When I got my first cat, he used to sleep on his bed, but after some time he started to sleep right by me, on my bed. It was a sign of trust, however, I like to sleep with my arms and legs wide on the bed.
Eventually, he took over my bed, now I had only a small corner for myself to sleep in. This had to change. I started noticing his behavior and acted accordingly, some tricks worked while I failed most of the time. But I kept on trying.
In time, he understood that he cannot take over my bed. Let me tell you the secrets behind this success…
Why Does My Cat Want to Sleep on My Bed?
You are here because you already tried something and failed to see the result, don’t worry, I got you. Keep reading, and you will become an expert on keeping cats off bed.
All the cats behave differently and have different levels of understanding depending on their age. Some cats are stubborn, while some cats are docile (easy), docile cats are very rare but trust me such cats exist on this planet. If you have one such cat, consider yourself extremely lucky.
Stubborn cats are the ones who would need some time to comply. They would do as they wish most of the time. You call them, but they would not answer at all, however, they will come when they want some love or cuddles. This doesn’t mean that they don’t love us.
Your cat loves you and trusts you. A cat would never sleep in the same bed with someone whom they are not comfortable with or someone whom they do not trust. Let me tell you what will happen if your cat sleeps with you on your bed first before telling you how to get rid of them from your bed.
What Will Happen if My Cat Sleeps on My Bed?
Cats are very cautious during their sleep, not like us. Sometimes our hands or legs just move around in sleep, and when our cats are sleeping beside us, this would startle them, and they might jump or hurt you in return. Scratches while in deep sleep can ruin your whole night.
Apart from this, there is a chance that your kitty might get buried under you if they are too late to react. However, there are very low chances that this will happen.
Another problem is that we never know where the cat has been, they can fit almost anywhere. Below our furniture, somewhere out in the garden, or someplace where there is dirt, bacteria, fleas, allergens, litter, etc., they get stuck in their furry paws.
Cats do not have that much intelligence to wash off their paws before hopping on your bed.
When they move around in bed, they are bringing along all these friends on their paws. Your cat will greet you or cuddle when she hops on your bed because that’s what all cats would do. If you have a dirt allergy, this would definitely trigger it.
Along with this, there is one more thing, If your cat sheds, you’ll have hair on your body or face. Of course, along with hair, there will be dander and other small particles, and there can be fleas. I would definitely not want that anywhere near me when I sleep.
Now that you know what happens, let us jump to solutions for keeping off bed…
How to Keep Your Cat off the Bed?
There are many ways to keep your cat off your bed. One of them is buying a cat bed. Your cat might be sleeping on your bed, as she would not be comfortable sleeping in any other place in your home. If you buy a bed that is really cozy and comfortable, with soft pillows for it to curl and sleep in, they would definitely sleep there.
However, if your cat loves you and trusts you a lot, she would come to you, this is because your company makes her feel safe. To keep this from happening, you can shift her bed to near your bed, where she would not be disturbed if you get up.
If possible, put the bed at a height near a window where your cat can spend her time looking out of the window at birds and other animals or ghosts moving around. This would make her feel safe beside you, and also you won’t be bothered in your sleep. If you are thinking to buy a cat bed, I would recommend, you should refer to Joseph McGhee’s article about beds for cats.
Apart from this, if your cat still keeps on hopping on your bed, you can always keep the bedroom door closed and their bed out of your room. Your cat might not adapt to this change well, it feels rude, but trust me, this is a good way of letting your cat know her boundaries.
Your cat might scratch the door or furniture, sometimes they would even pee around the door. There are anti-scratch sprays available in the market that will keep cats from scratching, they have a distinct odor that will make your cat repel away from the area.
One more option is to buy anti-scratch covers available in the market, or, something like a cat tree or special cat furniture or a toy that would keep their mind busy.
There are many cat repellent mats in the market, some of them are electric, and you can use them to train your cat to be of bed and furniture.
Just like we train our human babies from a very young age, we can start training our cats from a young age. This is the best option as you never have to go through this issue.
If all the above doesn’t work, you can always consult or hire a cat trainer. Although you can hire them in the first place, there is nothing wrong with trying to train on your own.
How to Train Your Cat to Sleep on Their Bed?
- The very first thing you would need is a cat bed, it needs to be cozy and very comfortable, put some of your cat’s favorite toys in it. You can buy more than one and keep them in different places. Also, use some catnip on her bed, that would be really helpful.
- Keep the door closed all the time, no matter how much they cry and scratch the door. If you allow them, they will understand that this is how you will open the door, and they will keep on scratching the next time they want in. It is difficult for us, but it is what we need to do in order to let them know that bedroom is not their territory.
- A positive reaction, when they are in bed, will make them know that it is a place they need to be. You can give them pets or treats and sweet talk them when they are in their bed.
- Some cats hate to be alone, if your cat is one of them, you can bring a companion for them. That will make them busy and will not remain alone when you are not present.
- Make sure that their bed is located where there is enough darkness at night, this will make them fall asleep easily. Lights from vehicles or any other sources will be disturbing for them.
- Spend some time, playing with them before going to bed, that way they will feel content when going to sleep. It feels the same as reading your kid a story before bed.
FAQs
Why won’t my cat sleep in her new bed?
Your cat probably doesn’t like the smell of your new cat bed. They are accustomed to sleeping in a place that contains your scent. Now because of a sudden change in smell, they are not sure if they like it or not. The other reasons may be as follows:
1. Bed is not the perfect size for your cat, most probably it is a smaller fit.
Your cat doesn’t feel like a cushion or the frame material.
2. The bed is not at a cozy place or the bed does not produce enough warmth that can make your cat feel comfortable.
3. The bed is located at a place where your cat is not feeling safe, maybe it is too high or someplace near water or something that your cat is afraid of.
4. Cats like to sleep in a clean place, if the place is not clean they will shift to the next location.
Why do cats like to sleep with their owners?
Cats are most comfortable with their human parents. They completely trust them. Cats prefer to sleep at a place where they feel safe.
Cats are most comfortable with their human parents. They completely trust them. Cats prefer to sleep at a place where they feel safe, and They know when they are sleeping with us, no one will attack them.
One more reason for this is that your cat loves you and wants to spend some time with you. They love to sleep cuddling with someone they love. Also, they do not get your scent from their own beds, this makes them want to sleep on your bed.
Is it cruel to shut a cat in a room at night?
It would be cruel if your cat is not comfortable with it. However, it is recommended to not shut your cat in a room as we do not know when they would feel uncomfortable. There should be a way out if they want to go. However, you can keep your bedroom door shut so that they don’t jump on your bed.
Should I ignore my cat meowing at night?
Yes, you can ignore your cat if they are meowing at night, Although if you are certain that they need you, you would probably want to check it out. There might be something that must be bothering them.
However, if you know that they are calling you just for attention or pets or food, or they just want to sleep with you, you should ignore them, because feeding their behavior would encourage them to keep on repeating this.
The more you feed their unwanted behavior, the more would it becomes difficult for you to get rid of it when training them.
Do cats get lonely at night?
Yes, cats can get lonely at night. Just as humans, cats are social beings, they need some social interactions, hence yes cats would need some company at night.
However, if you plan on leaving your cat alone for a long time, you would have to make sure that they have access to a clean litter box, fresh water, and food.
For food, there are automatic dispensers that will feed your cats at a scheduled time. If you do not have a dispenser, you can feed them a full meal before leaving.
What do cats do at night?
Cats are crepuscular in nature, which means they are the most active during dawn and dusk, it is their hunting time, this means they will hunt your toes, and nibble your ears or fingers during this time. They will prefer to sleep most of the day. They will come to check on what you are doing in between. It is embedded deep into their nature from their ancestors.
There is a lot of animal activity during dawn and dusk, hence, it is the perfect time for them to hunt. Their eyes developed in such a way that they can see clearly in very dim light.
Coming back to what your cat might be doing when you are sleeping at nighttime. It is when they activate their crazy mode. They will run around the whole house or the places they have access to.
They will hunt small creatures, bugs, etc. sometimes they will want to come to show you what they hunted. Don’t worry, not every cat does that. My cat never brought anything to me.
Other than that, they will jump around, on you, walk around, and on you. Sometimes they will cry or yowl.
Do cats watch you sleep?
Yes, cats watch you sleep. They will stare at you when you sleep, just as a human would look at the ones they love when they are sleeping. Sometimes you would wake up to your cat looking at your face. They find it very amusing, how we sleep.
The other reason is they are waiting or looking for signs that you are awake. They might be hungry and need food. Some cats get hungry at night. In such a case, you would want to feed your cat at night before going to sleep.
Also, cats feel better when they watch you when you sleep. It is comforting for them.
Conclusion
Although there are many ways to prevent your cat from sleeping on your bed, the best solution is to train them. This will give you an exclusive membership for your own bed, where no one will bother you except for your human companions.
Training your cat to not sleep on your bed without ever hurting their feelings is a challenging task, you need a lot of patience and diligence along with positive reinforcement. Think of them as a kid, you always wanted to sleep on the same bed as your parents or siblings when you were a kid, right…? It is the same feeling they get.
If you are still reading this, you have all the information you can get to keep your cat away from your bed. I would like to conclude by wishing you very good luck and happy training…
References:
- PetMD Editorial. (2016, March 1). 5 Reasons Your Cat is Peeing on the Bed. PetMD. Retrieved July 26, 2022, from https://www.petmd.com/cat/conditions/urinary/5-reasons-your-cat-peeing-bed
- Feline Behavior Problems: Destructive Behavior. (2019, April 2). Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. Retrieved July 26, 2022, from https://www.vet.cornell.edu/departments-centers-and-institutes/cornell-feline-health-center/health-information/feline-health-topics/feline-behavior-problems-destructive-behavior
- Preventing and Punishing Undesirable Behavior in Cats | VCA Animal Hospital. (n.d.). Vca. Retrieved July 26, 2022, from https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/preventing-and-punishing-undesirable-behavior-in-cats