Clingy cat and baby?

[thenardier]

Hello everyone!

I have an 8yo female cat who is very dependent on me and I am dependent on her as well to be honest.
I've had her since she was a kitten and I work from home so I spend pretty much every minute of every day with her.
She follows me around everywhere I go (bathroom, kitchen, closet, anywhere) and several times during the day she'll randomly start meowing intensly at me for food or attention or sometimes I don't know what. She literally puts me to bed every night by meowing my ears off until I go to bed, and she wakes me up every morning. She wont eat breakfast in the morning until I have sat down in my chair next to her food bowls and whenever I've been away she wont eat anything the first couple of days that I'm gone (or if I just leave the house for the day she wont eat until I get back home). She is not like this with my husband, she will show him affection too but not nearly as much as she does with me. I'm the only one who gets to hold her, she only sleeps on my side of the bed, she only follows me around ect.

So anyway, I am afraid she might be lonely or stressed and I often wonder if it would help her to get another cat to play with?
However from what I've read that could possibly make her more stressed or insecure. She is an indoor cat but when she was younger she would sometimes go outside. I stopped letting her outside because she kept getting into fights or accidents. When she sees another cat outside the window she will either hiss at them and get very stressed - OR she wont care AT ALL and not even look at them and I KNOW she can hear them. So that is pretty confusing in regards to previous experiences with other kittys. She can still be playful like a kitten sometimes however she gets tired after a while.

Also, my husband and I are trying to get pregnant and I have wanted a baby for a very long time however now I am so scared about how that will play out with my cat. I really love my cat more than anything and I don't want her to feel alone or left out or less important than a baby. I keep imagining the scene from Lady and the Tramp where Lady's owners have a baby and she's pushed to the side and then I second-guess having a baby. But that is crazy because I have been looking forward to this for so long. I can't just put my whole life on hold and not have child because I have a cat. Any tips on how to keep your cat feeling safe and secure while also having a baby? (Also my cat hates children. Any time my niese and nephew come around she'll run away and hide.)

Thanks for reading and I appreciate all the advice I can get!

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi there! I have a 15+ yo cat who is a lot like yours, although there are times when she is happy to be alone (kind of anyway). She also hates other cats and will have horrible fits when seeing one. Oddly enough, there have been a couple of times when a stray cat was in our yard and Feeby didn't see it, but surely could smell it and she had no reaction. She spends a lot of time on our screened in patio, and one time the stray was within 3 feet of her but she did not see it and did not react!! I would never attempt to bring in another cat based on her overall behavior.

However, a baby could be a different matter, especially if your cat would get used to the idea and adapt to the baby before it gets to the point of crawling/walking/running around as most kids do. Here is a TCS article on the matter (and another one about jealousy, as well) that maybe you could look through for tips/advice on the subject?

Cats And Babies: All Your Questions Answered!

Do Cats Get Jealous? (And What To Do About It When They Do) - TheCatSite

Do cats get jealous? Uncover the truth in this comprehensive guide that explores feline behavior, the concept of jealousy in cats, and offers practical advice to create a happier environment for your pet.

thecatsite.com

Hope this helps until other members see your post and can offer their first hand experiences!!

 

[Alicia88]

I have an extraordinarily clingy cat. All 3 of mine are clingy, but Murphy really takes the cake. It's pretty ridiculous. I've had him for more than 3 years. I have a son who will be 2 in January. A picture is worth a thousand words.

Nuff said? My cats are great with him. From the day we brought him home, I would take his little hand and help him pet the kitties. He's pretty good at being gentle. Sometimes, his toddlerness takes over and when the cats get annoyed, they go to another room. We haven't had any issues, except for an accidental scratch when Murphy missed him mark on a jump and panicked, catching the baby on his way down.