We all know that cats love sleeping. It might be surprising to realize that a cat can sleep up to twenty hours a day, which means that they only spend four hours on other activities.
Some cats prefer sleeping on a couch, a window, a closet, while others often seek their owners to take a nap with. I usually find my cat sleeping on me in the middle of the night even though she has her own “house”.
At first, I was so confused and wondered a thousand of why questions. Why does my cat sleep on me? How come my cat likes to sleep on me but not beside me? Specifically, why does my cat sleep on my legs?
If you are in the same situation, this article will answer all your inquiries. I’ll give you six reasons why your cat is in favor of sleeping on your body and causes so many inconveniences:
- They Are Looking for The Warmth From You: In my place, for instance, the temperature can drop significantly low during the night in winter. Therefore, my cat lays on me to warm herself as her spot is freezing.
- They Are Marking Their Territory: As you are their owners, cats sleep on you as a way to announce that your place belongs to them so the others should stay away.
- Your Cat Is Insecure: A cat often considers sleeping time as its most vulnerable time of the day. Hence, it sleeps on you to seek a sense of protection.
- Your Cat Feels So Bond to You: Cats sleeping on you probably means that they want to strengthen their relationship with you.
- Your Sounds Are Relaxing: Your heartbeat and breathing can be a remedy that helps your cat fall asleep easily.
- You Are Their Favorite: My cat sleeps on me because I have raised her since birth so she feels the most comfortable being on my side rather than other family members. This can be applicable to you!
In addition, why does my cat sleep on top of me? Why do they sleep on my head? I’ll explain the meaning of different positions on your body that your cats usually choose to sleep on, including your head, lap, chest, and neck.
Nonetheless, I find it quite uncomfortable having my cat sleep with me, so I did a couple of things to stop this from continuing. Read until the end to learn tips to prevent your cat’s behavior.
What does it mean when your cat sleeps on you? Let’s find out now!
Table of Contents
They are Looking for the Warmth From You
Seeking warmth from you during the night is the first reason why your cat chooses to sleep on you. Similar to humans, their body temperature is around 100℉, which is nearly 38℃. For this reason, they aren’t good at standing low temperatures and have to stay warm all day.
Hence, it makes sense to find your cat catching the sunlight during the day, or sleeping by the heater if you own one. However, as the night comes, the weather often is much colder, and there is no sunlight for them to warm themselves up.
Moreover, it is unreasonable for them to sleep on the floor or the window as those are affected by the low temperature. Consequently, you become their only source of heat at night, especially when you look so cozy under a thick blanket.
They are Marking Their Territory
Strange as it may be, your cat may mark their territory on your body. Yes, the territory here is both you, their owner and your bed. It is a natural instinct of your feline to mark territories everywhere they feel comfortable.
This is their warning to keep other pets in your house away from you and your bed, as if they are saying you are their owner and your bed is the place only they can access.
Therefore, your cat will try to declare this to others by leaving their scent on your bed, your blanket, and your body. By doing this, cats believe that other animals will recognize and don’t invade their private areas.
Your Cat is Insecure
Why does my cat always lay on me? It is likely that your friend feels a lack of security while closing their eyes and sleeping. I realized from my own experience that my cat is actually very shy.
As a result, she always makes sure that she is in my sight so I can protect her from any dangers that could happen while she is off guard. Interestingly, this behavior started when she was young.
As you may have been aware, most cats are born and raised in litters. Therefore, they are taught to sleep closely next to each other and near their mom. Apparently, this becomes their habit to seek extra protection by sleeping near someone that can protect them.
I, personally, appreciate this a lot as it proves that my cat holds enough trust in me so I can save her from any possible causes of harm. This is also a compliment that when her mother is gone, I can somehow compensate for her loss.
Your Cat Feels So Bond to You
It is a common belief that most cats are snobby and do not like interacting with people. Nevertheless, as cat owners, we all know that it is not true in any sense. In fact, cats have a great affection towards humans, especially their owners.
In most cases, a cat may regard its owner as a member of its family. As I have mentioned above, they have learned to sleep with other family members since kittenhood, so it isn’t unusual that they want to sleep with you even when they’ve grown up.
Additionally, there can be a possibility that your cat wants to give you protection when they are awake. Because cats view you as a family member, they want to give you protection while you are unaware of your surroundings.
Your Sounds are Relaxing
This is probably a weird reason why your cats enjoy sleeping on you. However, it can be your steady heartbeat rhythm or breath that puts your cat at ease and therefore, makes it sleepy.
Moreover, since your cat has a close bonding with you, your smell becomes pleasant. Consequently, they feel relaxed enough to fall asleep without any concerns because they know it’s safe when you are there.
You are Their Favorite
Last but not least, your cat likes sleeping with you just because you are their favorite member of the family, maybe because you play with them a lot or your body’s scent is pleasing.
However, cats aren’t fond of staying in one place, so they might move to other corners of your house as well. Therefore, you should cherish every moment when your cat is beside you.
Specific Sleeping Positions That Cats Love
This section will give a few reasons why your cats choose some specific parts of your body to sleep on.
Your Head
There are some reasons, but primarily is because your head is one of the warm spots they can find during the night. In particular, humans’ heads often release a small amount of heat while sleeping.
This in addition to your soft pillow will make this place ideal to take a nap. Additionally, some cats are interested in the smell of hair conditioner and shampoo, which makes them feel more calm and comfortable to rest.
Your Lap
Many cats often run to sleep on their owners’ lap when they are sitting on the sofa and chilling. Even though it’s not an ideal place to receive some warmth, it’s the perfect position to get some petting from you – their owner. Hence, don’t forget to reward your beloved cats with some gentle stroking from top to bottom.
Your Chest
Sleeping on your chest allows the cats to feel the steady rhythm, which is beneficial for your cat, as I’ve mentioned above. Sleeping is when we are the most calm and therefore, this will positively affect your cat’s sleep quality.
What If This Habit of Your Cat Annoys You
Despite the meaningful causes, there can be some disturbances regarding your cat sleeping on you. Therefore, here are several tips for you to stop this behavior:
- Spend time playing with your cats before bedtime to get your cats exhausted and sleepy in a proper place.
- Give them food during the night using an automatic feeder; one or two times are enough for a night.
- Purchase a pet bed that is warm enough so your feline friend won’t have to find another steady heat source from you.
Conclusion
I hope this article has done its job as an answer to “Why does my cat sleep on me?”. It is essential that you understand your cat’s needs to enhance your relationship with them. Let me know what your thoughts are in the comment section. Share this article with your friends as well.
I am Amy Sawy, a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) graduate from the University of Kansas. y husband, Dr. Plummer, and I own a veterinary clinic in Phillipsburg, Kansas. In addition to my professional background, I am a devoted pet owner myself, with a household that includes dogs, rodents, and most notably, cats – a total of five felines in my home.
In 2020, I joined an organization as a professional writer, leveraging my experience and collaborating with my team to deliver the most valuable information for your cat’s care.
