Why do cats sleep on you? As a cat parent, you are likely to notice your cat sleeping on your head, or chest or bed at night. We will reveal the top 5 reasons why cats like to sleep with you, and whether these habits are a good or bad idea!
Most commonly asked questions by a cat parent are;
- why does my cat sleep on my chest?
- why does my cat sleep on my bed?
- why does my cat sleep on my head?
Cats are by far the most fascinating of all household pets. They have intricate emotions, intuitions, and attitudes that make them mysterious and endearing. If you are a “cat parent” it is likely you have woken up more than once to find your adorable furball curled up on your head like a luxurious mink head cap! And that’s not the only weird place our feline friends like to sleep.
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5 Reasons; Why do Cats Sleep on You?
Does your loving Kitty like to nap on your chest, your arm, or sprawled across your lap and purr away for hours? Sure, we love their soft vibrations because they are so comforting. However, we get a little vexed when they sleep with their rear end right in our face! Is it a show of affection or is she just trying to pull one over on you? There are no solid facts as to why cats choose to do what they do, but there are plenty of educated guesses.
Warmth
Ever noticed how first thing in the morning, your furry chum loves to sprawl in the sun soaking up the heat? Cats love to rest in warm places. This is because their basal temperature is 102 degrees Fahrenheit which is higher than our 98.7 degrees Fahrenheit. The feline body needs to maintain this temperature for optimal metabolism which means they require a secondary heat source. Since there are no sun rays in the night, your mouser will need to find a heat source. That being said, our body temperature rises when we sleep. Most of the body heat escapes from our heads- are you beginning to see the connection? You need to lose heat and fluffball needs to absorb some. Looks like our feline friends already did the math!
Comfort
Did you know kitty sleeps for close to 16 hours a day? If you are going to sleep for 2 thirds of the day, you need superior comfort. Comfort for your mouser is an umbrella term for everything that is conducive for her siesta; warmth, security, familiar sounds and smells and, well, comfort. Sure, little mittens have the option of sleeping on the laundry, sofa or her cat bed but even she knows nothing beats a warm lap, chest or belly under warm plush blankets.
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Security
Cats in general, domestic or wild, will only rest and sleep in places they feel secure. Your adorable furball cannot think of a safer place than right on their master’s lap. She knows that if she is resting on you, there are no predators that could possibly get her. She can drift off to furry dreamland for hours.
Sounds and Smells
Your cat may just love your sounds and smells. How cute! Familiar sounds and scents are comforting to your furry chum. This is because they associate these sounds and smells with the love, care, companionship, and safety they feel around you. Being close to you means she can listen to your heartbeat, experience the rhythmic rise and fall of your chest, and smell you. Bear in mind that your feline friends are also territorial by nature. This means she may be trying to mark you with her scent as well.
Affection
Maybe your kitty is just trying to show love? It has not been scientifically proven that cats feel love, yet. But we choose to believe it. The tenderness with which our feline friends treat us when we come home from a long day is proof enough. Curling up next to you or kneading your chest could be the only way for your kitty to say, “Welcome home, I missed you”.
Considerations
Having your little furry friend in your bed may be quite charming, however there is a downside. Like it or not, kitty is going to shed.
Cat fur can cause allergies.
It is best to keep your furry friend out of your sleeping quarters if you have allergies. Better still, invest in a good air purifier and lint roller to reduce the amount of fur, because there’ll be fur, everywhere!
If your mouser is not exclusively an inside cat, having her in your bed may be detrimental to your health.
Outside exposure may cause your feline to contract transmittable pests like ticks and fleas as well as parasites like ringworms and roundworms just to mention but a few. Do not let an outside cat snooze with you or near you without having her checked by the vet.
When you go to bed, the idea is to sleep peacefully through the night, right? Well, with your feline friend in bed with you, that may prove to be difficult.
Your furball is nocturnal and having slept most of the day kitty will only nap for a few hours, then spend the rest of the night playing, jumping on and off the bed, pouncing, and even swatting you.
Needless to say, that is not conducive to a good sleeping environment for you. When all is said and done, having a furry friend around is really a matter of preference. We love what we love and cats are what we love.
