Do Cats Know When You’re Pregnant? What Research Says

Pregnancy is a magical, special time for mothers-to-be. Your body undergoes a lot of changes as it prepares to create life. And if you have pets, you may have noticed them behaving differently around you. Cats, in particular, are highly intuitive and notice changes in their humans and the overall shift in your family’s dynamics.

So, do cats know when you’re pregnant? Keep reading to find out whether cats are reliable pregnancy detectors so you can watch your feline more closely!

Do Cats Know When You’re Pregnant?

Well, yes and no.

Cats can sense your pregnancy, but not because they understand you are carrying a baby inside you. They detect the physical changes your body is experiencing.

While there is no conclusive scientific evidence to prove this, cats notice the changes happening in your body and act accordingly.
Your cat may sense something is happening with your body even before you have a hunch that you are expecting.

Cats have a very strong olfactory system that’s 14 times stronger than yours. So, it is no surprise that your cat can detect the hormonal changes happening in your body during pregnancy.

Aside from the fact that they can smell these changes, cats also take cues from the changes in your behavior that you exhibit.

How Do Cats Sense Your Pregnancy?

Here are some major factors that cats tend to notice, which alert them to your pregnancy.

#1. Your body odor changes.

Your body odor will change when you are pregnant. The reason for this is the sudden spike of pregnancy hormones, so you may soon notice that your underarm is emitting more scent than usual.

Your body produces more human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) hormones, estrogen, and progesterone, all of which create a more pronounced body odor. And your cat will pick the scent up right away.

#2. Your body temperature rises.

Being pregnant will typically result in your feeling warm almost all the time; your hormonal changes are the culprit behind this, too, along with the increased blood flow.

Cats love heat, so your increased body heat makes you a great pillow for your pet! You may find your cat napping on your lap more. Enjoy it while it lasts because once your temperature goes back to normal, it will take a lot of convincing for your cat to cuddle with you.

#3. Your body language is not the “usual”.

If you’ve had your cat for a long time, you’d be surprised at how well-accustomed your pet is when it comes to reading your body language.

And when your bump is more prominent and there are changes in your posture and the way you walk or move, your cat will get used to reading your movements. These changes show your cat something’s going on with you; it just doesn’t know that you’re carrying another life in you.

Does Your Cat’s Behavior Change While You’re Pregnant?

Cats are highly unpredictable animals. They’ll cuddle with you, and let you love them only on their terms.

But when you are pregnant, you’ll notice that your cat behaves differently — often in a good way. Below are some of the changes in behaviors that your cat may exhibit:

#1. Clingy Cat

Cats are notorious for ignoring their humans and living in a world of their own. But now that you are pregnant, your cat has turned into your four-legged shadow.

Some cats become extremely protective when they detect changes in their human. Your cat may become affectionate, clingy, and cuddly because of the hormonal changes it knows you are going through.

And being close to you indicates that your cat is in its protective mode. Cats are quite territorial, so it’s natural that they will also want to protect you.

#2. Belly Buddy

Apart from their keen sense of smell, cats also have exceptional hearing. So, your cat may be hearing your baby’s heartbeat in your belly.

So, your cat may affectionately press against your belly. And if your cat is being extra loving, it might even lie down on your bump.
Your cat does this because it senses your child moving and wants to be included in what’s happening in your body.

Expect your pet to follow you, check on you, and make sure you are okay. There are even instances when your cat would put its paws on your belly and start lovingly and gently making biscuits.

#3. Gift Galore

If you find yourself the recipient of many gifts from your cat, from stuffed animals lying around the house to a candy wrapper, it’s a sign your cat wants to contribute to the significant changes happening in your body and life.

Given their instinct to hunt, the fruits of your cat’s labor are only given to its favorite person. And if you are pregnant, you are favored for the next eight months!

#4. Typical Cat

Some cats may show all these affectionate and positive changes, but some others may not.

Your cat might ignore you, withdraw from you, and just live its best life without paying any attention to you. After all, it is still a cat. And pregnant or not, your cat will continue to live its independent life, minding its own business, and just relying on you for its meals.