# Is it true pets can detect when you're going into labor?



## Cathi (Mar 19, 2002)

I'm about 37 weeks along and yesterday I cleaned my house like a madwoman. I am feeling the nesting urge and a great sense of urgency to get things ready that I've been putting off. So I wondered how long it would be before labor started.

But what caught my surprise was last night as I was exercising (yoga) and meditating both of my cats would not leave my side. The dogs insisted on sleeping with me and I woke up this morning to FOUR pets surrounding me. They've been next to or on me all day so far and lo and behold I am now contracting mildly.

Coincidence? Do they sense something?


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## MacKinnon (Jun 15, 2004)

My cats where obsessed with me the last few weeks of my pregnancy with DD. I would say it started around 37 weeks or so... I went to 41wk4days, so I wouldn't be too excited







But there is a picture of me, hugely pregnant, with a cat perched on my stomach. They definitly knew something was up, but their behavior wasn't indiciative of the DAY I went into labor, just late pregnancy!


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## xenabyte (Jul 16, 2004)

My cat has suddenly decided that sleeping right up near my hips/legs is the thing to do, after having preferred NOT sleeping in my bed, due to the 2/4 year olds sleeping in there too....

She's around me much more and if I sit down, she'll sit on my lap at night while I watch a movie...

It just started around week 37 also, I"m almost week 38 now.


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## mahogny (Oct 16, 2003)

My cat stayed by me and purred constantly the days each of my babies was born.

Our vet explained it, and said that cats purr when other cats around them are ill or injured - something about how the frequency of the purr is soothing and healing to cats. Mama cats purr all throughout labor. So, the cat senses when people in the household are in need of a little extra healing support, and purr to help you get better. (I don't know if the cat actually senses the impending labor per se, but senses that things are quite different, which to them must indicate an injury or illness.)

At least, I think that's how my vet explained it...it was several years ago and I've slept since then!







:


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## chandasz (Apr 13, 2005)

Uh oh! I'm due next week and last night my girl cat was extra super clingy. She's been getting more and more clingy lately.

I have to finish nesting. ACK. Not ready yet. LOL


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## Kerriemoe (Aug 3, 2005)

I always read about animals who sense when their owners are sick, or need snuggle time, or need to be left alone or even go for help if someone gets hurt. My dog is missing this trait. If someone falls down in front of her, she just gets all happy like "yay! you're down on my level now!" and jumps all over us licking our face so we can't get up.

If I'm sick, she misbehaves more, needs more attention, etc. and whenever I'm pregnant she looks for any opportunity to climb up onto my lap. She's a 60-lb. shepherd mix, so this is NOT fun!









I didn't go into labor on my own last time, so this time I don't know what she's going to do. If she suddenly starts acting up again, or tries to climb up onto the couch with me or something, perhaps that'll be my clue.


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## cjanelles (Oct 22, 2005)

I can't say for the whole going-into-labor thing, but I do know that the week I found out I was pregnant (I'm only 10 wks), my cats refused to leave me alone...and these cats aren't the cuddly, lap-cat kind...

But all three of them wanted to lay on me, no matter where I was, or they wanted to be right up underneath me when I was cooking dinner or doing laundry...it was wild.


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## InstinctiveMama (Sep 4, 2006)

Oh my goodness, I hope this is not true! I am 24 weeks and I am already annoyed with my cat who will NOT leave me alone. She even walks around the house whining when I am busy. Honestly she might have to go outside when I am giving birth because she will drive me nuts!

P.S. I really do love my cat but she drives me crazy when I am pregnant!


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## hubris (Mar 8, 2003)

I'm not sure about pets detecting the onset of labor, but...

I had a cat who was the most skittish, stand-offish little thing ever. She would never let me pet her, she NEVER cuddled. But once I was pg she would sit in my lap and purr and purr and beg for petting from me. Bizarre. I must have been giving off some major pheromones to calm her down.

Then, when I was in labor, she stayed by my side, cuddling right up next to me. We called her the Labor Cat and we have pics of her, my little furry doula.


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## phunkylady (Sep 27, 2006)

I read that when a cats owner becomes pregnant they will either become clingy or want nothing to do with you - one or the other. I don't know how true that is, but my cat definitely is completely crazy about me now that I'm pregnant. she has become very needy and cries when I don't pick her up. she is ALWAYS lying on my belly. she never used to be this way! anyway, I'm 18 weeks 2 days, so I don't think I'm due any time soon


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## broodymama (May 3, 2004)

Yep, my cats did when I went into labor with DD! Click on DD's name in my sig to see the birth story.


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## an_aurora (Jun 2, 2006)

My dog was even more needy than usual the day before I went into labor. I spent the day getting the last few things ready, doing baby laundry and cleaning like mad (in retrospect the nesting was so obvious!) and I thought she was uneasy like she always gets before a trip. But, she wasn't camped out by the door like normal, she was right on my heels everywhere I went and if I was standing still she would lay her head on me.

When I woke up at 1 am in hard labor she was wonderful. I remember being on my hands and knees in the downstairs hall rocking through contractions and she was right there with me. Unfortunately we went to the hospital so she didn't get to be there for the rest of the birth. This time we're having a homebirth so it will be interesting to see how she acts!


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## scbegonias (Aug 15, 2003)

I had two different cat experiences. One male cat was obsessed with my belly all throughout my first pregnancy (and seems to be doing the same this second time around)...to the extent that he would sometimes play paw games with the babe once she moved around (and could be felt by others). He is a very loving cat (though with quite a temper), and will often cuddle you if you're sick or sad.

Our two female cats just went nuts purring and 'swirling' around me the day I went into labor (I loved this...being that DH was the only other around at the time I felt that I had some female support). One of them was a newbie and had spent her first six months under the bed. After the babe arrived she was out and about.


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## leavemealone (Feb 16, 2005)

I am due next week and my one cat has become awfully snuggly with me lately and she's not usually a snuggly cat. The only problem with that is that she seems to want to snuggle at 4am when I am trying to sleep!







: Hopefully, she knows something I don't and I'll have this baby soon.


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## jo15 (Jul 5, 2006)

Hm, I'm at about 25 weeks, and only just recently I've noticed that my more aloof cat keeps wanting to snuggle with me. It's pretty cute. They're both boys, but I guess they somehow know. My female beagle on the other hand is completely oblivious, as usual. Adorable, but clueless.


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