What can I do to keep my crawling baby safe from my pets' water bowls and cat litter box?

My baby is about to start crawling and I have no idea what to do with my dog's water bowl. How do I allow him access but not my baby? What about the cat's litter box?

I know I can create a "pen" for my baby, which I will probably do, and I plan to supervise her anyway, but I'm sure there will come a time when I want to give her more freedom but still know she's safe from these hazards. Asked by CuriousAmy 57 months ago Similar questions: crawling baby safe pets' water bowls cat litter box Pets.

Similar questions: crawling baby safe pets' water bowls cat litter box.

Here is what worked for me When my boys were infants I moved both the pet food and the kitty box to areas where I could block them off with safetey gates. The kitty box I actually moved into a closet. I then got a latch that would hold the door open just wide enough for the cats to get in, but not wide enough for the babies to get at.It meant sacrificing our shoe/coat closet, but it seemed worth it to me.

For the pet food, I moved them into the kitchen which I kept blocked off with safety gates. There would be times I was cooking and would let the babies play with 'their' cupboard (plastic bowls,etc) and at that time I would just lift the pet food bowls up and put them somewhere else.It takes a bit of creativity, but I'm sure you'll find somewhere to move these things to. Then, it takes some minor retraining of the pets, but they are pretty good.

Good luck! Sources: My Opinion .

Elevate them Cats will be able to get to bowls on a countertop or table, same goes for a litter box. If you have a big dog, he'll be able to reach a water bowl that a foot or two off the ground. The other option (and the one we used) was to cut a cat/dog door into the door that leads to the garage, and put the bowls and litter box there.

I don't know your living situation though, obviously you can't do this if you are renting! You could put a gate around the bowls and litter box, the cats will just hop over it. The dog you may have to have provide a way for him to get in and out easily.

The easiest option? Don't have bowls out at all. Set a time 2 or 3 times a day to put them down when the baby is safely elsewhere, and get your animals on a schedule.It's not great (for them), but it's only until the child is a few months older.

You can also just put the stuff in a room that you only open when the baby is asleep or elsewhere, or when one of the pets really wants to get in there. Good luck Sources: experience .

These are great questions! Actually, I'd like to take them as two seperate ones. The dog bowl: Train the baby, not the dog.

Your dog needs water & your baby needs to learn safety around pet food & water for life (I assume). You will probably have to clean the baby once or twice due to FUN with the water dish. But a stern 'NO!' Should be sufficient baby education.

Questions to ask yourself: Is you bowl big enough for the baby to drown in? Is the bowl breakable or light enough for a baby to lift? If you answered yes to either of these you need to go shopping!

Your little one should catch on quickly if you keep telling her/him "this is where the dog eats/drinks, we eat at the table" A week ago, I would've told you your kid will probably eat some dog food (dry) & it's no big deal. I completely freeked out the first time mine did it (not the best reaction as he then did it twice more the same week). But, now with the pet food recall, I'd say any pet food your child puts in his/her mouth is a safety risk.

I say this to others as I feel I must...my son still likes the taste of Chicken flavored raw-hides, so the dogs have to go without until he's asleep. The Litter Box: In case you are unaware, this is a health and safety concern. You MUST teach your child to stay FAR away from cat poop!

http://kidshealth.org/parent/infections/parasitic/toxoplasmosis.html http://www.kidshealth.org/parent/infections/skin/pet_infections.html How? Do you own or rent? Can you put the box in a room the child cannot crawl to?

We have 3 cats. Two were here before our son's arrival & both of them are toilet trained. Now, the 3rd one followed our stroller home one day.

He can't be toilet trained (he pees too much to go thru the training process) so, his box is out in our enclosed sunporch/breezeway. As he only goes twice a day it's not an issue to leave him out & in in the AM & PM. If you can't do a basement, 2nd bathroom or other, consider lining a closet with vinyl flooring (on the floor & up the wall a bit for ease of cleaning), getting a new very enclosed litter box, and make sure you put a throw rug under it & outside the front of it so that BLEACHING can be done & so the cats feet are properly wiped off before re-entering your living space.

You stated you could create a pen for the baby...instead think about 'penning' the litter box in some form or fashion. Our son has been taught from before the time he was crawling that he DOES NOT belong in the cat's bathroom & that he may NOT touch any animal's behind. I know this sounds like common-sense, but so many people don't vocalize this to their children soon enough.

He has broken a pottery styled water dish, which I replaced with the same. However, when these break, they do create shards. He once decided to dance in poop (our little dogs have a puppy pad down for days when they refuse outdoor pottying), for which he was scolded , stripped & washed tin the tub (as a precaution, eventhough it was mainly on his feet).

Ok, so I've written you a book...but I hope some tip in here helps you figure out how to live with your animals and baby and keep them all safe. BTW- make sure your child learns he/she can pass colds on to cats, and flu on to dogs...this germ passing works both ways! Sources: Mom, Pet Owner, Health FREAK!

Spatzie~Lover's Recommendations Omega Paw RA20 Self-Cleaning Litter Box, Large Average Customer Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (based on 63 reviews) Clorox Clorox® Clean-Up Cleaner with Bleach, 128-oz. 35420 / COX35420 Amazon List Price: $16.00 Omega Paw RA15 Self-Cleaning Litter Box, Regular, Green and Beige Amazon List Price: $34.99 Average Customer Rating: 4.0 out of 5 (based on 73 reviews) Roll N Clean Litter Box Amazon List Price: $49.95 Average Customer Rating: 5.0 out of 5 (based on 8 reviews) This litter box has GREAT ratings...read the reviews!(Omega Paw-Large) No pet/child home is safe without a GOOD bleach cleaner..

If you can't move them, I would put up some type of barrier We have both a cat and a dog, and so we have faced some similar issues with child-proofing around our house . . How to let the little one roam with some freedom, but not get hurt -- or into things he shouldn’t bother.

I don’t know your home set-up, but we have a room in the basement that is set aside specifically for the cat’s litter box and food/water bowls. We have baby gate blocking the doorway so he can just jump over to get in and out, but the dog can’t get in and, if we take our son downstairs, he can’t either. If you have any way of doing something like this (maybe w/ a half-bath or some less-used room that could handle a gate in the doorway) I would highly recommend it -- it’s low maintenance and highly effective at the same time.

Personally, I don’t have my dog’s water bowl protected and, lo and behold, the little one grabbed it last week, dropped it -- and it smashed. Daddy was right there with him, but he is super quick -- and just got to it first!(lol) We’re very glad he didn’t get hurt -- and the mess was minimal.So, I know you said you’ll want to give your little one more freedom -- but I still think the "pen" idea is a good one. We’ve used a couple of things that have been effective .. My first and favorite is the Graco Pack ’n Play.

We were given one as a shower gift, and have used it every single day. Initially, we used it w/ the raised insert and our son napped there a lot (he was a preemie w/ a lot of medical equipment hooked up, so it had great room for us) and also used the diaper changer -- very, very convenient. Then, as he got bigger, we took the insert out and let him play in the bottom of it when I needed a break from chasing him around.

Now, he’s grown enough that he will stand up in it -- but it’s still the only place I have in the house that I KNOW he’s safe for a few minutes when I need to answer the phone or use the bathroom, etc. We also purchased the "Superyard XT" from our local Babies R Us store. We bought the 6-sided one for about $60, but there is another extension you can buy (makes it 8-sided) for an additional $30 or so -- if you’ve got the space to handle it. For a long time, I could let my son play in the play-yard -- we just filled it with his favorite toys -- in the same room that I was in, but I could do the dishes, or pay bills online, fold laundry, etc. It folds very compactly and easily, and we took it with us over the holidays so he had a designated, safe play area in homes that are no longer child-proofed.

As he has gotten older, however, he has figured out how to push the gate around the room -- thus, it is no longer what I consider a safe option for him when I need a few minutes; however, we used it for probably a good six months before he figured it out! Finally, I’ve seen some interesting gates advertised in both the One Step Ahead catalong and also in Drs. Foster & Smith (which is a pet catalog, lol).

Depending on what you’re looking for, what your budget is, and what your space restrictions are, you may be able to find a set-up that works for your home. Good luck to you! Yuliah Sources: personal experience, with links highlighted above Yuliah's Recommendations Classic Pooh?

Graco Pack-N-Play Amazon List Price: $89.99 This is similar to the one we had, and we just love it! Yuliah's Recommendations North States Superyard Xt Play Yard Amazon List Price: $64.99 Average Customer Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (based on 16 reviews) This worked well for about 6 months for us, and we'll probably even try it outdoors this spring -- just to see if it helps keep him contained.

Gate off the baby, relocate pet stuff If possible relocate the pet dishes and litter box to another floor, maybe your basement. That is what I did. Then put up a safety gate so your baby can't get downstairs.

If this is not an option try to relocate the pet stuff to a location that you can cordon off somehow - again maybe using a baby gate. An alternative is to get a 'fence' that will surround the area your baby will play. They sell these so that you can put them up and take them down real fast.

Pets are good for kids to a point. However, if your place is really small and it just isn't possible to separate the space enough for safety I would consider finding a new home for your pets. Kevin1372839's Recommendations Wood Safeway Gate Amazon List Price: $89.99 Average Customer Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (based on 8 reviews) Safety 1St Smartlight Stair Gate Amazon List Price: $89.99 Average Customer Rating: 3.0 out of 5 (based on 42 reviews) .

" "Why is my cat peeing right outside the litter box?!?!?! " "why is my cat missing his litter box?" "Why is my cat peeing JUST outside the litter box?

My cat is peeing right outside his litter box.

My cat poops all around the litter box but not in it.

I think that my newest cat is trying to use my house plants for an alternative litter box.

Why is my cat peeing right outside the litter box?!?!?!

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