Cats and Pregnancy/Labor

Caitey · June 2011

I swear my cat knew I was Preggo before I did. He was more vocal than normal, kind of avoiding me, and just all around strange. I am now 35 weeks, and he's being strange again. Now normally he's not overly vocal, just sometimes, and very independent. He hates to cuddle, be held, and will only bother you when he knows you have food. But recently he's been very vocal, following me around, and he even came and cuddled with me this morning Surprise

! Has anyone ever heard of a cat knowing you are going to go into labor before you do? It's a strange question, but I know cats to have a sixth sense about things, and wanted to get other's opinions on this.

caffinated_tulip · June 2011

Mine have all been more affectionate than usual. Except the one that's so affectionate any way that there is no such thing as "More". But it's just steadily increased over the whole pregnancy. By the time I go into labor I'll have to be prying them off of me to go to the hospital .

Cindilouwho24 · June 2011

Both of my cats are being more affectionate lately. They have even started fighting over who gets to sit on my lap.

Caitey · June 2011

Cindilouwho24:
Both of my cats are being more affectionate lately. They have even started fighting over who gets to sit on my lap.

That's the funny part, he's afraid of my belly! I'm not sure if he can hear her, or sense her. I try and place him in my lap and he runs like hell. I wish he wanted to cuddle on my lap Sad hehe

Melissa2216 · June 2011

I have been wondering the same thing. One of my cats, who is usually a recluse and spends all day in our bedroom, has been glued to my side this week. She spent all day in the living room with me yesterday. Whenever I sat on the couch, she was right there up against my feet, and she even jumped up on the couch to lay next to me a couple times (she is old and does NOT jump on things much).

She also obsessively licks my feet and ankles when they are really swollen...not sure what that's about, lol.

cherhop1 · June 2011

Mine got extra cuddly during my entire pregnancy but especially towards the end. She'd sit on my upper thigh facing me anytime I was sitting down. It was like she was babysitting Big Smile

kellie7 · June 2011

i'm so not kidding, my one cat came up to me and gently put his paw on my belly. i'm sure he was just thinking of walking on me, but then he stopped and just paused there. it was funny.

we'll never really know the answer to your question, but i believe my one cat knows i'm pg. the other cats couldn't care less. my theory - hormonal changes in you change the way you smell. have you ever seen those cats that can predict when people will die in the nursing homes? kind of creepy!

RazorRose · June 2011

A few things with this...one: you smell different when you're pregnant (c'mon...Im sure you've even been able to smell yourself some days). So as you progress through pregnancy, your hormones keep changing & you really smell different most of the time. Secondly: if you have cats like mine, they DO notice that your belly moves. When my LO really gets going I have one cat who watches my belly like its something that would be delightful to attack (thankfully she's resisted this urge). My cats also like to feel LO moving! They sit on me, draped over my belly (so they're not putting weight down), and purr. LO really likes the purring, so she squiggles. The cats LOVE this! They make happy faces & purr louder. My female cat takes more notice than my male cat & has also started to be quite clingy this last week, even at night (she annoys the crap out of me). Whether this indicates labor soon, or just that Im smelling different or she feels some different baby vibes I dont know...but I dont discount their reactions!

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unm00red · June 2011

Both my cats have been a lot more attentive since about the beginning of my second trimester. My male cat follows me around worriedly and loses his mind if he can't see me at all times. If I dare to close the bathroom door on him, he breaks into fits of yowling.

P0upette · June 2011

Mine has totally been like that lately, super needy and demanding attention constantly whereas before, he hated being touched and always wanted to be left alone.... And he always sleeps on DH's side of the bed but I have been waking up with him next to me for the past 2 weeks....

MarchMay03 · June 2011

My cat prefers my husband much more than me, but during the pregnancy she has been more likely to follow me around and babysit me when he's not home. She even started grooming me the other day!

StrikeGirl · June 2011

I have thought this exact thing my entire pregnancy too!!!! My cats are already fairly social but they stick to me like glue, especially at night. I get up about every 2 to 2 1/2 hours to pee and without fail, I have Tikki (my girl cat) curled on with me on the body pillow and Vader (boy cat) is curled behind my knees. It is hard to move them when I need to get up and Vader squawks at me for moving. Tikki is usually pretty skittish but she's been SO affectionate and attentive with me especially since I got pregnant. Yes, I agree, it must be the hormones or something they sense. Both of them have been staring at my belly lately maybe wondering what's up with that. Vader loves the changing table already and takes his afternoon naps on it. DH said, "Vader must think we set up that for him. It's next to the window, in the sunlight, with a blanket on it!"

Jenn0810 · June 2011

Melissa2216:
I have been wondering the same thing. One of my cats, who is usually a recluse and spends all day in our bedroom, has been glued to my side this week. She spent all day in the living room with me yesterday. Whenever I sat on the couch, she was right there up against my feet, and she even jumped up on the couch to lay next to me a couple times (she is old and does NOT jump on things much).
She also obsessively licks my feet and ankles when they are really swollen...not sure what that's about, lol.

I have a cat that is normally very antisocial and hates to be held. For a month or so she has really been affectionate toward me too. She's always licking my legs and feet and sits next to me on the couch. Once she sat on my lap, which was really strange. She is my only female cat and the other two don't seem to care or know what is happening, but I swear the female one does. It's so strange but funny. She doesn't do this to my DH at all.

Caitey · June 2011

kellie7:

have you ever seen those cats that can predict when people will die in the nursing homes? kind of creepy!

I was thinking along those lines too, but i was afraid of posting that well, because of the death thing, but life and death are so closely related in a sense I thought maybe he could tell me "hey mom! My lil sis is on the way!"

agemmell · June 2011

I have been wondering the very same thing, I have two cats and my female cat Mama has always been a little crazily obsessed with me and especially my hair, and her behavior towards me hasn't changed much. But my male cat Bee has been awkwardly attached to me the past 2 weeks. I feel like a cat magnet. Every time I got into a different room in the house, they both follow me there and will fall asleep somewhere nearby. Bee even follows me into the bathroom and sticks his hands under the door and cries if he doesn't make it in before I close the door. He has taken to sleeping right on top of me at night all of a sudden, instead of on the recliner in the living room. Sometimes I wake up and he's right in my face, nose to nose. It makes my fiance jealous LOL cause he wishes the cats would cuddle with him like that. Perhaps it is just because I smell different, or maybe its because my body's getting ready for labor, I wish I knew!

MsDexter · June 2011

My sister's cat stayed away from me for the most part but I was at my sister's house when I went into labor with my son and the cat had to lay on my stomach and would not leave me.

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