Vindictive Cat

ShaunaT25 · January 2013

I honestly am at my wits end with my cat and I don't know what to do with him. I adopted him over two years ago from a shelter as a kitten. His mother died when he was a week old, and was hand fed by people after that, so he's very much a little baby and is attention seeking.

Since the baby has come into our live, he's been just rediculous. He wants to be fed every time I move and follows me around meowing because I refuse to feed him 20+ times a day. I increased the amount I had been giving him, but it just seems like that's his way of getting me to focus on him.

Well today when I wouldn't feed him for the third time since 7am, he started to wander into the LO's room, which is in eyesight from where I'm sitting pumping. He sits next to the crib and stares at me, and then goes to jump in. When I got up to get him, he ran away. Within two minutes he was back again, same thing! And then a third time!

Hes ruining my excitement if the fact that my LO has FINALLY decided to sleep somewhere aside from my arms. Just needed to vent. This problem will be solved when I get a monitor and can close the door, because silly me thought baby would be sleeping in his basinette in our room, but he HATES it and is wide awake within minutes of being placed in it.

JessAnnJ · January 2013

My animals seem a bit sad but so far are not vindictive. Do you think maybe you can make pumping a time when you let him sit with you and pet him? Maybe if he gets more attention he will stop going crazy for food. I try to pet my animals at least for a couple seconds every time they come near me.

Cellis · January 2013

I have two cats and it has been a huge adjustment for them. My male cat is a bigger baby and is craving attention all of the time now. He will do things similar to your cat, he'll jump on the kitchen counter and just stare at me until I get up. I'm sure he would be in the crib if they could get into the nursery. I'm just glad that we have two cats because they have really started to rely on each other to play and nap together. I try to give them as much attention as I can, so when LO is napping I will let them sit in my lap or nap with me.

kerbear135 · January 2013

Kitty is probably both curious and jealous. Have you allowed kitty to sniff and check out baby yet? If not, that may be part of kitty's interest in the crib. Our female cat thought the crib belonged to her until baby arrived. We wouldn't allow her in the crib one LO was born, but we allowed kitty in the nursery with us and held LO down to her level where she could check her out, and now she seems to know that's baby's room and she can be in there but not ON anything. Also, kitty is probably having a hard time adjusting to not being the center of your attention anymore. I agree with pp that you need to work some time into your schedule to allow kitty to get up in your lap and get petted. We give our 2 attention at night before bed (they have the option to sleep with us, but they don't always) and so they do well most of the time respecting that when we have the baby in our arms, they have to entertain themselves

sadsadie · January 2013

My cat does this too. Not so much vindictive as needy! Cut kitty some slack...it's a big change for her!

Ellei03 · January 2013

My cat has been pretty good but i make sure to give her extra attention. I let her smell the baby and his things and she is well behaved around him. Kitties need to know they are still important to us too.