Cats and human pregnancy

[csanchezveloso]

Hi Everyone! How have the holidays been?
I wanted to see what you all thought of something. My sister is pregnant and has always been a big part of the kitties life. Lately, when she walks in, my kitty runs away from her. She’s actually the more social of the two and has never run away from her before. At first, I thought it was a fluke but now it happens all the time. Do you think my kitty can tell that my sister is pregnant or that something is different? Is there a scent? Just wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience..

Thanks! Happy New Year to all!!

[Lobodeb]

I do think cats can sense some sort of difference. Toward the end of my pregnancy, I couldn't keep Sammy off me! He isn't normally a lap cat. He must have felt the rise in my body temperature.

[barncat]

As scent and hormones are connected and cats cue to scent, it is very likely they know of a pregnancy quite easily. It is cat "manners" (at least among my troops over the years) to let a pregnant queen have first pick of everything and if there are 2 pregnant, the higher "ranked" get best dibs. If your cat is female she may be honoring the rights of your sister by not even trying to compete for anything.

When I was hand raising a kitten, my females did not enter the room where the baby was until I brought her out. The males all strtted their stuff as if they had created her...and spoiled little Belldaonna rotten! When I jave held human babies similar behavior occurred...tho the females all cuddled with the baby if it cried.