Cat during human pregnancy: how does it behave?

2023 Author: Alex Livingston | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-11-26 11:39

Pregnancy is certainly a delicate moment for every family, and there are those who think they have it too a cat at home it can make everything more difficult, but it is not: indeed it will help to make the experience even more magical, especially if you manage to organize yourself better. Let's see here in detail how it behaves a cat during human pregnancy.

There is no concrete scientific evidence about it but animal behavior experts confirm that yes, cats they notice your pregnancy even before you take a test to confirm it and sometimes even before you have any suspicions! If you are wondering how they do it, it is likely that their sensitive sense of smell and their ability to recognize changes in your body temperature and movements, as well as in your daily habits, are helping them.

During this period, in fact, they undergo deep alterations in one's balance hormonal and the body begins to produce more progesterone, estrogen and chorionic gonadotropins, which affect your body odor: this is why your cat will immediately notice that something has changed.

In addition, the amount of blood circulating increases, which affects the metabolism and raises the body temperature, which is usually inferior to that of cats. They are always in search of warmth and for this reason they will be more attracted than usual to a pregnant woman. It should therefore come as no surprise if an independent or lonely cat, or who simply prefers someone else in the family, finds himself now snuggling up next to his new mother or even on her belly.

Our furry friends, as we mentioned before, feel the differences in our way of moving and behaving, in our posture and in our habits: they are real wizards to read the body language and they may also notice details that seem insignificant to us.

Some cats, after observing such a change, tend to become more affectionate towards the pregnant woman. Try giving them attention and affection throughout the pregnancy - if they feel ignored they may become aggressive and urinate everywhere in protest. It is important to prevent this by making them understand that your relationship hasn't changed and that is not endangered by the arrival of the unborn child.

As the pregnancy progresses, try to keep the same habits with your cat to avoid behavioral problems later: it is important guarantee him the same time for play, food and cleaning that you reserved for him before even after the birth of the baby.

If you think you can't do it alone, you could ask friends and family to help you keep your cat's routine as balanced as possible when you don't have the time or the ability to do it yourself. If you succeed, the feline is much more likely stay in confidence with you when you come home with a new family member.

It is not strange that a cat has been taken for a while jealousy when a child arrives: if his behavior is excessively hostile, do not hesitate to ask your veterinarian or a professional trainer for some useful and timely advice.

But it is also possible that they become more protective and loving towards you within 9 months. According to several studies, spending pregnancy in the company of a pet improves mood, keeps blood pressure balanced, reduces the risk of depression and in general helps to live better.

Toxoplasmosis

Worrying about the baby's health can occupy much of the attention of a pregnant mother, to the point of making her believe that there are dangers around every corner. For example, many people have been warned against the risk of contracting the Toxoplasmosis from the cat as if it were a high probability. But is not so.

Toxoplasmosis is caused by the infection of a parasite called Toxoplasma gondii. If a pregnant woman is infected during pregnancy (especially in the first trimester) this can cause problems in the development of the fetus. Cats can carry the parasite if they eat small wild animals, but it can be transmitted only through contact with feces of the animal within 2 weeks after the first infection, and it must be materially ingest the parasite to be infected.

Cats therefore do not present a great risk of contracting this disease: eating undercooked meat or poorly washed vegetables is much more dangerous. There are simple precautions to follow to avoid this problem:

• Clean the litter box every day, using the protective gloves or by delegating some other family member;
• Follow normal hygiene rules how to keep cats away from kitchen surfaces and wash their hands regularly;
• Use gloves when gardening e wash thoroughly fruits and vegetables;
• Wash your hands well after handling raw meat, and make sure it is well cooked before eating it.