How to Make Your Cat Sleep With You

Have you ever wanted your cat to snuggle up to you and sleep soundly at night? Usually, your cat will wake up once or twice a night, but with patience, you can help your cat get used to your routine. With proper preparation and arrangement, both can rest and relax together comfortably.

Table of Contents

Prepare before bedtime

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Get your cat active during the day. A cat that is active during the day will be sleepy at night. Let your cat play a lot in the morning and when you get home from work. Or you can let your cat walk around the block on a leash. ^{[1] X Research Resources} You can leave toys for your cat to play with, but this should not be used as a substitute for bonding time.

Interactive toys with snacks inside are also a fun option. Don’t let your cat play with a wired toy while you’re away, or the cat could choke.
It’s perfectly normal for adult cats to sleep up to 16 hours a day, and older cats need even more sleep. ^{[2] X Research Source} Let cats nap during the day as long as they stay active.

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Plan to have fun right before bed. Make it a habit to play for at least 10 minutes in the evening. This will tire the cat, and if done regularly, the cat will understand that it is a sign that it is time to go to bed. Start with active play, then gradually reduce the intensity at the last minute.

Are you raising a vivacious kitten? Direct its attention to a snack when it needs to stop playing. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

Older cats also benefit from play, although it takes a bit of persuasion. Use soft, slow-moving toys. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

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Feed your cat before bedtime. Most cats will fall asleep after being fed, so help your cat sleep well by feeding them right before bedtime. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

READ More: How to Care for a Fern

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Place a shelf near the bed. Cats love warm, tall shelves so they can observe the room. If needed, you can use food to lure the cat to sit on it when you go to sleep. That way, your cat will be comfortable with your nighttime routine, and it won’t be long before she’ll be jumping into bed with you. ^{[6] X Research Sources}

If the cat has its own bed or prefers to sleep on a certain object, move that item onto a shelf. Cats are often quite picky about where they sleep, so your arrangement may not be what your cat wants, but you should still give it a try.

Pippa Elliott, MRVCS

Veterinarian at Royal Cplege of Veterinary Surgeons

Dr. Elliott is a veterinarian with over thirty years of experience. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 and worked as a veterinary surgeon for 7 years. Then, Dr. Elliott worked as a veterinarian in a clinic for over a decade.

Pippa Elliott, MRVCS
Veterinarian at Royal Cplege of Veterinary Surgeons

Pro tip : Place your clothes where cats like to sleep. This will help your cat get used to your smell and feel reassured. After a while, your bed (where your smell is) will become a place where your cat feels safe and will definitely climb up and lie down with you!

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Let the cat explore the bed. Your cat will probably prefer the bed if you let her decide. Lure your cat up there with treats or catnip if that’s what your cat likes. ^{[7] X Source} Praise your cat and give him extra treats if he stays in bed, but don’t get angry or force him to come back if he leaves. Your cat will be more likely to do what you mean if she doesn’t associate the bed with negative activities.

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New bed sheets. Some cats like to be clean, and will only sleep on a clean blanket ^{[8] X Research Sources} Many other cats like the smell of their owners. If you’re keeping your bedding “more than necessary,” put a worn shirt on your bed so your cat can play or hide in it.

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Reward your cat if it sleeps with you overnight. Some cats don’t like to sleep in the bed but still explore the place during the night. If your cat is like that, you can reward the cat with food every time it shows up. Hide treats under your pillow or in your pajamas pocket for your cat to find on their own, so you won’t have to wake up to give your cat a treat. Once your cat has begun to crawl into bed with you, gradually reduce the amount of treats until she is back on a healthy diet: ^{[9] X Trusted Source The Humane Society of the United States Go to source}

Consistency is the key element in the beginning. Make sure your cat can have a snack every night. (As long as you don’t feed the cat any more when it wriggles or meows, you won’t be able to sleep.)
Once it becomes a habit, you can feed your cat 3/4 of the time. On other nights, reward the cat with a head scratch or another enjoyable activity.
Gradually reduce snacking frequency to every other day, then every three days…until it becomes a rare reward.

Sleeping with cats all night

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Correct inappropriate cat behavior in bed. When the lights are off and the cat has jumped on the bed, you might think you’ll both get a good night’s sleep together. However, cats are very naughty at night, even if they have played a lot before going to bed. They may play with your face, sit on your head, or call for attention. It’s important that you strengthen your status as an owner by correcting your cat’s behavior afterward. ^{[10] X Research Source}

That might mean holding the cat aside and saying “no”. Or you can put the cat in the corner of the room by placing their bed or sleeping box there. If your cat starts playing around while you’re sleeping, say “no” and point to their bed. Just keep going until it just steps out there and leaves you alone.

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Don’t reward your cat when it wakes you up. If your cat wakes you up at any time, including in the morning, don’t feed, play or react in any way – be it yelling or chasing away. These reactions will make the cat understand that calling you up is an effective way to get attention. ^{[11] X Research Resources} Instead, get out of bed when you want and spend at least 15 minutes doing something else before feeding your cat. You may have to put a pillow over your ears a few mornings when your cat meows, but most cats will forget about it if you stay consistent.

An automatic feeder could be the perfect solution to this situation, especially if your cat is used to being fed as soon as you wake up. You can set the machine to dispense cat food every morning, or two to three times during the night if the cat wants to eat at that time. ^{[12] X Research Source}

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Identify noisy or distracting behaviors during the night. If your cat wakes you up by running or meowing during the night, you should seek immediate solutions. If the behavior comes on suddenly, take your cat to the vet. Even if you think your cat is healthy, a quick fix can help prevent bad behaviors from becoming entrenched.

A kitten that plays around at night may need more play during the day, ideally with another cat. If your new cat is very vocal and doesn’t want to snuggle with you, put a ticking clock in the blanket with a bottle of moderately hot water. ^{[13] X Research Source}

Most cats older than 10 years old have less sensitive senses and weaker psychology, so they also sleep less. Regular exercise during the day can help your cat get tired enough to sleep through the night. If your cat whines or scratches the floor, it may be disoriented or scared due to impaired vision. Install a night light between your bed and the cat’s litter box. ^{[14] X Trusted Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Go to source}

Advice

If you’ve managed to convince your cat to go to bed with you, but then you’re having trouble sleeping, it’s probably best to move the cat into another room. The longer you let this situation drag on, the more your cat will meow and scratch the door to ask to come into the room with you. Placing double-sided tape, aluminum foil, or special cat-repelling mats in front of the room’s door can stop cats from engaging in such behaviors.

Steps

Prepare before bedtime

Sleeping with cats all night

Advice

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