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Being a pet parent is a rewarding experience, especially when it’s to a loving, adorable feline. However, your adorable, sweet-tempered cat can become stressed and overwhelmed when you’re expecting a new addition to the family.
One second, your cat sits on your lap, and the next, they may scratch or try to bite. Could it be that the cat senses you’re pregnant? Are they feeling neglected?
If you’re wondering why your beloved feline may try to attack you now that you’re expecting a baby, it might make you a bit concerned. There are a few anecdotes and possible reasons why some cats may attack pregnant women, and we’ll discuss them below. But the true reasons behind this behavior may remain a mystery.
The 5 Possible Reasons Why Cats Attack Pregnant Women
1. Response to Environmental Changes and Stress
Maybe you haven’t thought about it from a cat’s perspective, but expecting a baby comes with a lot of changes in the home and overall family dynamics. It can cause a degree of stress in trying to make sure everything is ready for the new arrival, including getting new furniture, setting up a nursery, and others. All of this can cause a fair deal of stress to your cat, who seemingly may seem fine to an untrained eye.
Cats have subtle ways of showing when they’re unhappy with changes in their environment and routines, from hiding, eating less, toileting outside of their litter box, sleeping more, and scratching excessively, to unexpected outbursts of aggressive behaviors in some cases. These changes are sometimes a reason why cats are surrendered to shelters, although based on a Danish study, in more than 50% of cases, it’s a reason related to the owner and housing, rather than anything to do with the cat’s behavior.1
Cats are creatures of habit; they like things a certain way and don’t enjoy sudden changes. When a cat senses hormonal, behavioral, and environmental changes related to their owner and their home, they can start exhibiting undesirable behavioral issues, while some may become more prone to aggression if they feel cornered or threatened.
It’s thought that the sudden change in the cat’s environment stresses the cat, and that’s why some may attack pregnant women.
2. Feeling Neglected
Of course, as a pregnant mom-to-be, you will be concentrating on your health and the health of your unborn child more. You’ll also be busy preparing for the new baby, from getting the nursery ready to finding tiny clothes and diapers. Your cat may not realize why you’re busy, but they may notice you’re not giving them as much attention as you were before.
In short, your feline may feel neglected because you spend less time with them. Attacking you may be their way of trying to get attention, even that being negative attention. Your cat may also get bored if you’re playing with them much less than you usually would, and in young, playful, and energetic cats this can lead to growing frustration, that in turn increases the likelihood of undesirable behaviors, such as scratching and biting, as an attempt to get your attention and for you to play with them.
3. Sensing Your Pregnancy
Cats are sensitive creatures that can easily tell when something changes in their environment. It could be that your cat is attacking you because they sense hormonal changes associated with your pregnancy, as well as your stress. In fact, your cat can sense that you are expecting most likely due to the change of your smell.
This has to be a bit confusing for your cat. They may decide to lash out at you because they don’t know what’s happening and may even feel threatened by all these changes that they’re sensing in and around their pet parent.
4. Petting Attacks
It’s normal for you to want to pet your cat, and pregnant women seem to want to pamper, nurture, and cuddle their cats often. However, if your cat isn’t comfortable with being petted constantly or would prefer just to lay on your lap and sleep, reaching out and petting the feline could cause them to bite you, if you miss their warning signs.
The cat doesn’t mean anything by biting you; they just feel overstimulated and need a break. Also, between the sudden changes the cat senses in your body and the petting, the cat may feel threatened by the petting instead of feeling comforted.
5. Territorial Aggression
Your pregnancy could be causing territorial aggression in your feline. If your cat is suddenly biting, hissing, and scratching at you, it could be because they don’t quite understand why certain areas are suddenly restricted.
This causes the cat to show territorial aggression, which can lead to them attacking you in what they see as protecting their territory.
Tips to Keep in Mind to Stay Safe
Now that you know why your cat might be attacking you now that you’re expecting a baby, you might wonder how you can be safe and still keep your cat. Toxoplasmosis is a real concern for mothers-to-be, so you must be careful. Here are some tips to keep in mind to stay safe while pregnant and still be able to keep your furry friend.
- Keep your cat indoors to prevent the risk of toxoplasmosis
- Wash your hands regularly
- Practice hygiene methods
- Ask another member of the family to clean the litter tray every day
- Use gloves when handling litter and wash hands afterward
- Use litter box liners
- Was the litter box with water and soap once per week
- Dispose of cat litter safely in a sealed bag
- Avoid handling raw meat or feeding your cat raw meat
- Wash your hands after handling raw meat
- Protect your hands with gloves during gardening
- Wash all fruits and vegetables thoroughly
- Make your cat feel loved with extra attention
- Give your cat their own space
- Try to avoid being stressed
- Don’t pet your cat if they don’t want to be petted
- Keep your movements slow when petting your cat
- Try to keep your cat calm
- Stick to a routine with your feline
If the behavior from your feline persists, talk to your vet for recommendations for a behavioral specialist, especially before you bring the baby home.
Conclusion
The last thing you want as a pet parent is to surrender your cat to the local animal shelter or rehome the animal because you’re pregnant. Owning a cat is a big responsibility that shouldn’t be taken lightly, as you are responsible for their health and welfare. The changes going on in your home before the baby arrives can be stressful for your kitty, and when the baby arrives, it will take more time for your cat to adjust. If our tips for handling your cat when you’re pregnant aren’t working, you may need help from a veterinary behaviorist.
Featured Image Credit: Vikkin, Shutterstock
