Do you let your cat sleep in your bed with you at night?

sparkymema

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Jul 9, 2015
Messages
237
Purraise
69

Does your cat sleep with you at night?

Do you like it or dislike it?

Do you believe what some doctors say is true, that sleeping with your pet can lead to health problems?

Where does your cat sleep in your bed?

Why do you think cats do this?

FYI, All of my cats sleep in my bed  =)
 
Last edited:

allmykitties

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Mar 8, 2016
Messages
543
Purraise
1,205
Location
southern IL
Yes, I generally have 2-3 of my 5 cats on my bed with me at night (1 is with my daughter, 1 is with my sons, and one of the other three may or may not be on the bed).

I personally (purrs-onally) like it ... the purring helps me go to sleep.

"sleeping with your pet can lead to health problems?" .... I don't believe it at all.  They help me get a better night's sleep.

Circe sleeps snugged up against me.  I am usually a side-sleeper, and she's generally next to my chest.  My knees are usually bent and Autumn sleeps in the corner that is made by the backs of my knees.  Cozy sleeps around the foot of the bed if she's there at all.

Why do they do it?  Because they can.
 

donutte

Professional cat sitter extraordinaire!
Top Cat
Joined
Apr 22, 2015
Messages
5,775
Purraise
2,554
Location
Northern suburbs of Chicago
Most definitely. Anywhere between one and three (out of five) sleep with me. Oliver is always with me at some point, usually up near the crook of my arm next to my body, or laying across my chest/stomach. Oscar is either next to him or near my feet. Same for Pea-Pea.

Sara usually has various spots she sleeps, generally on the floor though. Maple sleeps on her chair in my room. Yes, HER chair. Either that, or the body heat reflecting pad we have the the couch in the living room.

I don't think it's unhealthy to have them there, not at all!
 

haleyds

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Oct 16, 2015
Messages
576
Purraise
264
Location
North Carolina
Yes my baby sleeps with me, right on my neck or right above my head.
And no, at this point in her life I do not love it [emoji]128514[/emoji]
She's a baby kitty and that means every two hours is play time, aka wake mommy up and bite her fingers and pounce on her head.
When she's older, I'm sure it'll be a lovely thing [emoji]128514[/emoji]
 

govtlawyer

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
Feb 18, 2016
Messages
124
Purraise
28
My older cat snuggles next to my head in the morning just before the alarm goes off.  My baby Lucy sleeps with me either on one arm or behind my back.  I wake up sometimes and feel for her.  Occasionally she doesn't register my touch and I fear I rolled over her and crushed her - which of course I didn't.  

One of my cats years ago would sleep behind my knees and if I rolled over she would climb over my legs as I rolled to position herself behind my knees - only on the new side.

I found through the years that they sleep with me more so in the colder months if my apartment was cool than in the hotter months.  It always made sense to me that they appreciate the warmth of my body, as I do theirs.

What's the sense in having a cat if he/she doesn't sleep with you?
 

DreamerRose

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 11, 2015
Messages
8,744
Purraise
11,085
Location
Naperville, IL
I would let him, but Mingo doesn't like to. He's there in the morning to wake me up by curling up near my face and purring. Those are a few moments to treasure every day.
 

lavishsqualor

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Apr 27, 2015
Messages
1,954
Purraise
3,150
Yes!  Atticus and Thirteen have always slept on my bed.  I have two small dog beds on top of my bed and they've slept in those since they were tiny kittens.  In fact, after I brush my teeth at night I look at Atticus and Thirteen and say, "Go get in your cat bed!  Let's go get in our cat beds!" And they both practically pounce on my bed!  Of course . . . they know their bedtime treats are coming so that might be their true motivation.  Once they get on my bed they get their nighttime treats.  Then they each get in a dog bed (or sometimes they sleep in the same bed) and start grooming.  Once they're through grooming it's lights out. They will get up a few times during the night but by the time my alarm goes off in the morning they're back on my bed, looking at me all bleary-eyed and sleepy.  

I would REALLY be upset if they stopped sleeping in my bed.  I love waking up at night, reaching over to nuzzle a sleepy kitty's head and then hearing and feeling the ensuing purr . . . purr . . . purr. . . .

There's nothing more comforting and relaxing.
 
Last edited:

MoochNNoodles

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Apr 30, 2005
Messages
36,646
Purraise
23,463
Location
Where my cats are
Ours do not sleep with us  DH is allergic; so the bed is a cat-free zone.  I fall asleep on the couch most evenings with Mooch on top of me and Noodles is often on the back of the couch.  

Growing up my cats always slept with me.  As a teen it was just habit to wake to the noise of the cats wanting in and out of my room and I'd let them in and out a couple times a night.  Now; that would irritate me to no end! 
  Plus I've gotten used to not having to be careful of them in the bed when I move.  
 

luna tuna

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
Feb 1, 2016
Messages
132
Purraise
15
Location
Kansas
Luna sleeps on my bed, usually at the foot but sometimes on my pillow and sometimes I curl around her. When I'm not in my bed, she naps right in the middle. She's an ESA, so her sleeping with me is actually a huge part of her job. If she's purring against my chest, I can always sleep. It helps especially when I'm anxious. Plus, studies have shown that having pets (especially cats) can improve overall health. I've never actually heard that letting pets sleep on your bed might not be good for you.
Luna naps occasionally on the little bed she has, but seeing her on it is always a surprise.

I think that as much as cats like to pretend they dont care, they like to be close to us. Also, why not sleep in the bigger, more comfortable bed? I know I'd pick a queen bed over a camp mattress if i lived in a room with both.
 

my2cats67

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
Jun 5, 2014
Messages
148
Purraise
60
My three cats s;ep n bed wih my boy tiger avitar like to sleep under the covers next to me i find myself surrounded by my cat at night some times i can't move my boy likes to cudle under the blankets and i would miss him if e was not there
 

raina21

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Feb 9, 2016
Messages
995
Purraise
682
I dont, but not because I don't want them to. I have 2 fish tanks in my room (one 125 gallon and one 10 gallon) and both are open-top, meaning they don't have lids.

One of my cats likes to sneak into my room, jump up on the corner of my 125 gallon tank and sit on top of the tank lights. He then decides it's fun to lean down over the water and basically dip both his front paws in it all the way up to his shoulders, and then sit back up and begin rubbing the water all over himself. He doesn't care about catching the fish, he just wants to take a bath in the tank!!! So I can't trust him in my room without supervision.

My other two cats are fine with the fish tanks and don't bother them at all, but they do walk all over me if I let them sleep in my room (they are 10 and 11 pounds). They also come up and lick or nip my face/nose and it drives me nuts! And when they're not walking all over me, the majority of the time they can never stay in the same spot on the bed for more than a half hour without moving around again.

If they would just pick a spot I would probably let them sleep in here more. Haha.
 

catlitterguru

TCS Member
Young Cat
Joined
Apr 11, 2016
Messages
66
Purraise
18
Absolutely.

One loves to go under the bed to spoon and is a perfect portable heater in the winter. The other one would sit on top of my legs. I have woken up in awkward positions because both were so spread out that I had to contort myself to fit in between the nooks and crannies. 

The one on my legs is usually so sleepy that he would just stay plopped on me regardless if I move around. 
 

buddy keeper

TCS Member
Young Cat
Joined
Apr 3, 2016
Messages
24
Purraise
3
I do not let my cat sleep with me. He lets me sleep in the bed.
Usually sleeps curled up next to HIS pillow, but if I am late getting to bed, he sleeps curled up on my pillow.
As for health reasons. I have had several surgeries. I have been advised that before and after surgery to have clean sheets,blankets and sleep wear. And to not sleep with pets. I am sure this is just a cleanliness issue. (Needless to say, Buddy ignores the surgeon.)
 

loving7

TCS Member
Kitten
Joined
Apr 12, 2016
Messages
5
Purraise
8
At anytime 2-3 of my cats are on the bed. One snuggles my husbands feet after laying on my stomach. Second one is a bed hog and cuddles my front or back depending on how I lay. Third ends up between my legs near my knees or behing my knees while on my side. Maybe a health concern as I don't always sleep well being crowded but I would sleep worse not having them! Lol
 

Caspers Human

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Feb 23, 2016
Messages
2,693
Purraise
4,703
Location
Pennsylvania
On more than one occasion, I have rolled over in bed, half asleep, to discover that I'm laying on a lump in the blankets.  After a few moments of semi-conscious pondering, I realize that blanket-lumps aren't furry!

Strangely enough, Casper seems rather nonplussed about the whole thing. 


Most often, I find him sleeping between my feet.  I'm okay with that.

He will sleep ON his girl-human.  He'll walk around her, in bed, sniff her face then find a cozy spot and take residence.  She's mostly okay with that so long as he doesn't make too much fuss.  Otherwise, he'll get brushed off by a half-dozing girl-human.

We don't mind cats in bed or on the furniture as long as they understand that humans come first.

If the cat is on the furniture when a human wants to use it, we just pat the cat, gently, on the bum until he gets "annoyed" enough to leave.  If that doesn't work he gets gently picked up and put on the floor.  No scolding or anything.  Just straightforward, "Time to get down, Kitty..." and a "pat-pat-pat."

Haven't had a problem, yet.  :)
 

Geoffrey

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Apr 17, 2016
Messages
521
Purraise
387
Location
Sydney Australia
We have no choice!  Although Sukie will not let us pick her up, she slept with us from the beginning.  However every morning at 5 o'clock my wife has had to get up and feed her!   Incidentally, her mother, who belongs to my daughter, does the same.
 

Winchester

In the kitchen with my cookies
Veteran
Joined
Aug 28, 2009
Messages
29,730
Purraise
28,023
Location
In the kitchen
Of course. All six of them. (And sometimes, but not often, The Beast will jump in, too.)
 
Top