We got our cat when we first got married. But after the baby was born, my great-grandmother wanted us to get rid of the cat. She kept saying something about the cat stealing the baby's breath. She's from KY, so I'm pretty sure it's some kind of southern folklore thing. Has anyone ever heard of this? She's honestly pretty angry that we won't get rid of the cat.

I haven't gotten cats until recently (I am usually allergic, but suprisingly I found a cat that doesn't make me sick, sadly he ran away. Then we found another one and she got pregnant twice...and it's a long story...). But I have always had dogs. For my 3rd born Trevor, we had a dog named Georgie. He took care of Trevor. When Trevor was only 1-year-old, he decided to take Georgie for a walk before I even woke up. Some neighbors saw him and called the cops, cops came and Georgie wouldn't allow them to come around Trevor. He was really a loyal dog, but ran away a year or so later.

The cat thing sounds like superstition to me. My neice lives with a cat, and aside from a few scratches when she'd played too rough, they get along fine.

The cat thing sounds like superstition to me. My neice lives with a cat, and aside from a few scratches when she'd played too rough, they get along fine.

I think it's an old southern superstition too, but Granny seemed really offended that we didn't listen to her wisdom. I wonder how these superstitions get their start?

We got our cat when we first got married. But after the baby was born, my great-grandmother wanted us to get rid of the cat. She kept saying something about the cat stealing the baby's breath. She's from KY, so I'm pretty sure it's some kind of southern folklore thing. Has anyone ever heard of this? She's honestly pretty angry that we won't get rid of the cat.


I've always heard this. It's not that it's stealing the baby's breath, it's after the milk smell on the childs breath. Still not a good thing to have the cat in the childs face. I'm not a gat persone so this was never an issue for me.

Before the months warmed up, and we had 2 of our 3 cats inside the house, they were not allowed in the baby's room for the formula/milk reason. That is the only thing I can think of why people still believe in this myth. :)

The stealing babies breath thing is based in fact. Cats smell the milk on a babies breath and lick them. Between the cat's own breathing and presence right in the babies nose and mouth a baby can actually suffocate.

So it's best never to let the cat in the room with the baby unattended.

My first friend ever was a cat though. He always snuck in to my room when my mom thought she'd manage to get him out, and he never got in my face. So I wouldn't get rid of the cat, I'd just be aware that kitties like milk and that's what babies drink. So keep an eye on the situation.

I grew up with my siblings and myself always having cats around, so did my mother and her two sisters. None of us ever had any issues. I don't have a problem being in a house with pets now, my son has been around my mothers two cats and two dogs, without issues - though I think her two dogs are more behaved than most (older also, so maybe more calm). :)

I think all pets are ok as long as you realize you should not leave your baby alone with them. Even the most good hearted animals can sometimes do things that can harm your newborn. They are animals, they don't now any better. I remember when I was growing up my sister was about to have her first baby and she was coming to my parents house to stay for a few weeks after delivery. I had 2 cats at the time and my Mom was so paranoid about this kinda stuff that she got rid of my cats. It about broke my heart :(