Getting really fed up with people asking me what I am going to do with my cats!

[maybebabybee]

I am 14 weeks pregnant with my first and I am sick of some people's reactions being 'oh congratulations, what are you going to do with the cats though?'

Um...nothing?! They're cats, not komodo dragons?!

I have had this for weeks now when telling people and it's really starting to irritate me. I was brought up with animals (think we had three cats and two dogs when I was born). I now have two lovely indoor birman girls.

anyone experienced similar?

hello marmite :) nice to see a fellow march threader elsewhere on MN!

Our cats were interested in the nice soft baby bedding but not at all interested in the babies.

Ears flattened to heads as soon as newborns gave a yell.

I had quite a few pets so I got 'what are you going to do with the animals?' After I got bored of explaining all the logical reasons as to why I wouldn't be doing anything, I found deliberate misunderstanding was best. I'd answer along the lines of my plans for while I was in labour/the maternity ward, and feign shock and disbelief if they explained they meant rehoming, 'why would I do that'. Occasionally for insistent people accompanied by a patronising 'never mind I know you meant well but if you aren't a pet person it's not your fault you don't really understand it doesn't work like that'

And congratulations, by the way - our DSs grew up to love cats.

We had 2 cats when ds was born, Girlcat was lost for a month, starting just before he arrived so came home (thank goodness she was microchipped) to a 3 week old. She did and still does keep as far from him as possible, mostly she stays out or in our bedroom. Boycat sat next to the moses basket as if on guard and came and miaowed at me when ds cried, as if to tell me to go look after my kitten. We then got a kitten just before I conceived ds2 (must stop getting cats when broody, that's how cats1&2 ended up here), him and toddler ds are great friends although we'll have to watch him round the baby when he's born as he's such a snuggly cat.

The cats still sleep on my lap/in my bed (older cats only, the kitten paws my face and wakes me up), but DH has to do litter trays. They'll be made to sleep downstairs for 6 months or so as they were when ds1 was a baby though, just in case they try and sleep in the cot.

We had two cats when the DC were younger. I never had any of these comments, thankfully. However, I do know of two families thT got rid of their cars when pregnant, so I guess it happens.
The only consequence I am aware of is that they all enjoyed a handful of cat food when toddlers.

Thanks Dreaming I was 7 months pregnant at the time and it was pretty horrific. On a practical level, he was the horse requiring the most care and expense, and i would certainly have needed help post c section had he still been with us. As it is i can manage the other two.

Re litter trays. If you are 'used' to doing the tray, gardening etc then you almost certainly have immunity. I still did ours because if big cat pooped in it when i was at home and DH at work whereas no was in hell that i was leaving it til he got home!! I was careful, thoroughly washed hands with antibac wash and didn't get any poo on me.

Strangely the people who made these comments to me had dogs...
Our cat hid under the bed when we first brought DD home. She wasn't impressed when we started shutting her out our room couple of months before DD arrived but got used to it. She's been brilliant and the two of them get on great-DD is 5 and cat nearly 13 (tho we got her aged 6).
Kids pick up on how you treat animals so DD knows how to treat/behave around cats even though they're all different. However not all her friends are the same so working on them while cat hides.

I saw the thread title and I knew what people were asking you!

I have two very, very timid cats. At least they used to be when my children were born (one was terrified of the first baby, the other ignored him.) Over time they have adapted and are now curious and interested when people come over, and can handle shrieking toddlers and their friends.

If we had suddenly introduced toddlers I'm sure it would have been a disaster, but given that we started with newborns and gradually ramped it up(!), it has been fairly easy for them to adapt.

DC1 is now 5 and loves the cats, they get along famously.

I was also born into a household with cats, none of them ate me and I have made it to healthy middle age despite having been around them all my life .

fitfatty our cats are 6 and 7. (Probably- they're rescues, we've had them for 5 years)
Bertie they have a wonderful floor to ceiling cat tree in the lounge which they loved last winter but one has spurned it over the summer and prefers to sit on the pouffe which is perfect height for DD to pull herself up to. They also used to like sitting on the back of the sofa which again would be out of reach but not at the moment.
I try to move them but they just come back 5 mins later :-( also the one on the pouffe can be a bit snappy if I try to pick her up or move her if she doesn't want to move.
Also it doesn't help that all DDs favourite toys at the moment are very similar to cat toys- things that rattle, rustle, zoom across the floor!

i had two cats one would keep out of dds reach when she was younger however if she left the house with my mother he would hide in the hedge till she returned no one else would bother him strangely if she was ill he would weld himself to her side she napped on the sofa and when she was around two she nearly fell off after that he would lie between the edge and her

my other cat was a smoke alarm and baby monitor as soon as she cried he would get me then race me to her room he was also the most patient cat around and would sleep on her feet in winter

by the time i got ds i had a third cat who was a bit nippy and hated babies she avoided him like the plague then he bumped himself one day wails ensued then laughter she had run to him and was nuzzling his face making him giggle

if ds2 wasn't allergic i would have cats again unfortunately mine are all gone now

Hi maybe