A Kitty's Point Of View: Why Does My Cat Sleep On Me?
Our cats love to curl up on us and have a catnap! But why? Let's find out from a cat's point of view!
Why Do I Like to Sleep on my Human?
I really love my catnaps throughout the day - did you know that cats can sleep up to 20 hours each day? It's a lot, isn't it - but there are so many lovely cosy spots around the house that it's a shame not to put them to good use!ย And, of course, one of my most favourite naps are when I curl up with my human!
My human looks after me very well and makes sure that my catnap spaces around the house are safe and warm. I've got my bed, of course, but I've also got a lovely spot on the top shelf in the kitchen where I feel really safe; it's nice and high and I know that no-one else, especially that pesky dog, can reach me up there. I like to doze on the windowsill too, especially when the sun is shining through the window - lovely Zzzzzz!ย
My Human is Hot!
I do love laying on my human's bed upstairs; that's really cosy, especially first thing in the morning when they have just got up! If I can, I take my chance and sneak under the covers for a quick snooze! They leave a lovely warm spot and it smells of my human, so it makes me feel really safe. Sometimes I creep under the covers before they've even left the bed!ย
But I prefer to sleep at their feet during the night; it's not quite so hot at that end of the bed and I know that if I need to make a quick escape I can do it easily.ย I will, however, sneak up to their head in the morning to nudge them awake to get my breakfast... and then have a little snooze in the warm spot they have left!
My Human Purrs!
When cats purr, it's normally a sign that we are happy and relaxed. My human is very good at speaking 'cat' and they know when I'm happy and also when I'm anxious.ย But I can also tell when my human is relaxed - because they make a purring sound too particularly when they are asleep (I think it's called 'snoring' in human speak!); it can get a bit loud sometimes which makes me jump, but I do like to snuggle up to them when they are purring. If they purr too much during the night, or keep moving around in the bed, I'll retreat to the foot of the bed; it's still cosy there, but not quite so disturbing!
My Human Smells Familiar!
When I was a kitten and my human brought me home, I was a little anxious and scared because everything was new to me and I did run away and hide for a while until I plucked up the courage to come out (and I was hungry too!). Then, I went around the house rubbing up against things and left my scent wherever I could. That includes my human and that's why I like their smell, but I do have to keep rubbing up against them and sleeping on them, because they will insist on showering every day and the pheromones I leave on them have to be replaced!ย ย
Did you know that I have scent glandsย - on my face, my paws pads and around my tail?ย So whenever I rub against anything with the glands on my face, I am leaving my pheromones around, and that helps me feel calm.ย My human also helps with this because they have plugged in a FELIWAY Optimum diffuser in the room, and that is really good at helping me feel extra calm;ย it gives me this lovely feeling of being serene - especially if I get a bit stressed.ย
My Human's Comfy!
As well as smelling nice, my human is also very soft and comfy to lie on! Especially if there's a nip in the air, I like to curl up on their lap because they are nice and warm; in the winter time they wear lovely fluffy clothes, which are super comfy to snuggle into - it's like sleeping on a warm blanket! It's also great bonding time and I can show them how much I really love them by kneading their lap - and I can also leave some more of my scent on them at the same time.
They like stroking me when I'm on their lap too - and I like it most of the time, but only as long as they don't overdo it. I might just have to give them a little 'love bite' to let them know I've had enough!ย ย
My Human Wriggles!
I really do wish that my human would stay still and relax sometimes - I wonder if there's a human equivalent to FELIWAY Optimum?ย When we're in bed, they frequently toss and turn which disturbs me and they quite often push me out of my comfy spot, which I'm not very happy about. However, I find that if I sleep next to them on the pillow I don't get kicked as their head doesn't move as much, but then they might start purring again and that wakes me up when it gets really loud!ย So, it's back to the bottom of the bed again!
I Want To Be Alone!
Sometimes, I just like to have some 'me' time. I do love sleeping on my human, because they are generally warm and comfy but sometimes it's not always relaxing. Sometimes the baby human starts crying in the middle of the night, so my human jumps in and out of bed to feed them or give them cuddles to make them feel better.ย That's my cue to find another of my comfy spots;ย but maybe I'll sneak into the baby's room while they are not looking - I'm normally not allowed in there but it looks comfortable. Bother, they've shut the door again, I think I'll just cuddle up in that laundry basket downstairs this time! It's a cat's life!
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