To co-sleep or not to co-sleep with your kitten?

[jahzara]

Was curious what people's take on co-sleeping are.

Do you let your kitten sleep with you? Why or why not?

Do you think having your kitten sleep alone is a good or bad idea?

 

[MoochNNoodles]

My DH is allergic to cats; so the girls have never slept with us.  Before DH; my cats always did.  But not until they were old enough to behave and let me sleep!  

We crated our kittens.  I have a large wire dog crate that fit a small litter box and all the other essentials.  They had enough room to move.  At our old house the girls could escape rooms by squeezing under the door and I was afraid they'd end up in the fish tank!  So crating was the safe option.  They also would climb the baby gates I stacked 2 high to block them in a hallway.  

My parents adopted a kitten a few months after I married and moved out.  He was born a little premature and tiny; so he loved to snuggle for body heat.  My youngest sibling would take him into bed with her from time to time.  She said one morning she woke up hearing a far away squeaking and then realized she had rolled onto him in her bed!  Fortuantely he was ok; but she kept him in his crate after that.  We made him a bed with a fixed fuzzy blanket he could crawl under and put that inside of his kennel. 

 

[jahzara]

I can see it being necessary to crate a kitten. Keeps them safe. My fiance also has allergies, but deals alright with the cat in the bed.

I've put our kitten in the bathroom at night time because he would wake us up. He's also slept through the night with us in bed just fine. But I've noticed he's a lot more lovey when he sees us in the morning when he's been kept in the bathroom all night. I feel like this is a pro considering it gives an opportunity to bond with him (he would rather not be pet when he's up and about and doesn't care to be held much either.) At the same time, I also worry it could be harming him... he was my foster for a while, then was in the shelter for a while up for adoption, got adopted, the adopter backed out, and he wound up back with me where I adopted him. For few weeks he was gone, he didn't have anyone to sleep with - no kittens, no humans. Maybe he's just used to being alone and that's why he doesn't like pets and holdings.

 

[fyllis]

My Boys slept with me ever since they were 6 weeks old!  When they were little, I always had them on or above my pillow and I would stroke them and listen to them purr until I fell asleep. They always got up through the night and played and would occasionally come back to the bed. I let them do whatever they wanted because I felt they knew where they wanted to sleep. Kricket still sleeps near my pillow (usually with his butt in my face), but Keeker prefers to sleep atop the chest-of-drawers or at the foot of the bed... at least until I fall asleep, but they get up to use the potty, wander around and play throughout the night and catch naps when and where they want. They both come running and jump on the bed when I wake up and we cuddle for a bit before I actually get up and moving. 

I have never crated or secluded any of my cats. 

 

[hexiesfriend]

I don't see an issue unless they are interfering with your sleep.

 

[gonger]

Pumpkin spent her first couple of nights in the laundry before she discovered beds. Now we tend to just leave her in with us. Pretty cute to be woken up by her playing or snuggling in closer.

 

[lazer]

Over here kittens don't go home until they are at least 3 months old and by that time they seemed big enough to sleep in bed with us (especially being a large breed, they didn't seem that fragile). Of course we were still so excited and scared the first night each came home that we pretty much couldn't sleep anyway, but yes we allowed them on the bed from the get go.

 

[lykakitty]

The girls all get free access to the bed. I love snuggling with them and waking up to kitties everywhere. As far as how they started out, it was different for each of them. Maya was an abuse rescue and spent her first couple months at home hiding for the most part. I let her stay in her safe spot and didn't force anything on her, and let her come up on the bed when she felt comfortable enough. Now she's the best cuddler of the bunch, though she still sometimes likes her little dark, cozy corners where she can hide by herself. Zoey spent her first couple weeks in a crate for her own protection, because 1) she wanted to get into EVERYTHING when we weren't looking and 2) she and Isy really didn't hit it off at first and Isy didn't like her getting near me. Isy and Aria were the only ones to sleep in bed from the first night, but even with Isy, who was only 3 weeks when I found her there weren't any problems. All of them will get up and wander off during the night but they all come running back in the morning to wake me up for breakfast. 

 

[kitty kisser]

I admit it was more comfortable sleeping with Rose when she was a kitten. I currently need a larger pillow cause Rose has grown so much! I say " you wanna lay on soft pillow" and she jumps to it. Around 7 pm she finds me and wants to lay on my lap till bedtime. She is such a snuggle bug she lays with my daughter in her room during the day when she's home. Our other cat Katness isn't snugly at night sometimes she will lay at the foot of the bed . usually she sleeps in the living room on the couch.

 

[macha 143]

It's wonderful if our kitties sleep with us (my opinion of course). Macha loves to sleep with me every night until Mia arrived and it changed. She's sleeping with Mia, cuddling together in the living room most of the night. Sometimes, early in the morning they will  both join me, they climb my bed and will sleep with me a little. Day time, they have their own routine to give me love, while I lay on the sofa and relaxing, Macha would rub her face next to mine and massage begins and then she will lay down on my side. Then her comes Mia pushing Macha away lol wanting my lap it's her turn to give me love, she loves my lap now. Yesterday...it was amazing because my two babies were both in my lap and both purring and fell asleep for few minutes. I really don't want to move because if I move they would wake up, it's a good reason why I can't clean the place, there are two cats, I can't get up lol

 

[Kat0121]

All 3 cats are free to sleep wherever they like. Lilith usually sleeps right beside me. Sophie will visit and then wander during the night. Henry has started to join us lately. The other morning I woke up and Lilith was at her spot by my head and Sophie and Henry were cuddled together at the foot of the bed. Lily is queen diva in our house and has been known to chase the others away from the head of the bed sometimes. Other times she doesn't care. Usually if it's just Sophie, she's OK with it but if it's Henry, he's getting booted and if it's both of them, she'll hiss at them. Lily will stand in the bedroom doorway and cry if I'm not in bed at an hour that she finds acceptable. 

 

[abbi]

My baby used to sleep at or on my feet but now when I sleep in the living room she sleeps up on the top where she doesn't get moved around as much. In the bed she sleeps like normal around my feet.

 

[lavishsqualor]

I have an enormously huge bed--a California King--and my two cats have always slept in their cat beds on my bed from the time they were kittens.  They will get up at night and skulk around but they always come back to the bed.  When I wake up in the morning they are always there.  I couldn't stand it if they stopped sleeping with me.  For a while they would both sleep in the same cat bed but as they got older I bought another.  Now there are two cat beds on my bed and they are always occupied at night. 

 

[kittens mom]

My husband works nights and I'm a night owl myself. I need at least 4-5 hours of serious sleep and a nap during the day. Our new kitten is 4 months old. Still being introduced to our other cat do I crate her during those times. She's still small enough to get in trouble and I don't want to wake up to a bloodbath. I also think it's important for them to accept not being physically attached to you at all times to try and avoid separation anxiety. Mook sleeps with us all the time. When she wants. This one will also when she's reached an age where she can behave. Also loose unattended babies can develop bad habits. Mercy needs to be directed to the scratching surfaces here.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Hekitty sleeps wherever and whenever she wants.  Mostly in my bed, but not always.  And I have to sleep dead in the center of the (king sized) bed...BOTH sides belong to her, and she doesn't hesitate to move me back to dead center if I stray into her territory.

Last night, she spent under the covers, snuggled up to my tummy, with her head on my arm.  I don't think I rolled over all night long, and I'm paying for it today.  I'm too old for that stuff.

 

[dbljj]

Never!! but each to his own. Mine get put to bed at night in their own spots. I never slept with a baby in the bed with me either..was always so afraid I would roll over on it..

 

[dbljj]

I have allergies, sleep apnea, etc do NOT sleep well anyhow so I would never consider it but lots of folks sleep with babies or animals in thier bed, Whatever one chooses I suppose. I have laid down in dayitme for a nap only and Opie will curl up by my side  or BUTT, and the clock will be set for one hour only..

 

[kittyluv387]

My kitten is 8 months old so he's still rambunctious and will wake me up randomly to play or snuggle.  My 2 year old is so polite and will patiently wait for me to wake up...with his face an inch from mine.  So I just put both kitties out in the living room for night time.  I can't deal with cruddy sleep, body will pay for it.  Buuuut when it comes to weekend naps they are totally welcome and they do always nap with me on my king sized bed.  I love it!