Question about pets - need advice please

I know I haven't been around much lately (DH has been working his busy season and I've been on my own for a month) ,but I need some advice.

We have a 4 year old cat. She is actually a good cat. She doesn't scratch or bite. Never goes in the crib. She lets DD kiss her and pet her and when she doesn't want to be bothered she just walks away. The only thing I've ever seen the cat do to DD is occassionally swat at her when she walks by (no claws). Not sure if its playing or aggression though.

Anyway my real issue iaround the cat is her crying. Over the last few months, believe it or not the cat wakes us up every morning, not DD. DH & I haven't gotten a good nights sleep in 4 months thanks to the cat.

Ever since the DD came home she slowly became aggressive with us (rough playing) and crying early in the morning. I can not bring myself to find her a new home because she is part of the family (and esp since she's not a threat to the DD.)

Did anyone else experience this? Any advice on how to stop it? My DD is 16 months old so it's not like an adjustment period. Do you think she's sensing the 2nd baby coming????

I'm so tired

Re: Question about pets - need advice please

We keep our cats in our basement at night (it's a finished basement) because they cry and scratch on our bedroom door nonstop from 4 in the morning on if we let them stay upstairs. This happened way before I had DD. Animals can def sense things. Do you have a room or a place you can put the cat at night so that you can get some decent sleep?

Re: Question about pets - need advice please

I actually started having this problem with my cat when I was pregnant. I usually have to get up at 6-6:30 and the cat was getting up at 5-5:30 wanting to be fed, play, etc. It was driving me nuts. I started throwing him in the basement and locking the door until I was ready to get up, but then he started going to the bathroom down there and scratching at the door. The best solution we came up with it to play hard with him right before I go to bed. Got a good toy on the end of an elastic line on a sticka nd just wave the thing back and forth and let him chase it like a maniac. Your spending time with him, which may have changed since havign the baby, and your pooping him out to sleep longer. I don't do it as much as I should, but when I do, he sleeps throught the night. Good Luck!

Re: Question about pets - need advice please

we keep our cat in the basement at night...in the morning he gets to come back upstairs for the day and have free run of the house.

Re: Question about pets - need advice please

Re: Question about pets - need advice please

is she fixed??? could she be in heat?? sometimes even if there fixed and there is a unnutered male around they still cry.. is this something that just started when it got nice...

Re: Question about pets - need advice please

Re: Question about pets - need advice please

I wish I knew- my cats (i have two) do this- it is so annoying and I hate them....
they want to be fed- and inow that it is getting light out earlier, they wake up earlier and cry for food..

Re: Question about pets - need advice please

Jodi

Dont give her up. Im at my wits end with my dogs too. Especially Missy. She is a nightmare. She barks a lot and also whines. I fear that she will wake the baby up all the time. The dogs dont sleep late at all either. I could never, ever give her up. Who knows what will happen to her if i do.

She might be sensing something. She obviously means a lot to you since your user name is her name. LOL.

I just feel that the reason of her waking you up isnt enough to get rid of her. Are you paying enough attention to her? It could be that also. Im sorry you are going through this but Charly was your first baby and to see her go would be very heartbreaking for you. Tell Steve to suck it up. hahaha

Re: Question about pets - need advice please

Maybe she needs a little more attention, as if you don't have enough on your plate.

From day one when we brought DD home we still continued to play with our choc. lab like always. My husband goes out with her everyday after work to play ball with her which I think is great. Our dog is so good with DD, DD will lay all over her, kiss her, etc. She just loves her and Hershey loves our DD.

I think the animals just need the attention and this may be their way of acting out saying they are not getting enough.