Feline lovers swear by their feet that they have a very keen sixth sense and can sense various events involving humans. Does a cat know when its owner is pregnant? Understand feline behavior.
For a woman, discovering her pregnancy is a very exciting time and full of questions, especially if there is a loving kitten in the house who is behaving a little differently than usual.
Felines are less domesticated animals compared to dogs, which is why they have very keen senses. Although there is no study or research on the subject, the observation of owners is enough to say: that the cat knows when the owner is pregnant!
How do cats know that their owner is pregnant?
Because of their more powerful senses than ours, especially smell, cats perceive subtle differences that a pregnant woman’s body demonstrates without her noticing it herself.
Thus, many cats start to hug and knead bread on their owner’s belly, become closer to her, follow her around the house all the time, and sleep more in her company. However, what are the signs that the cat perceives in its pregnant owner?
The pregnant owner’s smell changes
It may not be noticeable, but most likely the cat became closer to its owner before she found out about the pregnancy. This has nothing to do with the feeling but with the odor.
The odor she gives off changes as hormones change, especially progesterone. As the domestic cat’s sense of smell is 20 times more powerful than ours, it is understandable that it discovers the pregnancy even before the pregnant woman.
As the animal recognizes belongings, family members, and the environment through smells, this new odor needs to be updated in its repertoire. This explains why he rubs himself more against his pregnant owner and why everyone thinks the cat knows when its owner is pregnant.
On the other hand, some kittens may be bothered by this new and unfamiliar odor, starting to rub and scratch more objects in the house, in addition to the scratching post itself.
Pregnant women’s behavior is different
When a woman becomes pregnant, there is great concern about her belly in relation to trauma, which is why the future mother becomes more cautious. The rising hormones also make you more emotional.
As the belly grows, the woman becomes slower. Fatigue also increases, so she tends to sleep more and take more naps throughout the day. Guess who loves a nap? That’s right, the kitten!
In general, felines are great observers. From the top of the shelves, they keep an eye on everything that happens around them, as this gives them security. Because of this change in the woman’s behavior, the cat knows when her owner is pregnant.
Pregnant woman’s temperature increases slightly
Body temperature during pregnancy is slightly above normal, mainly due to an increase in circulating fluids and the amniotic sac, as well as a little more subcutaneous fat.
Cats are fanatics about warm things and, noticing this change in temperature, they can take the opportunity to lie on top of their owner. Therefore, some people claim that the animal senses when the owner is pregnant.
What is the kitten’s understanding of its owner’s pregnancy?
This subject is quite controversial. Anyone who has had the experience of having a kitten during pregnancy says that the cat senses when the owner is pregnant and that, in her belly, there is actually a “kitten” on the way.
At the same time, there are those who say that the cat does not understand the emotional issues involved in pregnancy and that, therefore, the behavioral change is just a reaction to the changes that are occurring.
How will the cat react to the baby?
This concern is not unfounded, since every cat owner knows that they don’t like changes in their routine and are territorial, a wild feline behavior, so they may see the baby as an intruder.
So, in addition to thinking about how cats react when their owner is pregnant, it is necessary to get the cat used to the changes that will inevitably occur. The first step is to do everything very slowly, gradually changing furniture and introducing objects into the house.
Adaptation to the baby’s room
When everything is ready, don’t forbid him from entering the baby’s room. He needs to make this new environment familiar to him. To do this, he will rub himself and leave the smell on everything that belongs to the baby. It is also important to make positive associations with the arrival of the baby’s objects and allow the cat to participate in all the changes.
Furthermore, cats are very attracted to the human puppy’s crib and stroller. This happens because they are cozy and protected places. In fact, they love toys and will want the baby too!
Furthermore, it is possible to add pheromone therapy to the environment before the baby arrives and carry out a gradual and safe approach when the baby arrives. The help of a feline behaviorist will help at this stage.
