A few days ago, it was raining cats and dogs, so I spent my whole day chilling. I made myself my favorite tea and turned on a new TV show. After an hour, I figured that I hadn’t seen Pearl for a long time. I went to my room and found her there. But wait a minute. Why does my cat sleep on my pillow?
I mean, my new pillows are amazing. I just got them the other day and all my friends were asking me about them. So, it’s safe to say my kitty has good taste! Well, you are who you surround yourself with.
At first, the whole scene looked so sweet. She curled up there and I’m sure that at that moment, she was the cutest cat in the whole world. I took hundreds of photos and went back to the living room to continue watching the show.
But then it hit me…Wait! “Why does my cat sleep on my pillow? Is that normal? Should I call a vet, or would he laugh at me for asking such a question? Should I stop her from doing that? Is it bad for her posture?”
I had tons of questions but no answers. So I decided to find them all and share them with the rest of the world. Now that I’ve done my research, it’s time for me to help you out. I promise you, you’re in for a real treat. Enjoy!
Why does my cat sleep on my pillow?
If you’re here then you’ve probably also caught your kitty sleeping on your pillow. Is it a cute scene, or is she doing it out of revenge? Stay tuned to find out.
1) She loves you
Do you remember when you were a kid and you always tried to make small surprises for your parents? Maybe you would draw them something nice or even try to clean the house? However, most of the time, you would end up making even more mess than there was before.
Your parents used to get mad at you sometimes, but most of the time they would figure out you were just trying to show them your love. Well, cats also feel the need to express their feelings from time to time. Of course, they can’t speak, draw you something, or write a poem, so they need to figure out a new way.
Some of them think that sleeping on your pillow is a great option! Why? Because you spend lots of time there which means you love that spot, and if they spend some time there too, they will show you how much they appreciate it too. Isn’t that such a sweet thing to do?
2) She misses you
Even though kitties are mostly described as cold and independent animals who like you because you feed them and take care of them, it’s not really true. Yes, they can behave like that sometimes, but deep down, all of them are still little kittens who can’t wait for you to come back home so they can be around you.
If your cat is sleeping on your pillow, it’s likely that she misses you. Do you spend a lot of time outside? Working, training, going out with friends, or maybe visiting your family? If the answer is yes, then it means you don’t have much time to play and cuddle with your fluffball.
That’s why she curls up on your pillow and takes a nap there. It’s a thing that smells like you and she loves it! If you come home and see her sleeping there, cuddle with her because she was definitely waiting for you the whole day.
3) It’s warm
I’m sure you already know that cats like to choose the warmest place in the house to chill. It’s usually the spot on the floor that gets warm because of the sun’s rays. If it’s not that, then it’s somewhere near the fireplace or even your fluffiest pillow.
Felines get cold much easier than dogs. And that’s why it’s very important for them to find a good spot when the winter days arrive. That’s exactly the reason why they enjoy sleeping in your bed, wrapped up in a soft blanket. Or even in a cardboard box because it’s small and it gets warm easily.
So if your kitty starts sleeping on your pillow during winter, it’s most likely because she found that spot very comfortable and warm enough for her to relax completely. Always keep in mind that if you feel a bit cold, your cat is feeling it much more than you. So try to keep your home warm enough for her.
4) She feels safe on your pillow
Cats are one of the strongest and most famous predators in the world. They know how to survive in the wilderness and almost every other animal is afraid of them. Most of the time, they are predators, and rarely they are the prey. However, those are the big cats like lions, tigers, or jaguars.
What you have at home is their little cousin. Oh no, now I made her sound helpless. No, your kitty is still powerful and one of the best hunters ever. However, she gets scared a bit easier than her big cousins who need to be tough if they want to survive in the wild.
Sometimes when your kitty gets scared of something, she’ll go and lie down on your pillow. And when she relaxes there, she’ll probably also fall asleep. She feels safe because she sees you as her protector. The pillow is full of your scent and it reminds her that you’re always gonna be there for her.
5) Your kitty is anxious
Just as they get scared from time to time, felines can also get anxious easily. Do you remember the last time you got anxious? What was the reason? We need to admit that it doesn’t always have to be about a big issue we had to face recently. Sometimes even the smallest things can trigger us.
And what do we do when we feel that way? We seek comfort in the things that make us feel calm. It can be our favorite playlist, a good book, a movie we’ve watched a hundred times, or even a place that always helps us relax. We choose something that’s gonna help us the most that day.
Well, when your cat feels a bit blue, she’ll also try to look for something that’s gonna make her feel better. Since she doesn’t have a favorite movie or a playlist she made for days like that, she’ll need to look for something else. Most of the time, it’s something connected to you.
You’re her safe space and if you’re busy or away, she’ll probably choose your pillow as a place where she’d like to relax.
6) She wants you to know that she’s the boss
Now that I’ve told you about all the cute answers to “Why does my cat sleep on my pillow?”, it’s time to talk about the other side of your kitty. I mean, not just yours since every fluffball has two sides. But it’s not a surprise, as we’re just the same.
Did you know that your cat probably thinks you’re a guest in her house? She let you sleep there because she needs you to protect her and feed her a few times a day. And on top of that, she gets someone she can cuddle and play with.
However, sometimes she feels like she needs to set some things straight. So she goes to your pillow, makes it hers, and it feels like she’s almost telling you: “Look, I like you. But don’t let it fool you. I’m still the boss here.”
Or if it’s not about you, it could be about the other pet you have in your house. If you have one more cat, or a dog, then your fluffball might be trying to show them she’s the one sitting on the throne.
7) You toss a lot in your sleep
And finally, I need to ask you one more thing. Do you usually sleep next to your feline? Maybe you like having her around because she’s warm, and it feels nice to have her close. If that’s the case, then you should think about what you do while you’re asleep.
Cats are careful animals. If you toss a lot in your sleep, they will conclude that it’s dangerous for them. Why? Because you can squish them while you’re moving. That’s why your fluffy friend might choose to sleep on the pillow.
That probably seemed like the best option. She’ll still be close to you, but she won’t have to worry about you tossing the whole night. Such a smart move, right?
Why does my cat sleep on my pillow when I’m away?
If you have a camera in your house you might have seen that your cat likes to spend time napping on your pillow when you’re away. Or maybe you simply find her in that sleeping position every time you come back home from work? Whatever the case is, it’s obvious she likes that comfy spot.
But why does she especially like it when you’re not at home? Remember the reasons we’ve just mentioned? Well, to answer this question, we’re gonna need to use the combination of the answers we’ve just seen.
So, when your kitty chooses to sleep on your pillow while you’re away it’s mostly because she misses you, loves you, and feels safe in that spot. When she’s napping there she feels closer to you and that helps ease her anxiety.
No matter how independent cats are, if they live with you, they prefer seeing you around most of the day. It makes them calm because they know you’ll feed them, cuddle them a bit, and most importantly, protect them from any potential threat.
Why should I stop my kitty from sleeping on my pillow?
Yes, seeing that your cat is sleeping on your pillow is cute, but should you stop her from doing that? No matter how adorable the scene is, it can cause many different problems. Therefore, you shouldn’t allow her to pick that spot as her favorite napping place. Here are some of the reasons why.
1) Hygiene
Even though cats are one of the cleanest animals in the whole world, it’s still not hygienic to let them sleep on the pillow you use. That’s mostly because small grains from their litter box get stuck in their paws and they can leave them on your pillow when they lie there.
I’m sure that none of us would be happy to finally go to bed after a long day at work just to see litter on our pillow. It doesn’t smell nice and it definitely doesn’t help our hygiene. So be careful about where your kitty spends her time.
2) Infections
I’m sure you’ve already heard that cats can bring many infections to you. Even though some of them aren’t serious, the rest can still make your life a living hell.
Let’s talk about fleas. They attack our pets, but they can’t really live on us since they like to hide in the fur. However, they can still bite us; and it’s so itchy and lasts for days, if not weeks.
Unfortunately, they aren’t the only problem that can occur after you let your cat sleep on your pillow. You are also risking getting different parasitic, fungal, and bacterial infections that can cause many problems for anyone who gets them.
3) Allergies
Sometimes you don’t even know you’re allergic to cats until you get one. And it’s even possible to start noticing symptoms after years of having a fluffy roommate.
If you’re allergic to your pet then there are certain things you should definitely do. Some of them are brushing her fur outside, having cat-free zones in your home, and using a vet hanky to collect the fur that’s about to fall off. You should also vacuum often and try to get rid of allergy traps.
Letting your cat sleep on your pillow even though you’re allergic to her is one of the worst ideas ever. I know she’s cute, and having her near feels nice. But not having to deal with allergies will feel even nicer. So try to keep her as far away from your pillow as possible.
4) She will get used to it
And finally, you shouldn’t let her sleep there because if she gets used to it, you’ll never get her off it in the future. Maybe one day you’ll need some extra space on your bed, but you won’t be able to get it because your kitty basically started living there.
So in order not to risk getting into a situation like that, it’s best you stop it before it even begins. Trust me!
How to stop her from napping on my new pillow?
And finally, after we’ve answered questions like “Why does my cat sleep on my pillow?” and “Should I stop her from doing that?”, it’s time to find out how you can do that.
As we’ve mentioned above, it’s not a great idea to let your fluffball sleep on the pillow you use at night. It can cause allergies and infections, and it’s generally not the most hygienic thing to do. But how to stop her? Here are a few tips and tricks.
– Close the door. The first option should always be the most simple one, and if that doesn’t work you can move on to other options. So the easiest thing to do to prevent your cat from sleeping on your pillow is to close the door. She probably doesn’t know how to open them and she won’t be able to go in and sleep there.
– Play with her before going to bed. One of the reasons why your kitty is sleeping there is because she misses you. So if you play with her before it’s time to go to bed, she won’t have a reason to miss you and she’ll be able to sleep in her own bed.
– Buy a heating pad. Another common reason we’ve mentioned is warmth. If that’s the case, then you can easily solve that problem. Go to the nearest pet shop and buy your fluffy roommate a heating pad. It is not too expensive, and she’s gonna love it!
– Get your cat her own pillow. When we were kids we loved to do everything our parents did. For example, if they drank coffee, we would ask them to make us a cup of it, too (even though we would always get chocolate milk instead). Cats are sometimes just like little kids, so you can try getting her a pillow that’s the same as the one you sleep on.
– Don’t let her do it. And finally, felines are very intelligent. If you let them do something a few times they will definitely conclude they can continue doing it. So, if you don’t want her to sleep on your pillow, tell her “No” every time she tries to climb there or pick her up and place her somewhere else. Do that as many times as you need until she finally gives up.
Final thoughts
I hope you got the answer to “Why does my cat sleep on my pillow?” and that you figured out why you shouldn’t let her do it. Yes, the reasons she does it are cute, but you can always give her something else she can hold on to when she misses you.
Health is the most important thing, and you should always do everything to protect it. Your fluffball won’t get mad if you teach her not to do it, and let her choose a new comfy place to sleep at. The solution that worked best for me was buying her the same pillow I have. She loved it and accepted it immediately!
