Pet Owners

GoldenPeaches

Have you noticed any odd behaviors? Do you think your pets are catching on or completely clueless? How are they doing with the "get used to baby" exercises if you're doing them? Any concerns you have about them handling the change?

 

I'll answer my own questions--my dog is completely clueless but my cat definitely knows something is up. She had an upper respiratory flare up a few weeks ago and still has been running a bit of a temperature. It's easy to see she's stressed and the vet suggested she must know. She has also become very clingy but doesn't want to be picked up. I hope her adjustment gets easier and less stressful for her. Poor kitty.

They both ignore the crying baby sounds on youtube now and ignore the gear when it's on. The dog is still a little afraid of the swing but nothing too bad. 

awillis13

My younger dog has been noticeably off lately.  She is always just laying on her bed in the living room, or voluntarily laying in her kennel with the door open.  DH thinks she's depressed - I think she just knows something is up but not quite what.  It could also be that she's finally growing out of the hyperactive puppy stage (she's almost 2 1/2) and it just happens to be around the same time.

EveryNameIWantIsTaken

My  cat really does nothing different other than want to lay on my big belly every chance he gets.  The dog on the other hand, is nuts.  Every time I've been in the hospital this pregnancy, which is 3 so far, she acts like a complete lunatic and sits and stares as me, and stares, and stares.  It drives me nuts.  She definitely knows something is up.  We don't really do any exercises, nor did we before ds was born, and they adjusted just fine.

2gr8pits

My dogs were peeing everywhere but now that we have that cleared up they are real cuddly and loving. Boy dog is semi-normal besides being a bit more clingy than usual. However our girl dog is very anxious. I called a behavioralist and she suggested I try the nutritional supplement Sam-E with her prior to spending the $ on an evaluation. So we are set to get that Wednesday of this week and hopefully it helps calm her. She is our 1st puppy and used to being the baby so I am sure she is nervous sensing my body changes. But we have been taking all the steps to introduce a new family member and I am hoping the Sam-E helps, if not, then we will take her to be evaluated and find out what we can do to help her out!

GoldenPeaches

RedheadBaker:

Could you talk to your vet about an anti-anxiety med for the cat? There's a transdermal gel that you rub into their ear tip that I believe is not expensive. Somebody on the Pets board used it with success. 

The vet did mention something about this if the Lysine treats don't seem to help her. They helped her when she had her URI flare up so I am hoping they bring her stress level down this time. We started them Saturday after her appointment and she already is noticeably better so I'm just hoping it sticks. I couldn't go to her last visit so of course this information is all secondhand. They said to call back if she completely stops eating though--right now she is saving part of her portions which is so not like her.

dottymobo

They are all super clingy, and about a month ago one of my cats peed on the side of the toilet while I was going to the bathroom.  It happened last time too, so I wasn't totally shocked this time. My due date adventure with DS was a trip to the vet, who said just stress.  Feliway got plugged in earlier this time!

heatherjh

Both of our dogs stay really close to me, and our male is even more protective of me. They both try to guard my belly, it's so cute.

Happily Overwhelmed

I really thought I'd notice this...but I really haven't. I think the baby is more apparent of the animals than they are of him.

I have two cats and a small dog that all like to lay next to me and nap (usually at different times). The baby seems to kick one like mad when they lay up against my stomach (the warmth maybe?)...they all seem to be oblivious. All follow me around the house...but they've always done that.

I HOPE they adjust well to having a baby. We moved in June and the cats didn't handle it to well. I also hope that my one cat isn't too fond of a crib (he likes anything "cagelike" and thinks he can sleep anywhere).

slmayer1981

I have two cats and I def think they know. Both of them have been super clingy for the past two months or so. They even tolerate the dog now just to be next to me. Both want to lay on my stomach. One of the cats did start to pee outside the litter box. We took him to the vet to rule out a medical issue and the vet said it was prob related to anxiety. He seems better now but we will be watching him when the baby comes. Our dog, on the other hand, has NO CLUE. She thinks she is the baby so it will be an adjustment for her. We've been working with her for awhile (just reinforcing the basic commands since we had become relaxed in her training). She does great so I have no worries about her and the baby other than her no longer being the center of attention.

emd2887

My dogs have definitely noticed something's up. The one is very protective of me, ever since we had an incident around 14w where a friend's dog jumped on me. The other is very cuddly and clingy, and he definitely knew before I did that I was going into PTL because that day he would not leave me alone. 

Both of them have been doing very well with their baby prep exercises- we've been working on them since the beginning of my pregnancy. We even practiced walking with the stroller so they could get used to it.

Their big pitfall has been the stuffed baby toys. They know pretty well at this point that the things in the baby's room are not theirs, and they have done well with leaving toys alone when we're practicing (we'll let them sniff it, put it on the floor, tell them to leave it and that it's "not yours," and they get a treat when they ignore it), but it didn't stop my one from sneaking into the nursery and grabbing a toy out of the closet. I think once the things are actually used by the baby and have the baby scent on them they'll do better, since we have other stuffed animals that they totally ignore.  

alexvause

My older dog (shes a 10 yr old lab mix that I have had since she was 8 weeks) knows whats going on. She is so precious, she follows me everywhere and is incredibly protective. She has not let me out of her sight in 5 months

Ricola

RedheadBaker:

Could you talk to your vet about an anti-anxiety med for the cat? There's a transdermal gel that you rub into their ear tip that I believe is not expensive. Somebody on the Pets board used it with success. 

My dogs aren't acting any differently. We got a TON of baby gear at the shower, so we've been setting up one or two things a night (crib, swing, bouncer, pack n play, stroller, etc.). We let the dogs sniff everything and praise them and give them treats. We may have to use the listerine trick on the baby's stuffed animals, since the pittie in my sig kept trying to steal them.

I'm fully prepared for some anxiety when we actually bring the baby home. S/O and I plan to have my parents wait outside with the baby when we come home from the hospital while we go inside and greet the dogs. Then S/O will leash the dogs, and we'll take them outside and let them sniff him. Then we'll all go into the house together. 

What is the Listerine trick? My dog thinks the stuffed animals and rattles are for him, too, so I'd love to hear how to teach him to stay away from them.

brookie9

I have 2 cats. My younger one is always clingy and somewhat annoying at times so no changes noted. My older cat (my baby!) has definitely noticed somethings up. He likes to cuddle a lot more lately and needs a lot more attention.

PecanSam

My dogs don't have a clue but the past few days we have both noticed that they have become really clingy. 

michelle142

My dog has become really clingy with me lately. He's a cuddler normally, but he usually prefers to lay on or near DH, not me. For the past 2 weeks he's been all over me, all the time. He doesn't leave me alone! Not that I'm complaining, but yeesh!

Yesterday I kept trying to steal the little baby toys off the babys bookshelf, I had to rearrange everything.. lol I think it confuses him a little that the baby toys (smaller rattles and little animals) look a lot like the dog toys he has. I'm not sure what I'm going to do about that.

I've noticed that when there's a crying baby on TV or IRL, he perks up and looks a little scared. I hope he adjusts ok to that being in our house.

So yes, I definitely think he knows something is up.

 

xxmiyaxx

LOL I don't think my cat has really noticed anything yet. He's always been nosey so whenever I bring home something new he always checks it out. The only thing he can't really do anymore is walk across my belly when he wants something/attention (he stopped doing that actually)...now he does it to my husband (who he really didn't do it to before). I mainly think it's because my belly is too round for him to even attempt it (plus I don't let him anymore, he's a big kitty)...

He's an older cat, so I hope he stays this chill when when LO is actually here!

mrsfowler1016

We have 2 Bostons. Ziggy is stuck up DH's butt and Dawson is stuck up mine.

 They have both been SUPER clingy, especially Dawson. He follows me everywhere I go. When I'm using the bathroom he sits on my feet. When I'm taking a shower he puts his head on the tub. When I'm on the couch, he will lay in whatever position will get him closest to me. Even if half of his body is hanging off, he wants his head right on my boob

alkinney

Our youngest has started digging holes.  Ugh.  But he is also extra cuddly, so it's ok.