Ten signs he's about to cheat

8. He is suddenly forgiving of his cheating friends
Rather than condemning his buddies for cheating on their partners, he finds reasons to empathise. Sure, his best pal might be having an affair, but his girlfriend had it coming to her for putting on 10 pounds. So what if she was pregnant? He shares his friend's motivations and finds himself able to rationalise even their most caveman-like behaviour.

9. He feels trapped
He feels completely ensnared and he's not even sure how it happened. One moment he was happily picking berries and catching salmon in the river, the next he's concealed behind glass in a five-foot enclosure and being viewed by hundreds of grubby schoolkids every day. Like any trapped animal, he resents his lack of freedom and is eager to return to the wild. Chances are he's also terrified that if he stays with his current partner she will be the last person he will ever have sex with (for free, anyhow).

10. He creates a web of excuses and stories
Once reticent and quiet, he's suddenly become a better storyteller than Mother Goose. He never leaves the house without an alibi, and he's constantly lying about the women with whom he's been spending time. He may not have done anything yet, but he's clearly preparing himself for the day when he does.

Honorable Mention: He puts himself in prime situations for meeting women
He starts enrolling in salsa and cooking classes... by himself. Perhaps he finds reasons to work late and crunch numbers with that attractive (and slightly dimwitted) intern. Maybe he's even become the one male member of a feminist book club. The point is he's beginning to play the field more aggressively than Jonny Wilkinson.

Cheating the System
Do these signs sound familiar? These sudden - and cumulative - changes in his personality, words and actions could mean he's planning to run into the arms of another woman. Before he does, however, he might need reminding that any relationship worth saving can be saved through open and honest communication and that affairs, however tempting, will undoubtedly blow up in his face.

After all, once trust has been lost, it can never fully be regained. In the end, remember the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson: 'It is impossible for a man to be cheated by anyone but himself.' Proceed cautiously in these delicate affairs of the heart.

More from AskMen.com:

Why women consider cheating Why do people cheat? Can women forgive a cheating man?