Mary Allen
The cat is sleeping on me! Help? Or hooray? Cats like people when the opportunity arises. But why actually? We have the answers.
Why do cats like to sleep on people?
Every cat owner knows this: you have just made yourself comfortable when the cat comes along and snuggles up on its human instead of on its own bed. Cats lie down on people almost immediately after you sit down.
What may be wonderfully comfortable on the couch in the evening can sometimes also be annoying at the desk when you are on a video call with the boss and want to present the results from the last quarter in a highly serious manner.
As much as you like cats and as much as you love being around them – it is probably the most common conflict between humans and cats: Why do cats want to lie on humans and sleep?
What are the reasons why she likes us much better than her own bed? We have the answers.
Security
Many kittens are separated from their mothers too early and see their human reference person as a kind of giant super cat, i.e. the mother, for the rest of their lives.
This is particularly evident in the “tritteln” or “treteln”, that gentle step on people with both front paws used alternately. This behavior is borrowed from the life of a blind kitten, which seeks and activates its mother’s source of milk in this way.
Kicking also shows that your companion feels infinitely safe with you. It is therefore a touching compliment for your good bond with your purring protégé.
Protection
In their natural environment, as Nubian wild cats or European wild cats, cats are by no means at the top of the food chain. They certainly have predators too.
The cat, therefore, likes to lie on the much larger human to protect it, e.g. B. to be found in front of a golden eagle, which would certainly not dare to attack a large human. A cat sleeping alone, on the other hand, would fit very well into the prey scheme of the majestic bird of prey. The proximity to us is something like life insurance so cats are very happy to lie down on their people.
In addition, staying in an apartment is basically alien to cats from an evolutionary point of view, so many noises that can be heard at night or smell from the stairwell trigger an escape reflex. Since the little tiger cannot escape from the apartment, he seeks protection from the human “mother”. You should be proud of that and simply enjoy the closeness.
Trust
Cats are considered loners, but in reality, they do seek company and don’t really like being alone. It has also been proven that cats dream – so they can also have nightmares and fears.
The human the cat lives with usually has the cat’s complete trust, which is a great gift given the naturally suspicious nature of these relatively small predators.
So when the cat comes back to lie down on you to sleep or doze – be it in bed, on the couch, or even at the desk – this means that the beloved four-legged friend trusts you completely and loves you immensely.
Warmth
A very simple reason why the little predator wants to lie on you is the warmth of the person who is trusted: cats have a high energy requirement and therefore instinctively try to save energy. So they sleep and doze as soon as they can.
The cuddly furry balls have a higher body temperature than humans and have to economize on their calories accordingly since their body needs more “fuel” than a human even when it is at rest.
That’s why they often look for a warm place to rest, as this also saves energy. This is especially true if this place is classified as “safe”. This is the case when your cat trusts you completely.
In addition to the other reasons, sheer self-interest can also make your fluffy housemate want to lie to you. However, the most important and most beautiful reason why cats prefer to lie down on us humans than in their own beds is the following.
Love
Although this is said to be more of a dog, cats often love “their” people beyond measure. If you develop a loving relationship with your roommate or housemate, you can be sure that the furry companion will love you like no other being in his world. And that’s true even if cats sometimes seem rather solitary or selfish and may not always follow at heel.
The desire of your four-legged friend to lie on you ultimately corresponds to the desire for intimacy, intimacy, tenderness, and security. And of course for love, the reason for which does not have to be questioned.
One should therefore simply enjoy these wonderful moments and be happy that there is so much love in such a small creature, and simply love back uncontrollably.