Our cats are experts at making us feel all warm and fuzzy inside. So, when they exhibit behaviors that make us a little butthurt, it’s hard not to take it personally. Cats will be cats, and while most cats don’t mind cozying up in bed at night, many cats out there would rather sleep solo. If you’ve ever wondered to yourself, “Why doesn’t my cat sleep with me at night?”, you wouldn’t be the first cat person ever to ponder that. We know that cats like to sleep on our heads, on our bodies, and especially at the foot of the bed. If you have a cat that chooses to do their own thing at night, then this read might help to give you some insights as to why your cat flies solo while you’re fast asleep.
Kitty might not be ready for bed
While we know that there are countless cats out there who dotingly wait for their owners to go to bed at night, some cats view their owners going to bed as the time to do their thing. Cats are crepsecular by nature. If your cat is younger, they might need more stimulation to expend all their energy. Many cats are rather active at night, and since they don’t have to worry about hunting for food at dawn and dusk, the witching hour might be their favorite time to do cat things at night. This is also why you might wake up to discover your cat’s naughty nighttime behaviors—like making a mess with toilet paper, destroying your house plants, etc. Cats have what is known as a polyphasic sleep schedule. This sleep schedule is marked by multiple shorter bouts of sleep during the day and night. But when does most of their sleep occur? You guessed it…during the day!
You might move or snore too much
If there is one thing that all cats are not a fan of, it’s being woken up when they are sleeping. Dogs might just give you a look and go back to bed, but cats? Well, you’ll get one heck of a death stare usually followed by them promptly getting up and exiting the room in disgust. Your cat’s sleeping cycles are much different from yours. Since your cat is an obligate carnivore, they need proper sleep to adequately process the high levels of protein that they consume daily. We know that spouses sometimes have issues with their partner’s irritating sleeping habits, and cats take that to extreme. Your cat might choose not to sleep with you if they find that you can’t sit still or you can’t stop making noise.
Your cat might secretly be sleeping with another person in your home at night
When you have a cat in your home, it’s hard not to have the yearning desire to be your cat’s favorite person. Cats are food-driven, but this doesn’t always mean that their favorite person in their home will be the one who serves them all their meals. If you are wondering why your cat doesn’t sleep with you at night, you might need to do some detective work. In my experience, there is another person my cat chooses to sleep with. For the longest time, I figured he was just sleeping on the sofa, or in my closet, his favorite hiding spot. Soon I learned that he chooses to sleep with my son at night, which is quite precious seeing as he is autistic and nonverbal. Sometimes, bonds don’t need words and I feel comfort in knowing that my cat likes to be with his boy who makes him happy.
Think of the situation from their perspective
They say a cat’s love is earned, not given. Some cats are quick to dole affection onto their humans, and can even become quite needy. But then other cats like to be with you, but not on you, simply being in the same room is enough for them. It seems that the clingier felines are the ones who typically want to snuggle up with you at night—and some will even sleep under the covers with you! Just like you can’t force a cat to do anything that they don’t want to do, it’s important to consider your cat’s feelings over your own. Just remember, your cat shows their love and loyalty to you in other ways. Sleeping with you is just not one of them, don’t take it personally. Perhaps you can try practicing a little reverse psychology to see if you can tempt your cat to sleep with you at night.
Another important factor to consider is whether or not another animal is sharing the bed as well. Cats are solitary hunters and while they don’t have to worry about where their next meal is coming from, the ways of the feline mind are deeply rooted. Cats are most vulnerable when they are sleeping, so it’s just another reason that they hide when they sleep and choose not to be around others. Some cat experts have also suggested that cats might not like being up high on the bed when they are sleeping because it makes them feel unsafe. We know that cats love to perch, but they are typically in observation mode when they are doing so.
Did you learn anything new and interesting about our feline friends? We hope so. Now that you’ve learned all about why cats don’t sleep with you at night, check out this next article to learn all about cat sleeping positions.
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