First off, to that anonymous poster regrading what litter to use.....we have
tried everything, our basic criteria being dustless, and odor eliminating.
We settled on Arm and Hammer cat litter.  The stuff works wonders on the
odors and it doesn't make the boys sneezy and dusty.
 
On to my kids, all of them: 5 month old hooman daughter Caitana, ferts
Louie and Arnold, and the newest edition 8 week old terror/kitten, Rollie.
 
Throughout my entire pregnancy I heard ALL the warnings from the
ignorant/trying to be helpful folks.  "Better get rid of those creatures
(ferts), you know that story about how they ate that baby."  "Watch out for
those animals when your baby arrives, they'll sleep on her head and crush
her."  "Remember that baby who was sleeping right between her parents and
still got bitten up 1,446 times by their pet ferret?" On and on......
 
I would tell people over and over that we were not neglectful parents,
and that the boys had there own cage and of course would not be left
unsupervised with the newborn.  Honestly I was sick and tired of all the
"warnings." The last straw was when a man with a humongus Rotweiler walked
up to me (hugging Arnold to my chest so as to keep him from being attacked
by the dog.) and told me that ferrets were very vicious with babies because
they look like food to a "wild animal."  I looked at him in total amazement
and had to blurt out,"you're warning me about a 3lb.  ferret, while
struggling to maintain control over a creature who looks like he could take
down a grizzly bear?!" I just don't understand where people come up with
this stuff.
 
The reason I bring all this up is because of the newest arrival, the hell
kitten.  My daughter Caitana is now almost 6 months old, and loves the
ferts!  She thinks they are the funniest thing in the whole world, and
thinks they taste good too!  (At least that's what I gather when she tries
to stuff them in her mouth!) Never have we ever had a problem with the boys
and the baby.  No eating her, no sleeping on her, not even a small taste,
after all the boys mainly try to get away from that little grip of hers.
But then there's the cat.  We have had him a whole two weeks and already
I'm ready to take him back.  He's repeatedly tried to scratch the baby,
he's mean to the ferts, and I just don't think I feel that great about him
sleeping in the baby's crib.  I just don't know what to do with him.  I
can't have him scratching all my baby's up, and as he gets older it's
getting more dangerous.  Wouldn't you know it, after all the warnings about
my ferts, the only one causing a problem is the cat.
 
For those of you who do have all three of these elements: baby, ferts,
feline, can you offer any advice?  Is it wrong for me to be thinking about
taking the cat back?  I want to adopt a new fert, but with this
situation.....well, I guess I'm just looking for any advice on my dilemma.
 
Oh yeah , and to Brandy was it?  Up here in Alaska we like to dry out the
little ferts, and eat them with seal oil at our bbq's.  COME ON!!!!!!
 
The most beautiful thing in the world is my daughter's smile :)
[Posted in FML issue 2431]