Your cat’s behavior has many causes, so try to understand it before deciding on any solutions.
If your favorite feline seems restless or anxious, it may be trying to meet its new sleeping schedule. Perhaps it’s ready to sleep alone.
So, why won’t my cat sleep with me anymore? Your cat’s behavior might be the result of illness or old age.
However, it could also be a sign of stress. Cats sleep most of the time, so sleeping in a chair or bed is unusual behavior.
Your cat might be stressed because of an unhappy home environment or a separation from you. If your cat is stressed and unhappy, they’ll probably stop sleeping with you.
Here are four things you can do to help your cat overcome their stress and sleep with you again:
- Give your cat lots of love and attention.
- Make sure there’s enough space for your cat to hide and sleep.
- Reduce the amount of stimulation in your home. Keep the lights dim, reduce TV or radio volume, and limit the number of guests in your home.
- If your cat is sick, take them to the vet for treatment.
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Why Won’t My Cat Sleep With Me Anymore?
It’s Not High Enough For Them
Cats like to sleep on soft surfaces that give them good support and comfort when they lie down to rest.
The bottom of the foot rest in your car can be an ideal place for a cat to sleep in comfort as it allows them to be off the ground without being too exposed.
There are however some disadvantages to allowing your feline friend to sleep in the car.
One potential problem is the high temperatures inside the car which can be dangerous if left unchecked for long periods of time.
In addition, there can be a risk of your cat being stolen if you leave them unattended in a car, especially if you don’t have it locked properly.
It’s in their nature to seek out a warm and cozy place to curl up and a nap is never out of the question for them so providing them with a nice soft surface to rest on is ideal.
Their wild progenitors and how cats act in the wild may surprise you.
They need to be able to see and breathe clearly, so placing a blanket or towel over them to block light isn’t recommended.
Overheating / Underheating
We may remove the duvet on our bed during warmer months but cats need their warmth all year round.
Alternatively, they might relocate to a cool area of your home such as under your bed or in a cupboard.
They might even go outdoors to cool down! That’s why it’s important to keep temperatures inside your home between 18°C – 24°C during cold weather to avoid disrupting their sleep patterns.
In hot weather try to keep your home between 22°C – 26°C to prevent overheating your pet. Why do cats hate water?
A history of domestication that goes back thousands of years means cats’ fear of water is built into their bodies and part of their natural behaviour.
They Were Afraid of Something.
The trauma that a cat experiences when swimming causes it to panic and its instinctive response is to run away and hide in fear of the ‘danger’.
In the event that they were forced into the water, most cats would struggle to escape and would drown or suffer brain damage.
Jumping Into Bed is Getting Difficult.
You may want to consider different options if your kitty is having trouble jumping onto the bed by themselves or if climbing onto it is causing them pain.
Perhaps they’re suffering from a medical problem such as arthritis, a slipped disc or hip dysplasia.
As a result, you should thoroughly examine the situation and consider seeing a vet if symptoms persist or are severe.
Some things you may do to aid your cat include placing cushions around the edge of the bed or even using something like a ramp to help them get onto it.
They’ve Found Somewhere Better
A cat owner’s ego may be shattered by this, but it’s quite common for a cat to start avoiding their owners as they get older, especially if they start spending more time on their own.
Why they ended up doing this in the first place is anyone’s guess, but the fact is cats have their own agenda and don’t always follow the wishes of their human companions.
Nevertheless, if they’re going to sleep in your bed, make sure you provide them with a soft and warm blanket or towel to snuggle into – especially in the winter.
You’re Fidgeting Too Much
When you’re attempting to sleep, you don’t usually want someone else constantly moving about on the bed – it’s no different for your furry friend.
If you’ve noticed that you’re constantly kicking your partner off while you’re trying to fall asleep, this could very well be the reason why your beloved pet has started staying away.
As soon as they’re comfortable, they’ll be happy to curl up next to you and fall fast asleep.
My own, I can assure all my fellow cat owners out there – you will get over it.
Fidgety people’s cats are more inclined to locate their own beds rather than put up with the discomfort of trying to sleep in a bed with someone tossing and turning all night.
Why Did My Cat Stop Sleeping With Me?
Want to Mix Up Sometimes
Some cats like to sleep in one room while others prefer to have different areas of the house that they can call their own.
This can cause a lot of confusion and stress for them if they keep ending up in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Your cat needs to find somewhere they can feel comfortable and safe in order to go to sleep – not feel on edge due to being out of their comfort zone.
If the room is too hot, too cold, too noisy or too bright, they may not get the rest they need.
If they can’t find somewhere that feels right to them, try providing them with a den of their own so they can feel safe and comfortable while they’re sleeping.
It might be in your bedroom that your cat prefers to sleep and this can cause problems for you when you’re trying to sleep or relax in your own space.
Sometimes they simply like to feel the wind on their fur while other times they prefer to be near a window so that they can watch the world go by outside.
In the course of the day, they may spend a lot of time together but when it’s time to sleep, each animal needs to have their own space where they can feel safe and protected.
If you share the bed with too many pets, it can upset the balance of comfort and security in your home and make it less likely for them to want to sleep with you.
Try getting another bed for your other pets or share with a close friend instead – there’s plenty of beds available out there.
However, at night, she ’s sleeping on her own bed and you only get 10 minutes between her getting up and going back to sleep again.
Moving Too Much in the Bed
Humans, on the other hand, move around a lot when we sleep – we turn over, stretch our limbs out and generally make quite a bit of noise – all of which a cat may find unsettling.
Try to keep movements to a minimum when you’re in bed with your feline friend so they don’t become anxious and start to retreat to their safe spot.
Rotating from side to side or from front to rear – even turning onto your side – may keep them awake for hours as they try to figure out what on earth you’re doing.
If you move around a to little it may make the cat feel uncomfortable with you laying on top of them because it may be too warm for them.
So, finding a happy medium is important, not only for you but for the cat as well.
It’s conceivable that your cat no longer wants to share your bed for a number of reasons – perhaps they’ve started sleeping in another room because they prefer it or maybe they just don’t fancy your company anymore.
Likes Being Up High
You can’t rule out the possiblity that your cat likes being up high and prefers to sleep in the loft or on a higher shelf in their cage or hutch rather than on the floor with you.
There are several trees where their wild ancestors would have slept so they may feel more comfortable sleeping in this way too.
Lions, too, have a den where they sleep – sometimes with their cubs – but you may also find that they sleep outside their dens during the day.
Only in Tanzania are lions known to sleep inside caves or under trees.
This is quite normal for cats and is actually an evolutionary trait that helps them to hunt for their prey more easily at night time.
It may also be because their favorite spots are full up – in which case, you may need to move the bed somewhere else for them to sleep.
It could be that they’re unhappy about being disturbed while they rest and would rather go to their hiding place if they think you’re about to wake them up.
You can look at them if you like, but if you do make sure you use binoculars or a telescope – you don’t want to be scratched.
How Do I Get My Cat to Sleep with Me?
Regulate the Temperature
If you have a cat, you should make a habit of checking the ambient temperature of the room before you go to bed – you don’t want to startle them and make them run under the bed at 3am because it’s suddenly too hot!
Most cats don’t like the heat so make sure that your bedroom isn’t above 25°C.
If possible, set the temperature between 19-22°C to avoid waking them up when they start feeling drowsy.
Invest in a thermostatic radiator valve if you’re worried about heating bills; they’re relatively inexpensive and regulate the temperature of your room automatically.
Don’t Force the Issue
When you question, “How do I get my cat to sleep with me?” it can be tempting to try to force them to cuddle up to you by lifting them up onto the bed.
Unfortunately, this will only make them more reluctant to stay and may even scare them off for good.
Instead, try picking them up and putting them down gently on the bed; they’ll soon get used to the idea.
This is going to sound strange, but your cat might feel more comfortable sleeping next to you if you sleep in your underwear.
By making alterations to the bedroom and adjusting your behaviour to your new pet’s habits, you will soon have them sleeping peacefully in your bed.
No matter where you put your pet cat, it is important to make sure that they have their own litter box.
You don’t want them to have to sleep next to dirty litter.
Provide Ample Space for the Cat
When it comes to your cat’s readiness for sleeping with you, you should try to give them as much space as possible by making sure there is enough room for them to move around freely.
They might not like being crowded up next to your leg. If there isn’t enough free space in the room, they will feel uneasy and may start running around the room again.
Make sure your cat has enough space to move around the house freely – maybe in a different room for a while until they become more comfortable.
This will give them a chance to get used to being near you without crowding you too much.
When a cat refuses to sleep with you, it doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t like you or don’t like to be around you.
This is something that some cats do, while others don’t – there is no set rule for whether or not a cat will sleep with you or not.
Consequently, you are looking for what your cat is telling you by their behavior when it comes to sleeping next to you at night.
Increasing the size of your bed or buying a bigger one may be one way to solve the problem of your cat not sleeping with you but keep in mind that if the problem is behavioral in nature, it may be more difficult to solve than you may first think.
Set up a Cat Bed in the Room
Having a cat bed on hand may encourage your pet to feel more relaxed when it’s time to go to sleep; sometimes all they need is a soft place to lay their head for a few minutes before they drift off.
If you’ve tried everything and still can’t get them to sleep in your bed, it might be worth considering buying a second bed and putting it in another room for a while to see if they’ll use it instead.
Cats prefer enclosed spaces like boxes and caves; if you can provide something similar, then it may encourage them to spend a little more time in there, which will hopefully lead to a more peaceful night’s sleep for everyone.
With the aid of a cat bed, you can help your cat to feel safe and secure at night and feel more at home in their own home.
Also Read: Why Does My Cat Sleep Under the Covers?
Final Words
Some people ask why won’t my cat sleep with me anymore? Well, cats are nocturnal animals. This means that they generally sleep during the day and are active at night.
Your cat may be trying to sleep during the day, but it’s more likely that your cat just wants some alone time with you. Most likely, your cat will be happier if you give it some alone time during the day.
As cats age, their preferences change.
If you’ve recently adopted an older cat, it may take time for it to adjust to its new environment and adjust its behavior to fit with your household. Remember that older cats need rest too!
Some cats enjoy the company of other pets such as dogs or birds, so if you’re also sharing your home with another animal, there may be a conflict of interest when it comes to getting enough rest.
Keep in mind that while dogs are generally more active than cats and may want to play more with their feline friend, this isn’t always the case.
In both people and animals, sleep and rest are important components of a healthy lifestyle.
There are several reasons why a cat may not get enough sleep.
Seeing this in your cat’s eyes can be a sign that your kitty is sleepy and needs to rest more.
