Why Does My Cat Sleep On Me?
Cats are known for being one of the more sleep pets. People actually joke that cats mostly sleep and eat which makes the one of the easiest pet.
And there is no better feeling than when your little fur-baby goes down for a cat nap ON YOU! Of course, you are forced to stay where you are so you won’t wake the cutie. But that’s not why were are here…every curious why your kitten decides to sleep on different parts of your body?
There are actually a variety of reasons cats choose to sleep on us. Here are a few:
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Bonding, Trust, and Security
Cats replenish their energy with a series of catnaps throughout the day instead of one long block of sleep like humans do. Which is why it seems like they are always sleeping.
Cats are nearly always ready to defend themselves or attack prey, so even when they might appear to be in a deep sleep, their sense of hearing and smell is acute enough that they can spring into action if need be. Even if your cat has been an indoor cat their entire lives, this habit is instinctual, which still makes me a little sad.
However, by choosing to sleep on you, your cat gets an extra level of protection and gets to bond with you at the same time.
When your cat chooses to sleep on you, it’s her way of saying “I love you. I want to be near you and spend time with you when I’m at my most vulnerable.” It also means they trust you even to protect them when they are sleeping.
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Warm Areas of Your Body
Cats are naturally attracted to warm places. You may have seen your cat hanging out near a heater or a wood stove on especially cold days. My cats are almost always sleeping near a fireplace when it is turned on.
Some parts of your body are warmer than others, and that may be why your cat chooses to sleep on them. These might include your chest, lap or even your face! This could also be why cats love to sleep on men…they just seem to radiate heat.
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Your Cat Is a Social Sleeper
Some kitties are naturally social sleepers.
Early on in their lives, they snuggle up to mom to take a nap and often with their brothers and sisters in their litter.
So it stands to reason that, in addition to your body warmth, they also may like the sound of your heartbeat and the rhythm of your breath while you sleep, causing them to curl up on your lap or chest for a nap.
When my kittens were little, they would sleep on my chest a lot, which I always thought it was like skin to skin with babies, it makes them feel safe to sleep peacefully.
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Positives Of Your Cat Sleeping With You
Stress Relief – When you have had a stressful day there is nothing more relaxing than snuggling into bed with your cat and a good book or a movie.
All animals are a great stress relief. And it is really hard to be in a bad mood when your cat climbs up on you.
Bond with your cat – The more time you spend with your cat the greater the bond you will have with them. Cats can also bond with a person, usually depending on personality and the amount of time you spend with them.
Chloe, on our kittens is attached to my husband! He calls her name and she goes running. It’s a cute bond that makes all her little cat antics worth it.
Cats are very loyal animals and will soon become your best friend. People tend to assume that cats are independent and don’t need a lot of time and attention, however, they can be just as loyal to their owners as a dog.
Negatives Of Your Cat Sleeping With You
There are a lot of positives to have your cat sleep with you. I would be remise if I didn’t bring up some negatives to sleep with your cats.
Dirty Feet – Cats are outside a lot of the time and can bring in all sorts of mud and dirt on their paws. They also will either be toileting outside or using a litter tray and could transfer some of this dirt onto your bed.
Cats sleep where they are comfortable, not you – this means that cats can cause us to sleep in weird positions and not get a good night sleep.
If you are uncomfortable, may suggest a cat bed, or hammock
Allergies – You may find that pet hair in your bed causes you to suffer from allergies. If you tend to be even the slightest bit allergic to cats, it’s probably best if they don’t sleep in bed with you.
Why Does My Cat Sleep On ?
Now that we know why cats sleep on us, lets deep dive in to the reasons why cats choose to sleep on various parts of our bodies:
Why does my cat sleep on my pillow?
Sometimes if cats get too hot, they may not want to sleep ON you, but still want to feel close to you. And what is going to smell more like you than your pillow?
Phoebe likes to sleep on my sweatshirts or towels. They smell like me without having to have me right there with her. The same thing is true for pillows.
Why does my cat sleep on my legs?
As I mentioned earlier, cats sleep on you to feel protected. What is one place they are completely protected, almost hidden from the world? Between your legs. Cats sleep at the foot of the bed between your legs as way to feel safe and cozy.
Not all cats like to sleep on your chest, but legs are close enough to bond and feel safe from everyone else. Wobbles is our feral cat. She is still fairly skittish. However, she will jump on the bed at night and sleep right in the nook of my legs.
She feels safe, without completely letting her guard down to the outside world.
Why do cats sleep on your head?
Do you ever feel like your cat is a jerk and you wake up barely able to breathe because your cat is on your head?!
Cats will sometimes sleep on your head because your breathe is warm and they want to be close to you. One of my cats loves to sleep in the crook of my neck. I had my husband take a picture and it’s kind of the same thing as the legs. They can feel secure around your neck, with the addition of feeling your heartbeat and being close to you.
So they aren’t being a jerk, they just forget that we breathe through our noses and mouths! 🙂
Why do cats sleep next to you?
Finally, every notice your cat doesn’t sleep in between your legs or on you, but right next to you. For them that is their level of comfort.
They may not want to snuggle with you, but it brings them a certain level of comfort to know you are near. More of the security when vulnerable aspect.
Is it OK for cats to sleep with you?
Of course it is okay for cats to sleep on you. In full transparency, this post took way too long to write because my kittens kept jumping up and sleeping on me. I am also a pushover when they do that, so partly my fault.
The truth is, as long as you are still able to get a good night sleep, it is perfectly okay for your cat to sleep on your, or sleep in bed with you. It really come down to personal preferences.
If you do decide not to have your cat sleep on the bed with you, still with it. Don’t flip flop, it will only confuse your cat. Instead get them an awesome cat bed to sleep in, or a cute hammock to put in your bedroom instead.