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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Are your pets acting differently when you're pregnant?

20 replies

Paperdenim · 07/08/2010 22:54

My mum said her cat starting cuddling her straight away and mine has started doing the same- alwys talking to me and jumping up for a cuddle!- when he wasn't arsed at all before.
So weird!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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gaelicsheep · 07/08/2010 23:05

One of my cats became super clingy when I was pregnant. I'd be sitting here on the laptop and she'd come and sit right in front of me, or on my arms. It drove me absolutely crazy!

This has now been replaced by the other cat being obsessed by me breastfeeding DD - she's on my lap at the first possible opportunity getting right in the way.

mumnerves · 07/08/2010 23:51

My dog who usually follows me everywhere was really concerned and clingy when I was going through first trimester and gagging and throwing up every other evening.

Then when the sickiness stopped and I was feeling better, I think he realised that I was pregnant and fell out with me. He stopped following me around and followed DH around instead. He refused to come when called etc and was just sulky around me.

That only lasted a week though and he's back now to following me around and being extra protective and concerned. :o

...isn't it strange how they just know?

Evenstar · 08/08/2010 00:11

When I was pregnant we had an old mongrel who was really my husband's dog and he always went upstairs with my husband at bedtime when I was locking up. As soon as I was a few weeks pregnant he would always wait at the bottom of the stairs and see me safely up to bed! When the babies were born he would let me know if they were crying by running up and down the stairs and whining. Sadly he didn't like them once they were mobile and we had to be scrupulous about keeping him out of the living room with a stair gate when they started to crawl as he got a bit snappy when he was very old.

poorbuthappy · 08/08/2010 00:13

When I was labouring at home on my own for 8 hours (not as impressive as it sounds cos I convinced myself I wasn't in labour) my dog didn't leave my side for 1 second...I am sure that she knew something was up.

Northernlurker · 08/08/2010 00:14

Dh's parent's cat was really nice to me when I was pregnant with dd3. She normally loathes me....

Original poster

Paperdenim · 08/08/2010 00:36

Awww I wonder if we smell different or something? Even know he's snuggled up as close as he can!

OP posts:

nymphadora · 08/08/2010 07:06

Friends cat wouldn't leave my bump alone

FloraPost · 08/08/2010 07:26

I think they can smell the hormones. My cat turned into a limpit slightly before we got the BFP. He now won't let me go to the loo by myself (insert gag about just like having a baby), follows me down the road when I go to work and hops up for a cuddle at any opportunity.

I read a book which said that neutered male cats remain mentally kitten-like, so see their owners as other cats in their tribe. I did wonder whether he might therefore think the bump is his .

angels1 · 08/08/2010 09:22

I feel like I'm missing out - my DH's cat has always hated me no matter what I've tried and he's still been giving me the usual evils. I've been feeling so rough I'd love a cat to get cuddly with but he never obliges :(

sparklyrainbow · 08/08/2010 09:39

Our dog is usually soft and soppy anyway, but likes draping herself over my bump when I'm sitting on the sofa. Follows me about as well.

She's also got very woofy recently, as if she needs to tell me about any little noise (possible scary person/cat/wind moving through tree etc etc). She patrols the garden more frequently too.

We're hoping she won't get worse... the woofing is quite irritating! (little 'oof' noises, not full blown barking for anyone concerned about my neighbours!)

Am half way there (almost) and have started playing her newborn baby sounds very quietly when she's relaxed as she completely freaked the other evening when she heard a baby on TV...

PavlovtheCat · 08/08/2010 09:42

my female, a tortoiseshell was extremely clingy, to the point of severe annoyance, but she also does this a lot anyway at various points in the year, not sure if it is hormones due to pg, or that I give her less attention when pg due to being sick the entire time

LadyRabbit · 08/08/2010 12:45

My dogs are being amazingly protective too. If I am lying down, they both lie down with me curled up against my tummy. (They're only small.) They don't seem disturbed by baby kicking or anything, and have never felt the need to snuggle up to me like this. It's really sweet and a bit bizarre. It must be pheromones, right?

I'm afraid our dogs have been our babies, and I'm a bit concerned about how they're going to take to the new addition. I want to get them out of the habit of jumping on the sofa or bed, after we've let them do it for years it's a hard habit to break. Anyone got any tips?

parkj83 · 08/08/2010 13:04

Yup, the larger of my 2 dogs is a little clingy at the best of times, but now he's gone into overdrive. Always wanting to sit with me on the sofa (he weighs 30kg!!) and wanting to sleep in our room at night... he hasn't slept with us for over 6 months! But just these past couple of weeks, he's become super-clingy.

And the little terrier is more scavvy than normal too... I'm sure he does it to annoy the hell out of me! Always sniffing around looking for crumbs! Drives me potty!

LadyRabbit do your dogs ask to get up, and get down if you tell them? If not, it might be an idea to encourage them off whenever you get up, and blocking them from jumping up unless you're sat down, and invite them up. If they get up uninvited, try and physically block them with your hand/arm, as they're only small :) (what dogs do you have out of curiosity? )

Ibizadreams · 08/08/2010 14:59

My cat spent a lot of time sitting with me when I had bad ms, and he's certainly bought me a lot more 'presents' than he usually does. Started off with mice, now on to live pigeons and dead blackbirds!!

emptyshell · 08/08/2010 15:59

Mine's always a clingy limpetmine anyway - if anything she's stopped sitting on the sofa next to me when I'm on the computer. That could be because there's a ray of sunlight that she can bake herself in though.

redandyellowandpinkandgreen · 08/08/2010 19:38

Not at all! We have three cats and none of them have been any different. They can't be very intuitive!

Kiwiinkits · 08/08/2010 23:22

I'm not sure about pets but all of a sudden, small children and babies seem to like me! This is somewhat of a miracle; I have had a track record of children crying and/or avoiding me altogether till now.

Palace39 · 09/08/2010 13:33

My cat is my shadow since bump arrived, she just won't leave me alone. She has always been friendly but now lays herself across the bump, no matter how uncomfortable she seems to be. If i lay down, she squeezes herself as close to me as possible and lays her paws and head on my arm in a very protective manner. Strange little thing.

She also now ignores dh who has taken her favouritism quite personally.

coppertop · 09/08/2010 13:43

Our cat is still a demon in feline form. He has a habit of jumping up my back (claws dug in all the way), sitting across my shoulders and biting my hair. Dh swears that this is a sign of affection.

The cat also seems to sense that I can't see my feet the ground so well now and either bites my feet or tries to trip me over.

So, not much change at all really.

CatButler · 09/08/2010 21:51

Oh dear, this does not bode well for me then. Took on my Cat a year ago as a rescue because he hated it when his last owner got pregnant (he sprayed everywhere)

I had convinced myself he did this because he wasn't getting the attention anymore but not so sure now......

Mmmhhh.....better put baby plans back on the shelf then.... :)

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