Woman accidentally captures the surreal moment when her pet cat realizes she is pregnant

Cats are creatures of impeccable sensory powers. They are highly attuned to their environment and may discern the subtlest of changes in it due to their enhanced abilities, particularly in their sense of touch called proprioception, per a Pet Wellbeing report. Pet owners have hinted at their cat’s superior awareness, especially during pregnancy, and it is something science has failed to explain. People have reported that their cats often get snuggly or tender when around their pregnant human and try to accompany them everywhere. By the same token, Mel Kapetani, who goes by @melkapetani on TikTok, shared a striking video of her cat realizing that she is pregnant, proving that cats do behave differently around pregnant women.

The heartwarming snippet she captured inadvertently, viewed over 12.3 million times, shows the pet owner resting on a couch with her pregnant belly out. Her pet cat, who is perched on the side of the couch, stares intently at her belly, as if it had sensed life inside it. Then, the cat slowly moves towards her and sniffs her belly button, trying to figure out whether a baby is underway. In a surprising move, the adorable pet gently lays its paw on her belly twice, much like how humans do to feel the baby, and then glances straight at the pregnant woman. “Oh my God! I’m literally crying,” Kapetani said while her cat retraced her steps back to the couch’s handrest. “You are so cute,” she giggled, ending the beautiful video. “My cat just realized there’s a baby in my belly,” the overlay text stated with a skull emoji. 

With more than 2.7 million likes, the sweet moment was a hit among viewers. A person (@normal_chaos) enlightened, “Fun fact. Female cats have and raise kittens together. Sharing milk, bathing, and teaching hunting skills. Cats see humans as large cats.” While another (@jennarama0329) admitted, “I’m not even a ‘cat person’ but that is precious.” Noting the gentle paws on the pregnant belly, a fellow TikTok user (@deborahstratton) said, “Aww, he was so careful and gentle.” “The cat gave the baby a high five,” chimed in someone else (@chanaiershears). A thoughtful note by @wednesdaycoe shared, “His sweet face! I’m convinced he could hear and was responding to the baby’s thoughts inside. He’s going to be a good big brother.”

However, several people were sharing similar experiences of their cat’s changed behavior around pregnancy. “Oh my! My girl cat did that too and spent 6 months sleeping curled around my belly, hissing at everyone who came near me,” recalled @daisydream757. Similarly, @ecs.555 shared, “As soon as my mum got pregnant with me, our cat stopped lying on her and she found out she was pregnant a few weeks later.” On a different note, @madelynnichole revealed, “Good luck, when my mom’s cat found out she got jealous and peed all over my nursery.” The mix of reactions from people added to the wholesome moment and goes on to prove that cats are highly sensitive animals. Also, they make great partners during pregnancy.

Animal behaviorist Mark Vette explained the sensory mechanism that plays in cats. “They sense and interpret stimuli regarding position, motion, and balance, which allows them to perform complex movements with remarkable precision and agility,” he wrote in a Facebook post. As mentioned above, their proprioception is often referred to as their “sixth sense.” According to him, the multi-component feedback system in cats makes them the way they are. 

You can follow @melkapetani on TikTok for more videos.