Why does my cat sleep on me?

+89 votes
asked Feb 13, 2019 in Pets & Animals by ShariBerrios (240 points)
retagged Jun 12, 2019 by Morgenstern
Why does my cat sleep on me? My friends believe doing this makes them seem possessive and domineering, but I think it is quite cool. My cat loves sleeping on my shoulder/arm or by my side. She cuddles up to me whenever I sleep on my side. Why does she do that?

2 Answers

+19 votes
answered Apr 4, 2019 by CaridadKell5 (360 points)
edited May 29, 2019 by Morgenstern

With the example of the description below, you will find out that your cat sleeps on you might be for the following reasons:

1. Warmth: You might have noticed your cat sprawling out as soon as the sun rises to catch even the smallest ray of sunlight in the middle of the living room. Cats love to rest in warm areas. Because she can't find any sun during the night, your cat has to find somewhere else to get warmth. Sleeping on top of you seems to be the easiest way to get warmth in the night.

2. Comfort: Felines seem able to get their sleep anywhere they like, whether on the sofa or in between laundries. An average cat spends 16 hours daily sleeping. That number of hours requires a cozy and soft place to make the sleep enjoyable. And one of the coziest places it can think of is your belly under the blankets.

3. Adoration: Your lovely cat is always home all by herself while you are away at work. All she wants when you return home is to stay with you, hoping you won't leave her anytime soon. Your cat climbs up next to you in bed, kisses you severally, head-butts your face, and sleeps on top of you. These are her simple ways of telling you how much she adores you since she can't speak. You can show her some affection by just scratching her head a bit until she sleeps off.

4. Security: Whenever your furry friend needs a place to sleep on, she will need a very secure resting spot. There can't be anything better than curling up next to you-her master. Apart from the comfort, she feels safe by curling up next to you. She can then drift off into some kitty dreamland for several hours, with no fear of predators coming to harm her.

0 votes
answered Apr 10, 2019 by erin (630 points)
edited Jun 15, 2019

For the question, why does my cat sleep on me, I can give you an answer according to my experience. I think it is because cats have different personalities. As I observed, indoor cats sleep with people more than their outdoor counterparts. Every cat that enjoys staying in the house equally enjoys staying with people.

I once owned a female 5 year-old cat. She would always wait and hide around the house waiting for me to sleep off, and after a few minutes, she would be on my bed and on my chest. She would stay on me for several hours until I move her.

I once owned one outdoor cat as well. I stayed in one apartment for about a month and she could not find her way outside the house. In that one month she never failed to sleep with me, and was always following me everywhere once I get home. But when I moved into a new house with a yard, everything became normal. So long as she could not go outside to chase birds, squirrels, and insects, she loved to be in the company of humans in the house.

commented Jul 30, 2015 by marina (510 points)
I agree with your point! My cat seems to be an indoor cat too. And it did sleep on me even when there is a spacious garden to play in.
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