Ask A Scientist© Veterinary Topics Archive

name         Elizabeth B.
status       educator
age          30s

Question -   I went with my son to adopt a cat at the Humane Society,
and the young girl behind the counter told me not to let my son sleep
with the cat because the cat hair, if breathed in, can go to my son's
brain and kill him. When I told my students about this "silly" advice,
one girl told me that her parents would not let her sleep with the
family cat because cat hair, if breathed in, can cause sterility in females.
Can either of these "old wives' tales" be true?
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No, they are all false. I agree that cats should not sleep in cribs with
infants, but everything else is nonsense. In fact, recent studies have shown
a LOWER incidence of asthma in children who grow up with cats in the house.

Phillip Raclyn, DVM CVA
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Neither of these stories is true.  The only possible danger from cat hair 
would be if your son is highly allergic to cats.  Such an allergy could 
trigger an asthma attack.  Asthma is a constriction of the airways which 
can be fatal if it is severe enough.  But otherwise, sleeping with a cat 
or dog is harmless.

Christine Ticknor Ph.D.
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