change of situation

[mougi]

dear cat lovers, i am a mom to be with a (3y old, only house) cat we have had for 3 years now. both my husband and i used to work all day long and see the cat when we got home. now, when i am expecting, i am home most of the time. the PROBLEM is, the cat instead of being happy to have me home and enjoy the balcony for example (which is closed if im not at home) comes to me all the time and begs me for something. i get up and he shows me his bowl (he is fed soft food morning and evening, and granulas available all day long). i think he would eat the soft food again, but i don't want to give him soft food anytime. he has to eat granulas too. sometimes i persuade him to have some granulas but he doesn't stop coming and meowing at me. it is annoying. what do you think it could be? maybe he would just like to sit in my lap (he is very loving), but i can't just sit all day with him in my lap (especially not now with the belly).

[tvt]

Hello, again.
I know what you mean about the constant meowing. Sometimes I wish I were totally deaf and not just partially!
One thing it helps to remember is that you have changed the cat's routine it had established when you were gone all day. Now it has to find and adjust to a new routine that involves having you home.
I am a housewife that is home most of the time. Mystery, picture shown, is the same way. Her meowing is telling me that she wants me on the couch with "her" blanket so that she can lay with me. Right, I have more things to do than just sit with her all day, but sometimes it pays to do it anyhow for just one little catnap.
With the baby coming, I would take the opportunity to sit down with the cat. It is relaxing to you and the baby, and the cat too. Our cats are like our children... we're always too busy-- until we realize they are gone. (In memory of Emily, who had the biggest and best cattitude.)

[furrykidsmother]

Cats are funny. They know when things are changing. A baby will be a big change and the fact that you are home now is a big change from the daily routine. I would try and spend as much time as you can with him reassuring him and helping him to adjust to the new routine. Maybe some toys would be a distraction too. Also, when the time comes that you have the baby, it wouldn't hurt to bring a blanket or some item that has the baby "smell" on it home to your cat so that he can familiarize himself with it so it won't be a shock when the baby does come home. Congratulations, welcome to PT and best of luck!

[mougi]

thank you!

[Cataholic]

I am going to post here, and in your other thread.

I had 7 cats at the time I had Jonah. I am a single mom, and I work full time. Having Jonah, and bringing him home- NO BIG DEAL! I seriously think that this whole thing is totally overrated, and that it is nothing more than "if you believe it, it will come". By that I mean, if you start out looking for strange behaviours and want to link them with a new baby, you will find them. My cats ranged in age from 1 year to 14 years. Every single one of them adjusted without any issue. Now that Jonah is beginning to crawl pretty quick, they are learning they need to stay two steps ahead of him, or their hair might get pulled.

As to not having enough time to take care of a cat (or dog or whatever) once a child gets here.....I struggle with that concept. The pets are no less important then you, your husband, your skin child, your job, your sense of self, etc. You make the time. And, while I am making it sound very simple, I write from personal first hand and very recent experience. I will admit to hiring someone to cut my grass to free up some of my time, and to putting a crib tent on the crib to make sure the cats didn't jump up there while Jonah was very little. Now, at 10 months, I wouldn't worry. They would be crazy to jump in there now. BUT having the crib tent still on the crib means I can keep the crib on the higher setting without worry. Usually by 10 months, I should have lowered it to the lowest setting since Jonah can easily stand up. I can't stand the bending over to put him in there asleep, and having to worry about him waking up as I 'drop' him the last 8 inches...LOL.

Again, I wouldn't spend much more time worrying about the cat adapting to the baby. There are some things I could tell you to start worrying about with the baby only...he he he....but not the cat and the baby.