Pets and Pregnancy

SO...

I have two cats and 1Cat: is very independent and what would be considered aloof. 2Cat is very old and is a attention grabber (when he can).

Well my question is for the last couple of weeks and as I pop (grow) more and more, I have noticed they have been sticking to me like glue. I mean when I sit on the couch, they don't have to touch me but they have to be in sight distance or on the couch near me. When I leave the room to go to the bathroom or the kitchen, they both follow me and just sit there and watch me. Even to the point when I go to bed, which is always before my DH now a days 1Cat is right on my heels and sleeps on my hubby's side of the bed. When DH comes to bed 1Cat will growl and crouch very defensively (i'm asleep when this happens every night) and my DH will say 1Cat's name and the cat will then move over and sleep between us til the morning never really allowing DH to touch me. 2Cat now sleeps on the floor beside the bed (my side) till the morning and the shadow game begins again.

Some told me animals senses a change in our bodies and know that there will be new soon to be baby. Does/Did any one else see this happening in their pets? My DH and I are amazed everynight when we watch wht we consider our kitty freak show....

 

I have noticed that my inside dog does not cuddle to me hardly anymore. She goes to see my DH instead. She use to always come to me. That is the only thing I have noticed.

 

My cats do the same thing, I think they can smell the hormones, I noticed changes in them almost as soon as I figured out I was preg...
cat1 hates everyone and she still does but always needs to be near me, she'll sleep on top of the couch if I am there or the foot of my bed if I am there;
cat2 only liked boys, he wanted nothing to do with me and now he is suddenly a momma's boy, follows me everywhere including the bathroom and sleeps on one of the pillows I use for either back support or leg/belly support, and he licks me all the time, like he is helping me groom;
cat3 has always been super affectionate (definite momma's girl, always has been) and she will headbutt my belly or wrap herself around my belly and purr if I am on my side.

I just hope they are good when the babies come!! I dont need anymore jealous freaks in my life.

 

DH and I actually attended a class about introducing your pets to your new babies, and the people leading the class said pets can definitely sense that you are pregnant. I'm not sure how (scent, sight, etc.), but a lot of pets will act differenty towards you. My 9 month old Labradoodle now sits right next to me on the floor when I'm in my spot on the couch, whereas before she seemed ot prefer DH....

 

2 of my cats started hanging around me like you described. They would hang out on the otherside of the door until I opened it back up. The next week after they started doing that. I ended up in the hospital with ptl @ 30 weeks. I'm not saying thats going to happen to you. Just animals can sense things.

 

I have noticed a bit of a change in our two furbabies (cats), they both seem more affectionate and at bedtime, they both will lay outside of the door. We would let them into the bedroom but they seem to think of our bedroom as a playroom, so no sleep happens with them in there! Plus, they follow me around more often.

 

I know animals (my experience has been with cats for this) will try to comfort someone who is sick or not feeling well. Maybe a cat picks up on a kind of uncomfortableness you have or senses something different like you thought. Definitely heard of this before.

 

My dog has definitely started taking to my DH more lately. I can't really attribute it to the pregnancy though (only to the fact that I was trying to get rid of some of my responsibilities when I found out I was pregnant), I think it has more to do with me giving the dog responsibilities over to DH, so now doggie gets fed and watered by DH.

 

My cat is the opposite, she was always a momma's girl and whenever I would sit somewhere she would immeadiately jump in my lap. From very early on in this pregnancy, she doesn't come near me. She has become DH's best friend, sleeping with him, sitting in his lap, etc. She'll let me pet her, but doesn't jump up on me anymore, like I"m ostrascized or something. DH thinks it's a jealousy thing, I have no idea.

 

My sister's cat hissed at me when I was over (alone) when I was pregnant with the twins. She isn't the most friendly cat, but she had never hissed at me before. We never noticed anything different with our dog. They do definitely sense something is different though I think.

 

We have both a female and a male Akita (huge dogs) and they both have been very clingy to me for a while now. They travel up and down the stairs with me and just stand by and wait while I'm doing laundry or whatever. Yesterday our male came into the bathroom and laid down in front of the bathtub while I was taking a bath and didn't leave until I was ready to get out. It's kind of annoying to my two year old because they are both so big and they're always in her way, but I don't mind.

One other funny story I have to add...while I was breast feeding my daughter I would occasionally leak if I was actually able to sleep for more than a couple of hours. One of the things that would wake me up would be our two cats and two dogs sniffing and trying to lick my shirt! They apparently can smell when your milk comes in!

 

I was just wondering this myself. I have a cat that is 16 years old. He is fairly aloof with most people but me. However, he hasn't been a "lap" cat with me for years. Lately he climbs into my lap multiple times per day, sleeps on the automan next to my chair, follows me into the bathroom (even sitting outside the shower in the morning while I am in there) and jumps up on the bed several times per night and climbs near my face and waits for me to pet him. Very odd.... I am hoping he likes the babies, but he isn't too fond of children in general.

 

Animals can sense phermones which we release during pregnancy. Especially cats can sense them. My 1cat has always been acting like you described, very attached and the other cat didn't come near me at all, now he is constantly with me as well.

 

I have an update on my dogs behavior....at first she was stand offish. Last night while she slept with me, she made sure to cuddle right next to me, usually she sleeps on the opposite side or down by my feet. Today, I was in the spare room going through some of the babes clothes and she laid down right in front of me as though she was guarding me. Now, yesterday I went through a major nesting spell, vacuum, mopped and rented one of those rug drs. and cleaned the carpet in my room and the rugs. Now I am freaking out that all this could be a sign of potential labor. Ya'll please tell me I am crazy!

 

My dog has always been a momma's boy but he has increased his watchfulness more so lately. The biggest thing he has done is started sleeping next to my back, when DH travels, as opposed to my tummy. I used to cuddle up with him but he is growing more cautious of the belly. He has been kicked a few times though when his head is laying next to it.

 

I have 5 cats and all of them, especially the mama's girl have gotten more affectionate and clingy with me much like how they behave when I have the flu. And, when we have people over, the cats usually form a line between me and them or a circle around me. Dh and I have been interpreting this behavior as an increased protectiveness because I am pregnant. It is very sweet.