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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

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Original poster

Can cats smell babies?

50 replies

StarfishSandwich · 12/09/2018 21:51

Weird question...

We have what we think is a farm cat who spends most of her time in our garden and occasionally has sneaked into the house. She likes a stroke and is quite friendly but it’s always been very much on her terms and she was always very easily startled.

DS was born last week and she has become OBSESSED with getting into the house and seems really interested in the baby. She’s also become really confident and friendly and just wants to rub up against us and will happily climb on top of the furniture just to get to us. Obviously we are now trying to stop her getting in, as much as it breaks my heart, as she’s not our cat and we can’t predict her behaviour and don’t want to turn around and find her on top of DS! Plus I’m 99% sure she has fleas.

She has been sitting outside our back door meowing all evening! Is it the baby or could she just be looking for somewhere warm to stay now the weather is getting cooler? It’s so odd!

OP posts:

BaronessBomburst · 13/09/2018 10:19

My cat was very protective of me when I was pregnant, and then used to sit and guard DS once he was born. I used a mosquito net to keep her out of the cot.

Original poster

StarfishSandwich · 13/09/2018 10:26

I have been trying to convince DH that this would be the best plan of action Losing but he’s still a bit worried she might be someone’s pet!

OP posts:

TheObwaldhutte · 13/09/2018 10:29

I suspect it's to do with Oxytocin.

SalemBlackCat · 13/09/2018 17:08

@WhatToDoAboutWailmerGoneRogue

False. That turned out to be cot death. SIDS. Nothing to do with a cat.

And on the contrary. Dogs are unpredictable, but cats never are. Cats always seem to have a reason for everything they do. For example, they will never just suddenly get up, go to someone and attack them and rip their face off, like dogs do. A cat will give you warning growls. They never do anything without reason or purpose. If there is one thing that cats are, it is very predictable.

WhatToDoAboutWailmerGoneRogue · 13/09/2018 18:09

SalemBlackCat Fair enough, but it is still exceptionally irresponsible to leave babies and animals together unattended.

This isn’t a cat vs dog thing, so there’s no need to make it into that.

Cats are well known for their unpredictability, and many cats struggle to adapt to change (and I think we can all agree that a new baby is a big change for everyone).

Aggression in cats is the second most common problem animal behaviourists have to deal with feline wise.

Hertha · 13/09/2018 21:40

I actually did ultimately find reference to one record of a cat seemingly suffocating a baby, from several decades ago. That particular risk seems to be beyond minuscule but ultimately I agree that it’s not a good idea to leave an animal unsupervised with a baby.

Dollymixture22 · 13/09/2018 22:14

My kitten loves to sleep on my head and face, and scratch and bite my toes in the middle of the night! She even sratched my eyelid once when I blinked! I have decided she is just playing and hasn’t launched a campaign of terror.

But I wouldn’t leave her alone with a sleeping baby.

TwoBlueShoes · 13/09/2018 22:31

Cats are predictable? I don’t think that’s true. I have 3 cats, each has such a different personality from the other. I think it’s interesting how complex the cat personality can be.

Som cats love babies, some cats avoid them like the plague. It just depends on the cat.

Vinorosso74 · 13/09/2018 22:37

I don't but the whole cats suffocating babies thing either but I wouldn't leave any animal alone with a baby. I think some cats are genuinely fascinated by small humans.
Our old girl was a really gentle natured cat. She hid under the bed for 2 hours after we brought DD home but then became quite fond of her. One midwife commented how maternal she was. We adopted her age 6 and she had been spayed well before arriving so no idea if she ever had kittens but she did always look out for DD when she was little. If DD cried Vinocat would seek me out if I wasn't holding her. Sadly we had to have her PTS last year but the roles reversed in her last couple of years as DD looked out for her.

SalemBlackCat · 14/09/2018 06:38

@WhatToDoAboutWailmerGoneRogue
"Cats are well known for their unpredictability"

Again, no, they are not. Ask any vet. Cats are well known for their predictability. They are creatures of habit, never doing anything without reason.

"and many cats struggle to adapt to change"

There you go! You've just admitted cats are predictable and struggle with change. You've just made my point for me.

SalemBlackCat · 14/09/2018 06:41

@TwoBlueShoes
"Cats are predictable? I don’t think that’s true. I have 3 cats, each has such a different personality from the other."

You are confusing what I am saying. I am not saying all cats are the same and all have the same personality. What I am saying is that cats are CREATURES OF HABIT and thus quite predictable. This is very well known, ask any vet. A cat will never do anything without reason. They are creatures of habit and predictable in their behaviour. Unless they develop a brain tumour, their behaviour is consistent. They don't suddenly start acting completely differently. Cats are predictable. This is quite obvious.

DeltaG · 14/09/2018 06:43

I can't believe that cats are attracted by a 'smell of milk'. Why would they be? It isn't food for an adult cat. Sounds like a load of bollox to me!

WhatToDoAboutWailmerGoneRogue · 14/09/2018 06:47

SalemBlackCat You seem to be obsessed with cats yet have such little knowledge on their behaviours.

SalemBlackCat · 14/09/2018 06:55

@WhatToDoAboutWailmerGoneRogue

Lol. No, I am not. Our family have bred cats and been in the cat industry for years. I have forgotten more than you will ever know.
I suspect you've never had a cat. What is hilarious is your stubborn and willful ignorance when someone who knows far more than you, corrects you. You yourself have such little on cat behaviours and your ignorance is rather astounding. Just accept you are wrong and try and do better. You sadly really are making a fool of yourself and you don't even see it.

SalemBlackCat · 14/09/2018 06:57

@DeltaG

Yes, that whole cats are attracted to babies because of milk is another one of the old wives tales we've all come across and those of us who have bred/shown cats while having children will attest to how ignorant and absurd that is.

SalemBlackCat · 14/09/2018 07:01

You gotta laugh at those who fall for old wives tales like cats smother babies and attempt to put down someone whose family has decades combined cat arena industry. Oops.

TwoBlueShoes · 14/09/2018 08:06

You sadly really are making a fool of yourself and you don't even see it.

Oh, the irony... 🤦‍♀️

Nobody does anything without reason though. What I'm saying is just because someone else's cat never went near their baby, it doesn't mean that all cats are like this. Also, just because your cat avoided your first baby like the plague, it doesn't mean they will avoid your second baby like the plague. Of course there is some kind of cat logic going through your cats brain, but we don't know what the cat is thinking.

My cat loves my neighbor's dog and is always joining them on walks, but when we met another neighbor's dog, my cat started waving his paw and trying to dominate the dog. I was very surprised to see this. He's never done this to a dog before. I don't feel this behavior is particularly consistent.

TwoBlueShoes · 14/09/2018 08:07

Also, I've seen my cat drink cow's milk out of my daughter's cup. I told her not to leave it where he can get it. I believe most cats are lactose intolerant, but not all cats, eh?

Drizzledrozzle · 14/09/2018 08:13

My cat was very keen on snuggling during feeds and tried licking my nipple more than once, and he pounces on any milk (breast or cow) spillage very quickly indeed. He might be lactose intolerant but he doesn't have the brains to avoid milk

Fluffycloudland77 · 14/09/2018 08:51

My cats fascinated by my menstrual cup, I don't think he wants to eat it though.

ShannonRockallMalin · 14/09/2018 09:35

All the cats I’ve had have been obsessed with milk. My old cat recognised the fact that cereal bowls would be likely to contain milk and would wait for her opportunity to lick out the dregs. My new kittens are the same. One of them burnt his chin in an ill advised attempt to get into a jug of custard. This despite the fact that we have never offered them milk as a food.

Original poster

StarfishSandwich · 16/09/2018 18:48

Update: She definitely likes milk. I’ve just had to tell her off for licking me and the baby.

Also she’s purring very loudly on my sofa presently.

Ps. Please excuse my FILTHY feet 😂

OP posts:

Fluffycloudland77 · 16/09/2018 18:55

Aah, shes grooming you!. I get licked. The cat doesn't like dh as much as me so only I get licked.

When the baby is about 3 months she'll be like "isn't it about time it moved out?"

Vinorosso74 · 16/09/2018 19:10

You have two new additions to your family. One 2 legged and one 4 legged.

ShannonRockallMalin · 16/09/2018 20:38

Two little cutie pies! The cat looks so similar to my Luna!

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