Cats have forever been associated with superstitions – ever heard that black cats are bad luck? – but, at the same time, cats can bring you fame or fortune or love…

Below we have listed our TOP 6 pregnancy, baby, and cat-related superstitions. There are a lot of superstitions out there about cats being around pregnant women and babies. We hope to set your mind at ease about these false claims that go against our beloved little furbabies.

This post contains affiliate links. We may earn compensation when you click on the links at no additional cost to you.

1. A cat will give a pregnant woman Toxoplasmosis.

Toxoplasmosis is a disease caused by the single-celled parasite Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii). It is one of the most common parasitic diseases and infects nearly all warm-blooded animals. Yes, this does include dogs, cats, and humans.
Cats that eat raw meat or rodents can be infected. If infected, the parasite lives in the cat’s feces for about 2 weeks. If the infected cat feces are buried in soil, T. gondii eggs can live up to 18 months.
Now with that being said, you are more likely to contract this parasite from handling and/or consuming undercooked meat than you are from your cat. It takes over an entire day for eggs that are shed in your cat’s stool to become infected After that, you would have to ingest the infected eggs in the stool for the disease to occur in you. To avoid infection in your cat, do not feed him/her raw meat. We do recommend that you have your partner or a friend scoop the litter box while you’re pregnant and make sure it is done at least once daily. If you, while pregnant, have to scoop, gloves are suggested. Also, always, pay close attention to hand hygiene – practice good hand-washing every time you’re in contact with urine or fecal material. Do not eat undercooked meat and if you’re immune-compromised be sure to talk to your physician about safe animal handling practices for added advice and protection.

2. Cats love milk and will attack your baby for it.

Funny for us, we just learned about this superstition/myth a few weeks ago – thus, writing this list became an article. Growing up, we see an image of cats drinking MILK everywhere. (TV, cartoons & books) The myth/superstition is that the cat is going to attack and try to get to the milk that you are feeding your baby. It was interesting to us to discover as cats age most become lactose intolerant. (fun fact) So, their bodies actually can not digest milk well and therefore not likely to “attack” to get it.
How it works: As kittens, they have an enzyme called lactase which helps them break down their mother’s milk. As the cat ages, that enzyme, which is usually present, goes away. Thus, then they are unable to digest milk. So, if you feed milk to an older cat, they really can not digest it. Even though they seem like they are really enjoying the milk, it actually can cause gastrointestinal upset. Shopping note – at most local pet stores you can buy milk for your cat that is lactose-free.

3. Cats will suck the air out of your baby’s lungs.

This is a very old wives’ tale with lots of variations. One is cats throughout history have been viewed as associated with evil. Similar to the “sucking life from a child by swallowing its breath” superstition was one about not raising a kitten and a baby together. The theory is the cat will thrive and the child will waste away. In that superstition/myth, the cat was supposed to be stealing the child’s energy or life by magic.
Another superstition/myth is cats will suffocate the baby while sleeping on its face. True, your cat will want to snuggle with your baby and in theory, this could lead to the above scenario but this has really never been proven. Also, your cat does not wish to actually hurt your child. Any harm the cat does to your baby would be an accident as the cat is not truly jealous of your child and does not wish to actually do harm. To be on the safe side, it is best to keep your cat out of the nursery during nap time. Other ideas to help your cat and baby bond is to let the cat scope out the crib and other baby items. You can ease your cat into the new routine before the baby arrives. You can also bring one of the newborn’s blankets back from the hospital and let the cat get used to the new scent. That is assuming that mother and child are in the hospital for more than 24 hours. Maternity stays are not what they used to be.

4. If a cat hears your baby crying, the cat will climb in the crib and hurt your child.

Cats are curious and may feel a new baby’s cries are worth investigating. Now we know babies give off warmth and a cat may try to climb into a crib to cuddle but it is extremely unlikely that the cat would bring or cause harm to your baby. Of course, it is not recommended that cats and babies sleep together due to the reason listed above in number #3. If you are worried about this, you can place a net over the crib so your cat cannot snuggle in. Or replace the door to the baby’s room with a screen door that allows your kitty to see and smell the baby without feeling completely left out. We know that the last part seems strange but our furbabies are just that, babies, forever. They do not mature like humans so it is like having a toddler for their entire life. They are going to want to be included in the new addition to the household and, of course, YOU want them to be included.

5. Flea Bites will kill your baby.

Past experience has taught us if we treat our cats for fleas and they are completely inside the house cats then we rarely have to worry about fleas but sometimes it can happen. Sadly, a flea can find its way to almost any furbaby. Fleas do lay eggs rapidly but a flea bite will not kill your baby. The bite may cause a rash though. For sure, no one wants fleas! If it does happen in your home, try to get rid of the fleas before you bring the baby home. Treat your cats/dogs and your yard to prevent this from escalating to a worse scenario. A good flea shampoo for your furbaby is Dawn dish soap. Yes, this has worked well for us in the past, believe it or not. Bonus – its a lot cheaper then the other flea killing shampoos on the market and we believe safer so worth a try.

6. Cats do not get along with babies.

Now we have heard some strange stuff in our time but this one takes the cake. In fact, the opposite is generally true. When you bring a new baby home for the first time, let your cat sniff around the infant allowing the cat to look at and smell your newest family member. This will assure your cat he/she has nothing to worry about. Praise your furbaby when he/she behaves well with the infant. This will teach them that they are a part of this one happy family. When feeding your baby, be sure to also give your cat a few treats too. Another suggestion play with a laser with them while you are sitting there so they will associate good things with the baby’s presence. Cats can and will adapt beautifully as long as they know they still matter to you. (remember they are forever toddlers) Be sure to set aside some time for your cat while the baby’s sleeping. And when people come to see the new arrival make sure they pay attention to the cat as well as the baby -not even joking. Well, that is assuming YOUR CAT wants to be around other humans – some just don’t like us.
Remember your baby is part of your cat’s life too and if he/she is made to feel part of the baby-raising activities your cat will be more accepting of the noisy intruder. With a few rules and the proper supervision, your baby and your cat can develop a loving relationship, filling your life with many happy memories.

So those are our TOP 6 common myths and superstitions. What about you? Do you have a superstition or myth about cats and babies/pregnant women to share? Comment below.
A quick recap:
⦁ A cat will give a pregnant woman Toxoplasmosis.
⦁ Cats love milk and will attack your baby for it.
⦁ Cats will suck the air out of your baby’s lungs.
⦁ If a cat hears your baby crying, the cat will climb in the crib and hurt your child.
⦁ Flea Bites will kill your baby.
⦁ Cats do not get along with babies.

We would love to hear from you in the comment section below. Don’t forget to like and share and sign up for our newsletter for all things Kittystead.