The cat sleeps at its feet, lies on its stomach - what does this mean, signs and superstitions

Sometimes cat owners notice how their beloved pet begins to often come to their bed to show his love, purr and warm his frozen paws. But when a cat has been accustomed to come to bed since childhood, then such actions do not raise any questions at all.

But if before the cat always refused to come to the owner, and now he began to constantly visit the person as soon as he goes to bed or just sits down to read a book, then here you should think about the pet’s behavior.

Why do pets behave this way? There are quite ordinary and even slightly alarming reasons for this.

Main reasons

According to scientists, cats prefer to rest in bed with their owner because they consider this place to be the safest for themselves. When they have trust in the person next to them, they feel most secure. In addition, there are other reasons for this pet behavior:

Affection – Contrary to popular belief, cats, despite their independence, still become attached to people. They really miss their owner during his daytime absence from work or school. They wash off what they have lost and make up for it at night, curling up next to them in a cozy lump.
Human warmth . Cats love comfort and warmth, so it is understandable that they look for the most warm, soft and comfortable place to relax, especially in the cold season.
Sense of ownership . Cats are actually very jealous and often do not want to share their beloved owner with anyone. By taking a place next to his bed, the animal thus protects itself from potential competitors, which may include both other pets and family members.
Smell . It is believed that cats spend most of the day not in deep sleep, but in a state of drowsiness. Complete rest for them is possible only with a feeling of peace and absolute safety. These are the feelings that arise in them when they are next to the owner whom they trust, and when they inhale their familiar familiar smell. It turns out that sleeping with the owner is the only option for a relaxing holiday for a furry pet.
Children's habits – little kittens always sleep cuddled with their brothers and sisters. This gives them a feeling of warmth and security. This habit can also persist in an animal that comes into the house for the first time. It manifests itself especially clearly in the first weeks after weaning from the mother.
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These are the most common reasons that animal psychologists explain the habit of domestic purrs to sleep with their owners. But there are other factors that determine this behavior.

Treatment session

According to esotericists and bioenergeticists, cats are completely unique animals that are capable of taking on the bad energy and illnesses of their owners. Therefore, pets often lie down on a person’s sore spot, thus conducting a therapeutic session. However, rationalists will explain this phenomenon differently.

The fact is that diseased organs are inflamed, have an increased local temperature, and cats, as everyone knows, prefer to sleep in a warm place. That’s why they lay on the affected organs in order to warm up. Although there is undoubtedly a benefit for the owner, since the heat emanating from the cat acts like a heating pad and really helps relieve pain.

Dominant behavior

Quite often, representatives of the cat family, and especially males, perceive sleep with the owner as a manifestation of a dominant, leadership position. They leave their scent on the pillow, sheets, and hair, as if marking their territory. And by laying on a person’s chest, stomach or back, they demonstrate that this is their property, which they have conquered.

Attention deficit

If a pet persistently tries to take a place in its owner’s bed, then perhaps it simply lacks attention, affection, warmth and communication. In this way, the animal tries to compensate for this, to spend time next to a dear person. Therefore, experts strongly recommend reconsidering your schedule and finding at least 15–20 minutes to play and communicate with your pet.

After all, sleeping next to the owner is an attempt to compensate for the lack of tactile contact and bodily communication. If a cat is removed from the bed without paying attention to it during the daytime, there is a high probability of developing a stressful condition. The animal becomes nervous, irritable, its character deteriorates and its immunity is weakened.

Cats are generally prone to depression. If, against the background of the fact that the animal strives to sleep next to the owner, it becomes lethargic, weak and nervous, it means that the owner really devotes too little time to it and does not show his love.

Finding a Quiet Zone

The owner is perceived by the cat as a reliable protector, capable of protecting it from various kinds of dangers. The presence of children, guests in the house, a noisy environment - all these are serious reasons for a cat to seek shelter in the bedroom and bed of its owner. In this case, the problem can be solved by providing the pet with a comfortable privacy zone, where it will be inaccessible to others and protected from adverse external factors.

Control of the situation

Many pets view sleeping next to their owner as an opportunity to control the situation. In this case, the pet always knows when the person wakes up, what he will do, where he will go. And then he can follow him into the kitchen, asking for a treat and not missing a possible feeding time. And in general, cats are very observant and try not to miss anything interesting that happens in the house.

Does it matter what parts of the human body a cat lays on?

Trying to fit more comfortably on the owner’s body, the cat does not always care about its comfort, but worries about the human’s health and tries to point out the problem. In the old days, it was believed that a mustachioed friend would lay down precisely on the part where there was already painful sensations or where pain would soon appear.

Indeed, there are patterns in why a pet is located in a certain place:

When the fluffy lays down on his feet, it’s worth thinking about the health of his joints or veins. If there are no problems with the limbs, then the mustachioed doctor is simply trying to relieve the fatigue and tension that has accumulated during the working day.
If a cat lies down on a person, choosing its head as a “bed,” this may indicate the owner’s weather sensitivity. The pet seeks to alleviate a person’s condition, relieve headaches, influence high blood pressure, and relieve tension.
If your pet stomps and then lies down on its chest, this may be a signal of problems with the cardiovascular system. By choosing the left side of the chest as a bed, the mustache tries to alleviate suffering, relieve tension and normalize the heartbeat.

We must remember that the cat most often chooses one family member as a sleep partner, whom he cares for and protects. Therefore, observing the behavioral characteristics of a fluffy and his desire to lie on another person gives another reason to think about his state of health.

Pros and cons of spending time together with a cat

Among the factors that speak in favor of sleeping together with a cat are positive emotions and the possibility of close communication with your beloved pet. In addition, many people note that it is much easier for them to fall asleep next to a warm, soft, purring lump.

It is believed that cats can relieve accumulated stress and treat insomnia.

But in this case, you need to be 100% sure of your pet’s health, do not let it go outside, bathe it regularly, get vaccinated and undergo regular preventative examinations with a veterinarian. However, the therapeutic effect of relaxing with a cat is still difficult to deny. Many people claim that such cat therapy helps them get rid of headaches, joint and muscle pain, and improve their overall well-being and mood.

Scientists and the results of sociological farrowings and clinical trials have proven that furry pets are one of the best antidepressants, calming and relieving the effects of stress factors.

Unfortunately, there are much more disadvantages to spending a holiday with a cat than there are advantages. The likelihood of infection with the following types of parasitic diseases increases:

Helminth infections - infection with worms is very likely, especially in the absence of regular specialized treatment.
Infectious bacterial processes - despite the cleanliness of cats, pathogenic organisms collect on their paws, especially when using a litter box. And even timely cleaning only reduces the risks, but does not eliminate them completely.
Fleas , contrary to the erroneous popular belief, can parasitize not only animals, but also people.
Mites provoke the development of scabies, which is extremely difficult to treat.
Fungal infections are especially common in cats walking outside. When vacationing together, a person can easily catch ringworm and other unpleasant diseases from his pet.

Close and prolonged contact with a cat is especially dangerous for people suffering from an increased tendency to allergic reactions, low acidity of the skin, patients suffering from bronchial asthma and other problems with the respiratory system.

Even with a slight tendency to such pathological conditions, they actively develop and acquire an acute form with regular sleep with a cat. In the case of bronchial asthma, it is even more serious - a sick person can simply suffocate in his sleep during another attack.

In addition, there are risks for the cat itself. For example, in a dream, the owner can completely accidentally hit the animal hard, inflict accidental injury on it, and even strangle it, turning awkwardly in the bed.

It should be noted that not all people can completely relax and fully relax in bed with an animal. The result of such sleep is numbness in the limbs, chronic fatigue syndrome, lack of sleep, insomnia, and breathing problems. Therefore, no matter how strong the love for a pet is, it is better to show it in other ways and arrange a comfortable and safe place for the animal.

Is it possible for a cat and a person to sleep in the same bed?

It is assumed that if a cat lays on a person, then it is its person. Many people completely agree with this statement. The owner must provide the fluffy with a balanced diet and comfortable living conditions. For this purpose, houses, baskets with soft mattresses, and beds are purchased. There are even special heated mats that caring family members buy. However, for a furry couch potato, there is nothing better than the bed of a loved one.

Arguments for

There is an opinion that the mustachioed pet and its owner are very similar. Moreover, we are talking not so much about external similarity as about the inner world. Therefore, two close beings strive to spend more time together, including in sleep.

When a cat is placed on a beloved family member, it takes on some of the stress. Problems and anxieties fade into the background when a person strokes a pet and hears its rumbling. And the most important argument is that sleeping together gives a feeling of comfort and pleasant emotions.

An invisible connection arises between a person and a furry homebody, which allows you to enjoy communication not only during the day, but also at night. Close beings usually have difficulty withstanding separation from each other, so sleeping alone is not acceptable to them.

Arguments against

Experienced breeders, zoologists and veterinarians are not supporters of keeping a mustachioed friend on a bed or on a person. Many felinologists declare the inadmissibility of joint recreation. The following reasons are put forward as arguments:

Animals are carriers of infectious diseases.
Dirt from paws leads to rapid soiling of bed linen.
If a cat suddenly gets sick, then he needs a bed isolated from humans and other inhabitants of the house.
A kitten that climbs onto the bed in search of warmth may be injured. There is a high risk of crushing the baby.
Even the friendliest mustache sleeping next to a child can accidentally scratch him.
During periods of heavy shedding, an animal's fur can cause allergies or simply discomfort in the person sleeping next to it.

In order to get a good night's sleep, a person needs to create comfortable conditions around him. A pet that tries to settle comfortably on the owner’s body is unlikely to contribute to this. To ensure that both family members get a good night's sleep, you should think about purchasing a separate, comfortable bed for your wayward mustache.

The best option that will suit both the owner and the animal is to arrange a separate corner on the bed for the pet. You can arrange a bed for him on the side - or place a covered chair or armchair next to the bed, on which the cat will happily rest.

Precautions

To ensure that sleeping on the same bed brings only pleasure and is safe, you must comply with the requirements for keeping furry friends. This will ensure comfortable sleep for the owner and a high standard of living for the pet itself.

It is important to regularly visit a veterinary clinic for examinations and preventive and routine vaccinations. It is necessary to give medications against parasites in a timely manner. Animals walking on the street are given them once every 3 months, and homebodies - 2 times a year.

After visiting the street or litter box, you need to wash your paws and give them a full bath once every six months. Don't forget to use a nail clipper and furminator during shedding.

There are many versions about why a cat falls on a person. Zoologists, owners and breeders have their own assumptions and hypotheses. Most often, we are talking about a simple desire to bask on a soft bed or mention of the healing abilities of a fluffy. In any case, before allowing your cat to lie down next to you, you need to think about the cleanliness and health of your pet. Then sleeping together will bring only positive emotions.

Should you let your child sleep with a cat?

Many children love to sleep with their favorite animal. Cats also rarely refuse such pleasure. But how safe is it for the child? Doctors often scare parents with a huge list of diseases that a baby can pick up from a pet.

But it has been scientifically proven that children who sleep with their cats are less susceptible to allergies and are less likely to suffer from diseases of the respiratory system, dermatological pathologies, and fungal infections.

The child learns to be more attentive, careful, caring, which has a positive effect on the formation of the personality and character of the little person when he sleeps with a cat.

Cats are not allowed to be photographed

Besides the threat of facing your own death ahead of time, there are three arguments against photographing cats:

Photography can shorten your pet's life. There is an opinion that the image takes away his soul, and this only affects cats, and forces cats to leave the house. The theory is very controversial, as is the fact that cats have a soul.

Flashlight can impair an animal's vision. A completely reasonable statement. Cats are nocturnal animals and their eyes are not adapted to intense light exposure. There may not be any long-term or irreversible effects on the eyes, but perception may be temporarily affected.

He may feel stressed and afraid. This is true and especially true for animals that are not accustomed to posing in front of cameras.

We should also not forget that cats are indifferent to photography, people need it, therefore, for the sake of your own ambitions, you should not jeopardize the health and comfort of your pet.

Making co-sleeping with your cat safe

If the owner wants to sleep with his pet, it is not necessary to give up this pleasure. But you should take certain precautions:

Treat your pet with specialized medications aimed at killing fleas, helminths and other parasitic individuals.
You should not put the cat down with a child under school age.
Be sure to wipe your pet's paws, especially if he takes walks outside.
Refrain from sleeping with a cat if there is an increased tendency to allergic reactions.

Such simple rules will allow, if not completely eliminate, then significantly minimize the risks of possible undesirable consequences of sleeping together with a cat.

Sleeping on his back

There is a sign: if a cat sleeps on its back, with its paws spread to the sides, wait for a thaw. If the pet is looking for a place to warm up, frost will strike. These furry barometers can predict weather changes and respond accordingly. Our observant ancestors noticed this long ago.

Modern science considers an animal sleeping in an unprotected position, with its belly open, as simply the highest sign of trust in its owner.

How to accustom a cat to its sleeping place

Many people do not like co-sleeping with a cat for a number of reasons. How to wean your pet from this without causing him serious offense and psychological trauma? Experts in the field of veterinary medicine and animal psychology advise adopting simple and accessible recommendations for everyone:

Provide a comfortable, warm and safe place for your pet outside the master bedroom. It is important that the cat feels comfortable and protected there. If she is used to sleeping with her owner, to begin with her bed can be placed not far from the owner’s bed, but every time the furry pet tries to climb onto the bed, you should persistently place the cat on a resting place intended for this purpose.
Before going to bed, spend a little time putting your pet in its designated place, petting it, and being close to it. This way the animal will calm down, get used to the changes, and feel comfortable, protected and not alone there.
If the animal does come to the owner’s bed, you should not shout at it or abruptly drive it out. You can let your pet stay nearby for a while, and then carefully transfer him to the lounger.
When a cat goes to its sleeping place on its own, it is recommended to encourage it by treating it to something tasty, praising it, and encouraging it with good words.

You can accustom your pet to a new place by sending it there as often as possible, especially after games, physical activity, eating, that is, exactly when the animal is calm, tired and in the mood for sleep. The lounger can be equipped with a pillow or blanket on which the animal likes to rest, so it will be more familiar and calmer.

It is also important to ensure that the cat’s sleeping place is really soft and comfortable, located in a warm area, protected from noise, drafts, and too bright light.

Desire to keep warm

Livestock breeders and zoologists are sure that domestic cats sleep with their beloved owner because the bed is simply cozy and not cold, and they are very heat-loving creatures who adore comfort and coziness. The bed, heated by the human body, is the warmest corner in the room if there is no spacious radiator or heating pad nearby. The average body temperature of a furry animal is approximately 38.6 °C. He needs more warmth, which is why four-legged pets can so often be found on windowsills and balconies illuminated by the sun's rays.

At night, they move to a warm bed, using a person in the form of a huge soft heating pad. They are primarily located above the head or on the stomach. During sleep, it is these zones that radiate heat as much as possible, since active blood flow is maintained in them. Thus, cats do not treat headaches or migraines, as is commonly believed, but take care of their own comfort.

What not to do

When raising a cat, no matter what aspect it concerns, you cannot be rude or aggressive. Only affection and patience, as well as systematicity, will help achieve the desired result, while maintaining a good, trusting relationship with your furry pet.

You should never shout at a cat that comes to sleep with its owner, and even more so, do not use physical force. Such methods will only anger the animal and spoil its character, making it wary and distrustful.

Of course, it is important to be persistent and consistent yourself. For example, if the owner drives the animal away today, and tomorrow he suddenly takes it into his bed, this disorients the cat, and she does not understand how to behave.

Gently, but regularly, during such attempts, you should transfer the pet to its sleeping place. After some time, the cat is a very smart and sensitive animal, it will understand what they want from it and change its habits.

It is even better to start raising a pet from a very early age. Unfortunately, many people themselves teach kittens to rest together by taking a crying baby into their bed. Then retraining a grown animal with established habits will be much more difficult and problematic.

When a kitten gets into the house, it must be immediately accustomed to a tray, a place for feeding and resting.

Sleeping on the table

It was believed that if a cat took a fancy to the table, it meant the death or illness of one of the household members, and if it liked to lie on the kitchen table, it meant it was trying to get the man out of the house.

This terrible omen also has a basis. Animals that led a semi-wild lifestyle in ancient times were carriers of many diseases, which ultimately led to sad consequences. And a man’s departure is inevitable if he constantly gets cat hair in his food.

From a scientific point of view, everything is more prosaic; in nature, cats are excellent at climbing trees and climbing up hills because... From there it is easiest to monitor what is happening around them, so the table is a good observation point for them and nothing more.

Natural causes of prolonged sleep in cats

A healthy cat can sleep more in the following cases:

Extreme fatigue. After a night hunt, active play or prolonged wakefulness, the animal needs to restore strength and expended energy, so it sleeps much more than usual.
Hot weather. At high temperatures, you have to save energy and water reserves in the body. This is well known to animals native to arid and hot places. The ancestors of cats originally lived in deserts, so they were excellent at maintaining strength in the heat and high dry air. They slept during the day and were more active at night, when there is no sun and the temperature drops significantly. Modern cats use genetic memory and prefer to take a nap during the midday hours, so during the hot season they sleep more than usual.
Cold winter, rain, snow or low indoor temperature. In this case, purrs also sleep a lot, saving heat and trying to expend less energy. Curling up into a tight ball while sleeping makes it easier to maintain temperature balance in the body tissues. This method allows you to survive the cold and not freeze.
Pregnancy. During gestation, the cat has to live for three, or even seven or eight. This is a burden on the body, and a natural way to maintain strength is long sleep.
Use of a number of medications with sedative properties. They affect the nervous system and cause some inhibition, which leads to an increase in sleep duration. Drowsiness goes away on its own as soon as the drug's effect wears off.
Previous surgery. After surgery and anesthesia, the animal sleeps a lot for two reasons: pain due to the operation and the effects of the anesthetic drug. As you recover, the duration of sleep will decrease to the usual norm.
Vaccination completed. Vaccinations cause a response in the body that is somewhat similar to a disease. The animal feels weak and lethargic, so it sleeps a lot to recover.
Castration or sterilization. This is not only severe stress, but also hormonal changes in the cat’s body. While the transition is underway, your pet may be sleepy and lethargic.
Elderly age. The older the cat, the longer his sleep lasts. This is due to the aging of all organs and tissues, lack of energy and reluctance to move a lot, as in youth. The cause of increased sleep duration may also be various sluggish chronic diseases that weaken the pet.
Recovery after illness. This is an energy-consuming and difficult period for the cat, so he rests and naps a lot.
Stress. The reaction to it is first excitation of the nervous system, and then severe depression.

All these conditions are not accompanied by additional symptoms, giving reason to believe that there are negative reasons for such prolonged sleep.

Normal sleep duration for an animal

Like human offspring, kittens sleep almost all the time, interrupting only to feed. This is completely normal, because their body is still very weak. In their sleep they grow and become stronger. A slightly older cub sleeps less, but still at least half a day.

An adult cat sleeps about the same amount or a little less/more. It is impossible to give an exact figure, because all animals have a pronounced individuality. Much depends on the character. Some cats are energetic, active, they play a lot and have fun. Others are inert, lethargic, prone to weight gain and much less active than their vigorous counterparts. Most of the time they just sleep.

There is a popular expression: “sleeps like a cat with half an eye.” This is a very apt remark. Unlike humans, who must sleep at least 7-8 hours in a row to restore energy, cats sleep in “short intervals.” On average, they simply doze for most of the time without losing their alertness. As soon as the slightest rustle is heard, the cats immediately wake up.

All sleep in cats is divided into two phases:

Nap, superficial “slow” sleep – 20-30 minutes.
Deep, “fast” sleep – 5-7 minutes. At this time, animals, like people, dream. Cat owners are well aware of this, since a sleeping pet can twitch its paws in its sleep, “run” and even meow. All this clearly indicates the presence of dreams.

The duration of sleep can be influenced by various external factors, for example, extreme fatigue, stress, changes in temperature. Physiology also influences the duration of rest. Pregnant cats sleep much more - this is a need for the body experiencing increased stress.

The origin of the cat's long sleep

Cats are originally nocturnal animals. This is how their distant ancestors were, and this is how modern mustachios-striped animals remain. This quality is especially familiar to residents of rural areas, private houses and summer cottages. Cats living in complete or partial freedom come home only to eat and sleep, preferring to travel or hunt at night.

Domestic cats, who live indoors all their lives, rarely roam around the apartment at night, so they sleep much more than their more free-spirited counterparts. For those, significant daytime sleep is simply necessary, as the body needs to recover and digest the prey. How do domestic fluffies sleep so much and maintain the flexibility of the spine and joints, muscle elasticity with almost complete absence of physical activity - a mystery that has not yet been solved by scientists