If you have a pet, you likely lavish them with love and attention, can’t help but squeal over cute toys at the pet store and spend lots of time having one-sided conversations. 

In other words, your pet is a lot like a baby. So adding another baby to the household is likely to shake things up, especially when the new family member is a tiny, wiggly human. 

Depending on what type of animal you have, you will need to make some changes to keep you and your baby healthy and safe — and your pet happy — during pregnancy.

Cat litter and pregnancy

When you’re pregnant, you’ll need to take extra with cat litter due to the risk of toxoplasmosis. Toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii. Cats who eat infected small animals or raw meat pick up the parasite and then excrete it in their feces. 

People can accidentally ingest this parasite through contact with cat poop, such as cleaning the cat’s litter box and then touching their mouth. You can also get infected via contaminated food or soil.

Outside of pregnancy, toxoplasmosis doesn’t pose much risk to adults, causing often no symptoms or maybe flu-like ones that linger for a few weeks or longer. If an infection occurs shortly before or during pregnancy, however, it can harm a growing baby or cause serious complications later in life due to inflammation of the eyes and brain. 

That doesn’t mean you have to get rid of your feline friend if you’re planning to become pregnant or are already expecting. If you have an indoor cat that never goes outside and doesn’t eat raw or undercooked meat, the chances of infection are low. 

If you’ve had your cat for a long while and he does go outdoors, he’s likely already been infected with toxoplasmosis. Chances are that you picked up the infection from him and are now immune like most other cat owners. As long as the infection occurred prior to you getting pregnant (some experts say six months before), you and your cat’s previous infection pose no risk to the baby. 

If you do somehow get toxoplasmosis during pregnancy, there’s about a 30 percent chance you’ll pass the infection to your baby, so it’s still best to do all you can to avoid it.

Luckily, these simple steps can help you prevent toxoplasmosis.

  • Before you start trying to conceive or as soon as you’re pregnant, pass the litter changing duty on to someone else. 
  • If you must change the litter box yourself, wear disposable gloves and wash your hands with soap and water immediately after you’re done. Change the litter daily.
  • Keep your cat indoors.
  • Stay away from stray cats and avoid getting a new cat while you’re pregnant.
  • Cover sandboxes so cats don’t use them as litter boxes.
  • Feed your cat commercial cat food, not raw or undercooked meat.
  • When gardening, wear gloves. Wash your hands with soap and water afterward.
  • Wash and peel fruit and vegetables before eating them.
  • Avoid eating undercooked or raw meat and shellfish.
  • Wash cutting boards, utensils and counters with soapy water after contact with raw meat, seafood or unwashed fruit or vegetables. Also, wash your hands when you’re done cooking.

Cats and pregnancy

Although cats tend to be independent, they will need help to get ready for the arrival of their new “siblings.” Here’s how you can help.

Expose them to babies. 

Call up family or friends who have a baby and invite them over for a visit or offer to babysit. This will allow your cat to get used to the sounds (and smells!) babies make. Never leave your cat alone with your little visitor. Even the friendliest pets can be unpredictable.

Scale back on the attention. 

Some cats prefer it if you don’t bother them too much. But if yours is big on cuddles and playtime, get him comfortable with less one-on-one time. Still show him love and affection, but dial back your doting ahead of time.

Ease into a new routine. 

Since a baby will take up a lot of your attention soon, hand over some pet duties early. A month or two before your due date, let someone else do the feedings, grooming and play sessions, if possible, to avoid a sudden change when the baby arrives.

Introduce nursery sights, smells and sounds early. 

As soon as you can, set up your baby’s nursery so that your cat can check it out. Apply the baby soap and lotion you’ll be using to your hand or body and let him smell it. Turn on the baby swing so he gets familiar with the noise. You could even let him sniff a diaper. 

A few weeks before your due date, make the crib, changing table, baby swing and other surfaces off limits. Cats don’t like sticky surfaces, so if you cut out some cardboard the same size as the furniture and cover one side with double-sided tape, your pet will learn to stay off.

Do cats know when you’re pregnant?

While there’s no definitive answer as to whether cats can tell if you’re pregnant, some experts think they may realize that something’s different. Cats may detect the hormonal changes your body is undergoing or notice a change in your movements, mood or normal routine. 

Sometimes, cats react to those things by changing their own behavior. Some may become more attentive and protective of you. 

Others may go the opposite way, like starting to urinate in places outside of the litter box, refusing to eat, grooming excessively or hiding from you. If your cat’s behavior becomes concerning, check with a veterinarian.

Dogs and pregnancy

While you don’t have to worry about dog poop when you’re pregnant (other than the odor with your newly heightened sense of smell), it’s still important to prepare your pooch for her sibling. 

Enroll in school. 

Whether it’s her first foray into formal education or she needs a refresher course, consider putting your dog in obedience training. Basic skills — like “sit,” “down,” “stay,” “settle,” “leave it” and how to greet people politely (no jumping allowed) — will make her less likely to unintentionally harm your baby. 

Remember, obedience training isn’t only about training your dog. You must brush up on your own training. Attend the classes with your pup, practice on your own and stick to the rules after your scholar graduates. 

Schedule a vet appointment. 

Ensure your pup is up-to-date on vaccines (including rabies shots) and that she is flea- and tick-free. Ask your vet about a pest prevention method that’s safe to use around a baby. Now is also a good time to chat with the vet about any concerning behaviors so you have time to resolve them before the baby arrives.

Get your dog used to babies. 

It’s important to help your dog get comfortable with having a baby in the house. If possible, invite parents who have an infant over to get your dog accustomed to the sights, sounds and smells she’ll experience once your baby arrives. Make these new experiences positive ones for your pet by offering her a treat or playtime.

Set up a new sleep space. 

If a different sleeping area is in the cards for your dog, introduce her to it sooner than later. Fix up a snooze spot in a baby-free zone with her favorite blanket or pillow.

Establish boundaries near the nursery. 

You should never leave your pet alone with your baby, so if your little one will have a separate room, train your dog to stay out of it when you’re not there. One good option is a baby gate that keeps her out but allows her to see and hear what’s happening in the room. 

If you will allow your dog to be in the nursery when you’re present, furnish the room early. Then let her get acquainted with the furniture, toys, sounds and smells in there.

Don’t leave pet food out in the open. 

If the dog bowls are in a spot your baby could later access, move them to a place that’s out of reach or at least doesn’t invite a curious crawler. You don’t want your kiddo sampling the kibble (it’s not fit for humans and a choking hazard) or bugging your pooch during her dinner.

Decrease the attention. 

No, you’re not trying to be mean, but cutting back on the amount of attention you give your dog before the baby is born will give her time to become accustomed to it. Perhaps your partner can feed the dog, do the grooming and take over the tug-of-war sessions and walks.

Bring your baby’s smell home first. 

Both dogs and cats learn a lot about their world through their sense of smell. Before you bring your baby home, see if your partner can introduce an unwashed piece of clothing — like a bodysuit or blanket — that your newborn has worn to your pet. This helps her become familiar with your newborn’s scent. Break out a special treat so she learns to associate that scent with good things.

Getting pets ready for a new addition will take some time, effort and patience. But it’s well worth it. By preventing a toxoplasmosis infection before or during your pregnancy, and ensuring your pet is well-prepared for the new addition, you’ll be helping the whole family get off to a good start. Chances are your human baby and fur baby will go on to develop an unbreakable (and adorable) bond!