The parasite that can be picked up from cats is toxoplasmosis. You can be tested for immunity if you have cats. It is rarer now that most
cats are fed commercial food, rather than raw meat. Cats are also at higher risk if they are indoor/outdoor, rather than strictly indoor. I would second the "cat nets" mentioned by Canooknic as well =)
The biggest problem with dogs and babies is that babies are very curious - its how they learn. Dogs give off very specific signals to adults that they are uncomfortable, stressed, etc and won't snap or bite until they feel that they have
no other option. Babies can't read the signals dogs are giving. The most responsible thing you can do is never put the dog in a situation where it feels like its space is being invaded by this new creature that is now taking up all of
your time. Our dogs are not allowed on the furniture and never were growing up, either, so the dogs didn't mind my niece suddenly being on the couch, it wasn't an invasion of their space. My sister never put my niece on the floor in the
same room with the dogs unless she was sitting right there with my niece. Also, teach what I call a "non-negotiable leave it". Meaning, if you say "leave it!" the dog immediately turns away from whatever they were
investigating, no hesitations! A friend of mine got some stuffed animals that were NOT for the dogs and put the baby lotion she would be using on the baby when it arrived, on the stuffed animals. She then taught the dogs to "leave it" when ever they
approached the scented animals. They learned months before the baby came that the smell of baby lotion was off limits. I plan to do the same thing, as I thought this was absolute genius!
