5 reasons why a cat sleeps next to its owner

Cats are interesting animals. They are quite independent, but at the same time insist on regular attention from their family members. They often sleep, but can be quite playful while they are awake. Sometimes they can be loud and annoying, and sometimes they can be sweet and cuddly. Luckily, most cats like to rest at night, just like their human companions.

Getting settled at night usually means going to bed. So, you might be wondering why your cat likes to sleep next to you every night. Is their own bed not comfortable enough? It turns out that cats like to sleep next to people for more reasons than comfort. Here are the reasons why your cat may like to sleep next to you at night.

They defend their territory

One of the main reasons why cats love to sleep with their owners is to protect their territory. They consider the entire house to be their territory, but they also take pride in being part of the family pack. So, when their family sleeps, they want to be there to protect them as part of their territory. Their most valuable "possession" is their people, so naturally they will want to be around you all night as well as during the day.

Declaration of love

If a cat remains alone in the house for a long time, even if he was sleeping soundly all this time, the pet really misses his owner, and when he returns, he will rub against his legs, expressing his love. But how to express your love at night? To do this, the “fluffy” lies down next to or on the owner’s stomach and demonstrates his feelings with his rumbling.

Although cats are considered selfish animals, they sincerely and selflessly love their family and owner, and they can demonstrate this only by giving their warmth during sleep, and they do not wait for a person to fall asleep, but climb into his arms and fall asleep, demonstrating their feelings. To show him reciprocal love, just scratch him behind the ear.

They like communication

Another reason why cats love to sleep with their human companions is that they love companionship, and having you go to bed every night is familiar to them. If you let your cat sleep with you even occasionally, it can quickly become a habit that's hard to break, especially on nights when you don't want her to sleep with you.

Furry doctor

The theory that a cat lies with a person to help cure a disease is the most popular among cat breeders. It is believed that cats sleep on humans in order to rid the owner of illness with their strong energy.

It has long been noticed that as soon as a furry pet lies down on a person’s sore spot, the pain, thanks to the warmth and comfort, gradually begins to go away . This theory also has scientific confirmation - the biofield of cats can absorb negative energy and transform it into positive. At the same time, the animal itself does not receive a negative impact, but rather strengthens its biofield in this way.

Bioenergy scientists, after a series of experiments, came to the conclusion that cats feel most comfortable in places of energy fractures, where there is an outflow of negative energy, this distinguishes cats from dogs, who, on the contrary, like to stay in places with a smooth energy field, without kinks . This becomes the main factor why a pet tends to lie down on a person’s sore spot and absorb negative energy. This feature of cats has been confirmed more than once by breeders when their pet lay strictly on a diseased organ, regardless of whether it bothered the person at that moment or not.

However, not always, if cats lie on a person, this indicates some kind of disease. Very often the pet lies on the person’s stomach or chest. Most likely, this simply happens because the stomach is very comfortable and soft, or the cat wants to help improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract with its energy. In this case, you just need to relax and enjoy spending time together.

Sometimes a pet sleeps at a person’s feet, although the owner’s feet do not bother him. In this case, his concern for human health is also manifested - the owner is on his feet all day, and although fatigue is not always felt, it is there and the cat feels it, so with his presence he relieves tension from the joints and muscles.

Ways to get your cat out of bed

If you don't want your cat to sleep next to you every night, there are a few things you can try to get her to startle before bed. Start by simply asking your cat to get out of bed before bed. If this doesn't help, try the following options:

Move the cat bed . Remove a bedside table or place a TV tray next to the bed and place one of your cat's beds on top. Hopefully your cat will sleep in her own bed and feel as if she's sleeping in yours.
Close your door . Closing the bedroom door is a surefire way to keep your cat out of bed at night. They may meow and howl the first few nights, but patience and persistence on your part should curb the irritation and help your cat accept his nighttime reality.
Offer to a friend for the night . Give your cat a new furry bedtime buddy to cuddle with in bed. With luck, they will be satisfied with the warmth, friendship and security it offers.

One or all of these options may be right for you and your cat, so it's a good idea to try them all before deciding which ones are best for your family.

Why do cats climb into a person's bed and sleep with people?

Not all people like to find a sleeping cat in their bed. Many people think that she wants to be there because she likes it. The behavior of the animal is explained by a number of reasons:

The cat is comfortable and calm near the owner. The person is resting, and the animal is looking for a secluded place. So it goes to bed.
The owner's bed attracts the animal. The cat is a selfish and intelligent creature. He believes that the owner will not choose an uncomfortable place for himself. Therefore, the furry pet is ready to get there while the person is sleeping.
Association with mother's warmth. In the subconscious, animals remember maternal warmth.
A cat's body temperature is higher than a human's. The cat has sensitive temperature receptors, and this explains the desire to receive more warmth. The place of attraction in the apartment is the bed, and the cat constantly needs an additional portion of warmth.

Surprisingly, the cat tries to climb on top of its owner. He won't be content with a spot on the edge of the bed.

Final comments

Many people don't mind their cats sleeping next to them. However, not every cat owner feels the same way. I hope the information presented here will help you understand the reasons why your cat insists on sleeping with you and what you can do about it if you don't like it. How do you feel about cats sleeping with their human companions? Let us know what you think in our comments section.

Posted by Christian Adams An American expat living in Metro Manila, Philippines for over a decade, Christian is a lifelong cat lover and the proud father of two rescue cats, Trixie and Chloe. Both girls used to be among the crowds of homeless people who roam the cities and countryside. Three-year-old Trixie was rescued from a litter found under a neighbor's porch, and two-year-old Chloe was brought home by Christian's young son, Henry, who discovered the crying kitten in the parking lot.

How to wean a cat from co-sleeping

If for some reason you do not want to share a bed with your pet, you should try to wean the animal from the established habit. To do this, create a comfortable and warm place for your pet to sleep, it can be:

cozy soft bedding;
sun lounger with high sides;
a hanging lounger that is attached to the radiator;
cute hut;
full house with roof
lounger with wall mount and other options.

You can buy a cozy house, a soft bed or a comfortable hammock for your cat here:

Live alarm clock

Pets living with one owner take a long time to get used to the rhythm of human life. Often after a hard day at work, when you go to bed late, you can fall asleep so soundly that you won’t wake up from the alarm. An animal accustomed to getting up at a certain time will do everything possible to wake up its owner. For this purpose, cats purr, lick their hands, face, and try to remove the blanket. After repeated attempts by the animal to attract attention, you will have to stand up.

Keep in mind that sleeping next to an animal may not be safe, especially when the animal is walking down the street. To avoid unpleasant moments, before the animal tries to climb into the owner’s bed, you need to wash its paws. Animals that have taken a fancy to their owner's bed must be treated for skin and intestinal parasites. If you suffer from allergies, groom your pet regularly by brushing it. Beware of animals wanting to sleep near small children.

Punishment or ignoring

Is it possible to physically punish a cat? Sometimes this is necessary, and sometimes it can lead to a more severe form of aggression. Having hurt your ward, you explain with your fingers that you are stronger and are able to defend yourself.

If the cause of aggression lies in complexes or insecurity, you humiliate the ward even more than provoke him to more desperate methods of defense. Be that as it may, try to avoid physical punishment, and if the situation is critical, do not break the following rules:

Do not punish with punches or kicks - a rolled-up newspaper, a thin cord, or the click of a stretched elastic band is much more effective and safer. When struck with a palm, a vibration runs through the animal’s body, affecting not only the skin, but also the internal organs.

Do not lock yourself in a confined space - this method is necessary only in case of violent rage or an uncontrolled attack of all living things. Locking a kitten in the bathroom “to make it think” is a critically incorrect strategy that humiliates the pet.

Punish only after the fact of what happened - even 2-3 minutes after the offense, punishment is useless and in the gases of the ward, it looks like deliberate humiliation.

We suggest you familiarize yourself with: Munchkin cats with short legs

Desire to show superiority

For many cats, lying on a person's body is evidence of dominance over him. This is how a furry friend marks his territory, leaving his scent on the pillow. This shows that the person belongs to you and can feel like an emperor. This is especially true if there are other animals in the family. The narcissistic pet shows a special closeness to the owner among members of the tribe, thereby showing a certain amount of its selfishness. In addition, the cat's instinct tells who is boss in the house. For his own safety, his four-legged friend prefers to sleep with his family.

Ringworm and other types of skin mycoses

Ringworm is a skin disease accompanied by:

the formation of a small rash;
damage to fur and claws.

This disease can occur due to a viral infection or reduced immunity of the animal.

There are the following factors that contribute to the development of lichen in pets living at home:

walking outside without supervision;
treatment with immunosuppressants;
malnutrition;
parasite infection;
malignant formations.

The most common causes of ringworm in cats are those caused by fungal infections. There are several types of lichen:

Ringworm, which is based on fungal diseases. This type is easily transmitted to humans, especially to young children. Fungal spores remain viable for 5-10 years because they are resistant to environmental influences.
Versicolor or pityriasis versicolor, which is a dangerous disease. The cause of its occurrence is a yeast-like fungus, which under certain conditions transforms into a pathogenic form.
A shingles or pink appearance that appears when immunity is reduced and is of an allergic nature.
Eczema or tinea versicolor manifests itself in animals as an allergic reaction to a specific irritant and is not transmitted through contact with humans or other animals. Allergies can be caused by exposure to household chemicals, a malfunction within the body, or stress.

All types of lichen in cats have common symptoms:

hair loss;
inflammation of the skin accompanied by peeling;
change in pigmentation;
severe scabies.

If you suspect lichen, the cat should be isolated immediately. A glazed balcony, loggia or separate room is suitable for this; you need to make sure that the room is warm. After this, you need to contact a veterinarian to establish through diagnostics the cause of the cat’s itching and methods of treating it.

To prevent such diseases from occurring in cats, it is recommended to periodically vaccinate them for preventive purposes.