ratterrierruckus
06-07-2007, 12:17 AM
We have a new baby in the house -- she is one month old today :)
Our kitty, Mitten, seems interested in the baby -- she sits near baby when baby's in the swing, she sometimes even sits up on her haunches to peer at the baby. She has never tried to swat at or bite the baby.
However, when the baby cries really hard (like when she's hungry), Mitten gets very upset -- her head shoots up if she's napping and she always comes running over. After she comes running over, she starts licking and nibbling on baby's hair....she hasn't actually bitten her but she does lick and nibble baby's hair until I shoo her away. Then she sits next to baby until baby stops crying then she goes back to her nap on her pillow.
Is this maternal instinct or do you think that she is annoyed and will try to hurt the baby? I've tried to find some web links about this sort of behavior but haven't found anything yet --
What do you all think? Mitten always seems to be a very kind cat --- she was nice to my mother in law when she was battling lung cancer and she always kisses me on the nose when I am bathing.
http://catoftheday.com/archive/2005/February/27.html
She also sleeps next to me sometimes -- cheek to cheek or on top of my head. She can get squirrely sometimes and hides in the bushes and springs out at our dogs -- she doesn't have a problem grabbing their legs and hanging on with her mouth (but they have never cried out in pain and just try to shake her off).
Any input would be appreciated -- Mitten is very attached to me and if this is jealous behavior, I would like to try to help Mitten through it and keep baby safe. If she's trying to comfort baby, well that's sweet but I don't know if I should let her near such a young infant
Thanks!
Cutieratterrier
Our kitty, Mitten, seems interested in the baby -- she sits near baby when baby's in the swing, she sometimes even sits up on her haunches to peer at the baby. She has never tried to swat at or bite the baby.
However, when the baby cries really hard (like when she's hungry), Mitten gets very upset -- her head shoots up if she's napping and she always comes running over. After she comes running over, she starts licking and nibbling on baby's hair....she hasn't actually bitten her but she does lick and nibble baby's hair until I shoo her away. Then she sits next to baby until baby stops crying then she goes back to her nap on her pillow.
Is this maternal instinct or do you think that she is annoyed and will try to hurt the baby? I've tried to find some web links about this sort of behavior but haven't found anything yet --
What do you all think? Mitten always seems to be a very kind cat --- she was nice to my mother in law when she was battling lung cancer and she always kisses me on the nose when I am bathing.
http://catoftheday.com/archive/2005/February/27.html
She also sleeps next to me sometimes -- cheek to cheek or on top of my head. She can get squirrely sometimes and hides in the bushes and springs out at our dogs -- she doesn't have a problem grabbing their legs and hanging on with her mouth (but they have never cried out in pain and just try to shake her off).
Any input would be appreciated -- Mitten is very attached to me and if this is jealous behavior, I would like to try to help Mitten through it and keep baby safe. If she's trying to comfort baby, well that's sweet but I don't know if I should let her near such a young infant
Thanks!
Cutieratterrier