Courtney
Hi there, I am 31 weeks pregnant with my first child. I have two indoor cats and I am really worried about the cats waking up the baby by jumping in the cot/pram etc. what would you recommend to help keep the cats out/baby safe?
Red Nose Education
While we do not have any specific information about babies sleeping with cats or dogs, Red Nose does have information about the importance of babies head & face remaining uncovered during sleep.
As soft toys/ comforters & loose or soft bedding can create a risk of suffocation by covering head & face of baby, there is a potential for this risk to occur with dogs or cats.
I am aware of a couple of reports from NZ where a cat had laid across the face of a baby.
While this information is not directly related to cats, Red Nose has the following information about keeping babies head & face uncovered:
https://rednose.org.au/article/sleep-baby-with-head-and-face-uncovered
https://rednose.org.au/article/safe-bedding-is-the-bedding-safe
It may also be worth talking to your Vet about ways to make your house safe to prevent any potential risks to baby from your cats.