Odd question about cats

[Guest]

We've a persnickety tuxedo cat named Sebastian who, until the past month, loved to jump into my lap and let me pet him until I was soaked in kitty drool. Now he'll jump in my lap, look at me, then jump off. He'll still let me pet him but not in my lap. This change in behavior came about the same time my crotch area and urine started smelling differently after 10 months on HRT. I'm curious if anyone else has had any experiences like this. I will say our male pug is indifferent to my transition as long as we feed him and provide sufficient sofa accommodations. 

[Jani]

I don't have a good answer Erica.  Cats like people change their habits.  My cat does not sit on my lap but will sit next to me.  When I first got her she would sit on my lap.  My wife's cat will sit on her lap all the time.  It may have something to do with your body odor but I'm not so sure as you've had this cat for a while.  

 

Jani

[Vidanjali]

Cats have been known to act differently when their human is pregnant or menstruating, so it's possible there is a connection to hormonal changes due to hrt. But, who can really say what cats are thinking, lol. 

[Guest]

All I know for sure is dogs beg for treats and cats demand tribute.

[Artpetal]

I strongly believe it's not related to your transition. From being around several cats for several years, I've learned that they have very offbeat personalities and can go months without being around a particular person, and then suddenly show a gorgeous amount of love all at once. Some of the cats absolutely stay away from my room for months on end only to show up again. 

[Heather Nicole]

That's an interesting question. Once I heard about the HRT changes in body odor, I'd always wondered how, or if, cats and dogs would react to it. Maybe it'd be gradual enough they wouldn't notice or care. Maybe there'd still be enough of the same "essential" scent (whatever that might be) that it would just register to them as basically the same scent, but just within some "normal" range of variance. Maybe it'd come down to their individual personalities.

 

51 minutes ago, Erica Gabriel said:

All I know for sure is dogs beg for treats and cats demand tribute.

 

Hah! 😁

 

I feel like the "cat" thing though is less like a royal decree and more like a 3 year old kid:

 

"Hey. Hey....HEY!! I'm hungry. I want food. I said I'm hungry! No! Not that one! The good one! BUT I WAAANT IT!!! I-want-it-I-want-it-I-want-it-NOW!!"