Did your cats change when you were pregnant? Are they protective in general?

Just wondering for those who've had kitties while being pregnant. Lily and Smudge are a little more snuggly, but Stumpy is a different cat!

She's been soooooo much more affectionate since I've been pregnant, and snuggles with me constantly now, usually against my belly. And she doesn't just sit there, she snuggles right into me, rolls over and purrs like mad and nuzzles against me.

Stumpy is the only one out of our 3 who has been pregnant - she miscarried when she got hit by a car, and she's also the matriarch of the household.

Stumpy and Smudge aren't really close, but whenever Smudge was a baby and her and Lily wrestled, as soon as Smudge started squealing, Stumpy would come running in to make sure she was ok, and if Lily kept wrestling, Stumpy would bop her over the head. Stumpy would generally be nearby just supervising the two of them. She didn't want anything to do with Smudge, but she wanted to be sure she was ok.

When we first got Lily, Stumpy would let Lily "comfort nurse" off her, because Lily was so shy and scared, and it seemed to really soothe her.

When Smudge was stuck in the blanket the other day, Stumpy was at the front door meowing at me when I come which she doesn't normally do.

A couple of times when I've been upset, Stumpy has come running over to me as soon as I've started crying. Today I'm home sick and she won't leave my side. If I go upstairs, she comes upstairs, if I go downstairs, she's right there. If I go the toilet, she sits next to the sink and waits for me (yes, she's rather insistent on being right there with me.... )

So I wonder if she just has a maternal instinct and can sense when we're not well, and can sense that I'm pregnant and wants to try to "protect" me? It sounds really odd, but I swear she knows, she has NEVER been this affectionate (except when we were fostering her and she was injured and "pregnant"), and nothing else has changed.

Has anyone else experienced this? Either with pregnancy, or even a long term illness? Have any of your cats gotten protective of you?

My Oreo did that when I was pregnant with both the boys... They can sense when you're pregnant.... at least I think they can

I wonder if any studies have been done?

I do not recall any of my cats personalities changing while I was pregnant. But that was many years ago.

The only thing I can recall is my niece saying her cat was a bit miffed that his "lap" was shrinking as her pregnancy progressed.

Last year, after I got out of the hospital (the accident), Topaz started sleeping with me. Prior to this she would prefer I not be near her.

I definately noticed during both of my pregnancy that 3 of the cats got very affectionate, with extra snuggling and purring right against the belly. Now, both of my boys just love cats (sometimes too much). There is something about pregnancy that they love. I am positive that with their extra sensitive senses they can hear the new heart beat and I bet pregnant people smell different.