And exhausting.

The only time I've had THAT many animals in my home was during my DH's first deployment, we had our 2 older girls and I was preg with the youngest and my dog had mysteriously gotten out of the yard (I didn't even notice cause when I went out there she was there!) and when I took her in for her appt to get fixed, low and behold she was preg and 2 weeks later gave birth to 6 pups. So we had her, the cat (Alizea) and the 6 pups along with my 2 older girls, me preg and husband gone. In all honesty it really wasn't that bad. We did find homes for all the pups before Belle was born, though. After she was born we had no issues with Alizea and jealousy or anything of the sort and she never so much as looked at the baby the wrong way. We came home and introduced them and that was it. Good luck and I really wouldn't stress it too much!

Maybe it's time to actually check out real research. Children in homes with pets are actually LESS likely to be sickly or asthmatic. There is some research that indicates that one of the big problems in our current society is insufficient exposure to dirt and dust, keeping our kids from developing crucial immunities.

Wow, Mira's_mommy, you have a LOT of things going on here...quitting a job/maybe marrying/moving/maybe having a baby. *whew*

I can't imagine a single reason an organization would get involved in your life unless someone called to complain about the odor of your house, or the condition of your pets and/or children. If I were you, I'd put that worry to rest immediately.

You've given us a lot of background so that we could answer with the full picture in mind. With everything you're currently changing, my recommendation would be get the taxes, use the money, get married, let go of your job, move and get settled into your new home, but hold off on having the baby for now. These are monumental changes that take some adjusting and both you and your hubby should grant yourselves the time to acclimate.

Once you're settled in, comfortable, and rockin' your new routine, go ahead and add the baby. Generally speaking, kids and cats mix just fine. Take the usual precautions (keep the cats out of the crib, don't let the baby pull the cat's fur, etc., etc.), be prepared for a lot of work, and you should be fine.

There are many members of TCS with multiple-cat and children households; I'll bet they'll be along shortly with some cool tips and tricks.

Originally Posted by Auntie Crazy

... but hold off on having the baby for now. These are monumental changes that take some adjusting and both you and your hubby should grant yourselves the time to acclimate.

Once you're settled in, comfortable, and rockin' your new routine, go ahead and add the baby. Generally speaking, kids and cats mix just fine. Take the usual precautions (keep the cats out of the crib, don't let the baby pull the cat's fur, etc., etc.), be prepared for a lot of work, and you should be fine.

There are many members of TCS with multiple-cat and children households; I'll bet they'll be along shortly with some cool tips and tricks.

Click to expand...

EXCELLENT ADVICE!!!!!! Auntie Crazy, you truly rock!!!!

Originally Posted by Auntie Crazy

... but hold off on having the baby for now. These are monumental changes that take some adjusting and both you and your hubby should grant yourselves the time to acclimate.

Once you're settled in, comfortable, and rockin' your new routine, go ahead and add the baby. Generally speaking, kids and cats mix just fine. Take the usual precautions (keep the cats out of the crib, don't let the baby pull the cat's fur, etc., etc.), be prepared for a lot of work, and you should be fine.

There are many members of TCS with multiple-cat and children households; I'll bet they'll be along shortly with some cool tips and tricks.

Click to expand...

EXCELLENT ADVICE!!!!!! Auntie Crazy, you truly rock!!!!

Originally Posted by esrandall2000

EXCELLENT ADVICE!!!!!! Auntie Crazy, you truly rock!!!!

Click to expand...

I agree! Being a Mom of a 3yr old daughter and multiple pets (for many years), I will be honest. Having a baby is extremely exhausting. Don't get me wrong, because there is nothing like it and the rewards are great, but I would highly advise you to think about adding a baby until after the major changes, like was suggested. As far as introducing a baby, there are many ways to acclimate everyone. We got the nursery set up a few months before I was due and we used baby wipes regularly on ourselves as well as our pets to get them used to the smell. When I first found out that I was pregnant, I went to Toys R Us and bought a "Choo Choo" doll, which is lifesize and makes all of the common baby sounds. This was an excellent tool, because it got them all used to the sounds of a baby crying, laughing, cooing, snoring, etc. The last thing we did was after I had my daughter, my husband brought home the receiving blankets that she'd been wrapped in. He rubbed a couple of them on the animals, and even had them to sleep with the blankets, to get them used to her scent. It was a very smooth transition and I really like to believe it was because of all of the steps we took to make it one.

When we brought my granddaughter home from the hospital, the first thing we did was allow the cats a supervised visit. One of them just sniffed her and then completely ignored her, and the other immediately appointed himself her nanny and guardian. He was always very gentle with her, and would lie at her feet, sometimes licking her little toes. He never got in her face or raised a paw, even when she turned 2 and was a little terror. When she got old enough to nap on the couch, he would get on the outside of to make sure she did not roll off. She is 4 now and they are still best friends.