To want the cats OUT OF THE FLAT during the birth?

[Badgerina]

I'm planning a home birth in September. We have 2 rather crazy house cats, and a small flat. They're lovely and everything but they tend to do naughty things like chew stuff, climb everywhere, sit where they're not supposed to, open the fridge, steal the cheese... PLUS they're extremely cuddlesome and attention-seeking. In fact, one of them is practically a sex-pest.

I really feel that I want them OUT! so that they're not chewing through the birth pool hose, rifling through the midwives' bag, sleeping on the baby's blanket, wearing the baby's vests, trying to suckle from me* and generally getting up to antics whilst I'm giving birth. A colleague at DH's work has said she can have them for a few days.

Am I being a heartless cat owner?

*not really.

Ooooh, and OP YANBU.

I am in my first trimester, and can't bear the dog, so don't think it is unusual to go off pets or DP during pregnacy . Do whatever you are comfortable with.

YABU

How can you deny your kitties the fun of pouncing on the placenta and investigating your private parts?

And I'm sure they could help cutting the cord, not to mention patting the water of the birthing pool and hissing at it.

Yanbu. More than anything, you dint need the stress of worrying what they might do, or the distraction.

(I had a nipple sucking cat too. Thought I was the only one until I saw this thread!)

Alaistair, yuck

YANBU. My older, male cat went a bit mental when I was in labour! He definitely knew something was going on. Luckily I escaped to the hospital before things got weird.

They may surprise you and be all grown up and supportive!

I dont see how the logistics of it will work though, is your DH going to drop them off when you go in to labour?

Wont they annoy you when they come back?....especially when they come back to a new creature baby in their home!

My cat "suckles" on my hair - has been obsessed with it since she was a very young kitten, and is now used to leaping in my arms to nuzzle in my hair and neck, purring and plucking away madly. DH said we should train her out of it now but I'm not too concerned.

But - I reckon once the baby is here, she's going to get herself out of the way sharpish! Cats are clever little beasts - she's not going to want to hang around if there's strangers (midwives) and water (pool) and all sorts of loud activity going on in the living room.

During labour, your cats will be mostly put out by all the activity, I reckon, and will stay out of the way. Good luck!

Yanbu. Cats are very curious. Ours would be in to everything too. Definately make sure they are safe somewhere. Would a cattery be better? It's a lot of responsibility for your friend.

Nothing useful to say about cats, but have you checked that your floor is strong enough to take a filled up birth pool?

yanbu. my cat i just the loveliest cat ever, gentle and friendly and never ever scratches or bites or loses her rag. That being said, shes driving me MAD during pregnancy. She just wants to go in/out/in/out/in/out every 2 minutes all day long. its me bein unreasonable and grumpy but its annoying, certainly wouldnt want that in labour.
Have to go let the cat in again

I have two cats. When pregnant one of them would sit on my stomach purring at all times like some kind of confused nesting duck. The other would sit a foot from my stomach and hiss at it.

When in labour they went out and killed all manner of small creatures, brought them home and lined them up by the birth pool. They never did this usually.

labrador Yeah it'll be fine. The floor is solid concrete.

When I was planning a home birth my MW told me about a birth she'd attended with two cats, apparently they were great. They wandered around the pool encouraging the mum and making sure she was ok. Then when she got out for the final stage they kept a discrete distance at her head end until baby was out then left her to it! Your cats may well surprise you if you let them stay. Good luck

:) at the thought of 2 moggys encouraging the mum. "you can do it, not long now" sorry but that made me laugh.

At my sisters home birth her one of her cats made a beeline for the placenta as soon as the bedroom door was opened! Cue very agile midwife grabbing the container off the floor just as hungry feline was about to tuck in....

Yeah, unless you have a room they can be confined to until the midwives etc have left, temporarily rehome.