The words with the video below refers to ‘pain’ but I don’t know why. What I do know is that I sympathise with the way the girl or woman in the video slides into bed in a way which does not disturb her cat. When we share our bed with our cat, there might be a certain amount of competition for space and position. Do you make space for yourself by moving your cat or do you accommodate your cat as best as you can as the girl does in the animated .gif below?
I’ll guess and say that most cat guardians do their best to allow their cat to fully enjoy their bed as they want to. The sensitive cat guardian allows their cat to take priority over them. It is purely altruistic behaviour and it can mean the ‘owner’ is uncomfortable for many hours.
I don’t have statistics on this. It is impossible to know how many people do this. It should be said that many decent cat owners lock their cat out of their bedroom at night. And they allow a neighbour to feed their cat for two weeks while they are away. I don’t agree with either nor understand it. I totally disagree with locking cats out of the bedroom at night (but respect the views of others).
That idea may upset some people reading this. Domestic cats love being on their human companion’s bed or even under the duvet. The whole thing smells delicious to a cat. It is emotional and physical warmth for a domestic cat so why deny them the pleasure? For a good night’s sleep? No I don’t agree with that either.
People who sleep with their cat get used to it fairly quickly. We adapt.
If you lock your cat out of the bedroom please allow me to quote Jackson Galaxy again (I am sure he won’t mind):
“The bedroom is the most scent-heavy room in your house. It’s a socially critical area so I recommend that your cats be allowed in. I’m generally not okay with rooms being off-limits.”
Cat owners can place a heated cat bed on nearby furniture if they are keen to get their cat off the bed. This should attract their cat.
Cats sharing the bed disturb a woman’s sleep as much a human, but dogs disturb them less
Please search using the search box at the top of the site. You are bound to find what you are looking for.
My mate and I have become contortionists around our daughter. She gets the best of everything as she should. All cat moms and dads know this.
I have a 3×4 giant dog mattress elevated on boxes by my bed with a heated blanket on it. Usually I wake up with one on each leg, one under my arm, huggy Frog, and Mercy on my shoulder with her hand on my cheek.
That sounds organised and sensible. I wouldn’t expect anything less from you ME 😉
Of course our cats have priority.
We were both brought up to never disturb the comfy or sleeping puss. It is very rude to do so.
The bed feels wrong if there’s no cat in or on it.
Getting into bed and sleeping around the cat keeps one flexible, bonus!
Timing for airing, then making the bed is crucial. Waiting for dreamy-time cats to wake and leave their slumber, is not a problem. Fresh air in the bedroom is always available, at any time of day ?
We have had cats in the past, who would skilfully body surf on us as our bodies turned over during sleep.
I think “pain” in this context is used as a colloquialism for ‘nuisance’ or ‘inconvenience’
PS: House guests tend to be cat lovers of a similar mindset
Well said Jane!!