Why Does My Cat Sleep At The Foot Of The Bed
There is nothing quite like being in a happy slumber and waking up feeling extremely uncomfortable. Only to wake up and find your cat sleeping at the foot of your bed.
While cats tend to spend their days napping, a lot of our feline friends also like to sleep with their humans at night.
Most cats may not stay in bed the entire eight hours, but that doesn’t mean they don’t want to start or end the night at your feet.
You should feel loved knowing your cat chooses your bed for their nighttime naps, but why are they always by your feet?
Here are a few reasons why cats choose to sleep at the foot of the bed instead of by the pillows, on your lap, or even in another room.
Reason One: Your Cat Finds It Comforting
For people who think that cats aren’t affectionate, hasn’t given cats a true chance.
Cats can be just as loving as dogs, and they like to show those feelings with physical touch and proximity. When you’re calm and quiet, they see a perfect opportunity to get cuddly.
If your cat is not as affectionate as others, having you near them is their way of showing you they care.
Being close to a favorite human helps a cat feel safe and comfortable. Those positive emotions are strong enough to convince your cat to join you at every bed time. Even if they’re barely touching your feet over the blankets, they know you’re nearby and feel better off because of it.
Reason Two: You Protect Them, And The Protect You
Comfort does play a big role in a cats life, but so does instinct.
Oftentimes cats will choose to sleep at the foot of the bed because it makes them feel protected.
Their natural instincts have them most vulnerable when they are sleeping and going to the bathroom.
They know, however, that there is strength in numbers. A potential threat is less likely to attack a group than a singular sleeper. And if something bad does happen, they know whoever they’re sleeping with will help defend them.
Your cat sees you as their protector, and they know they can sleep more soundly when you’re there to have their back.
Phoebe, my oldest, has always slept with me on the bed. She welcomed my now husband when he was there too and we now end up with three cats on the bed and two humans. They know if anything happened, their humans would protect them, and if their humans couldn’t, maybe their “pack” could.
Reason Three: You’re Warm, But Not Too Warm
This one may just be me, but there is seriously nothing better than crawling into a cozy bed on a cold winter’s night.
We can’t know for sure, but chances are, cats feel the same way. They like to snuggle up in warm comfy areas.
The biggest different is they are already sleeping with a winter coat, so they want to be warm but not overheated.
Your bedspread is great for getting cozy, but your body heat can sometimes be too much for a fluffy feline.
By sleeping at the foot of the bed, maybe touching your toes or shins, your cat gets some of your heat, but not too much.
My kitten who is much tinier than the rest of our cats love to sleep right in between my legs…high up too. When I move around at night, she doesn’t seem to care and moves right with me. My only assumption is that I am warm, and she is little and cold.
>> Don’t Love Your Cat On The Bed? Spoil them with their own Cat Bed!
Reason Four: That’s Their “Perfect” Place On The Bed
So I mentioned that Phoebe, my oldest, always slept with me on the bed.
Even alone, I tend to sleep on one side of the best, which meant that she had a corner of the bed that I would NEVER touch.
It was her perfect spot.
Even now with my husband and with other cats, she instead sleeps at the foot of my bed. Just on my side this time.
Why? Simple! I’m shorter, and my feet still barely touch her unless I wiggle down the bed.
Your cat has no qualms about waking you up from a deep sleep, but they hate to be disturbed themselves.
When we wake our sleeping cats, you would think we just told them they were getting adopted out.
If you wake a sleeping cat, they’re most likely going to get up and leave in protest. You can do your best to not move when they’re napping on your lap during the day, but nighttime sleeping is a little different.
Cats are generally light sleepers, and your normal sleepy time movements can easily wake up your cat.
Your cat probably knows this, and they also know they have more room, and there’s less chance you’ll roll on top of them, when they sleep at the foot of the bed.
While I love that my kitten sleeps in between my legs, I know she moves around a lot at night. I see and feel her moving and that’s only when I’m awake enough to notice.
Your cat knows they’ll sleep better if they keep at least a little bit of distance.
Conclusion
Why does my cat sleep at the foot of the bed? Cats sleep at the foot of the bed for many reasons. But it all boils down to one simple thing: They love you!
Whether you are their comfort, their protector, or their heat source you bring them pleasure and it is a routine that they want to keep up going into the nighttime hours.
While we will never know the exact reason why each cat does the things they do, hopefully this helps you start knowing what to look for.
Regardless, sleeping in your bed is a good sign that you have a strong bond with your cat.