Why do cats sleep near their owner’s head and is it possible to wean pets from this habit?

You've just spent money on a quality cat bed to give your cat all the luxuries it deserves, and it still loves to sleep on your head. Is there a way out of this situation?

This is actually a very common situation for most cat owners. What the hell makes them act this way? Of all places, why do they insist on sleeping on your head? You would be surprised to know the reason for this strange behavior. Let's find out.

They're looking for your body heat

Your cat's body temperature is usually higher than yours. Their temperature ranges from 38 to 39 ℃ on an average day. This means that your cat gets cold very easily, so she is constantly looking for a warmer place, especially when she wants to sleep. Have you ever noticed that your cat sleeps on electrical devices, near the stove, or in an area exposed to direct sunlight?


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Well, they get the same pleasure when they sleep on your head. Your body heat leaves your head and is at a higher temperature than other parts of your body. What better place for your cat to sleep than his loved one's head? So don't be discouraged when they come to you; It is beneficial for both cats and people if they sleep together.

How to wean off if you sleep with a person?

It is best to prevent your pets from behaving this way and immediately wean them off sleeping on their owner’s pillow. Animals should not be given such privileges. Of course, you cannot use physical force, scold or throw the animal away from you.

It is advisable to try to equip the cat with a separate sleeping place. It should be such that she herself no longer wants to go to bed with the person.

To do this, it is necessary that the sleeping place meets all the interests of the furry pet. It should be warm and soft. Also from it the cat should have a clear view of the entire surrounding area. She needs this for safety.

The best measure would be to teach the kitten from childhood to sleep in a certain place, and not with the owner on the bed . It is much more difficult to wean an adult pet.

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They like your scent

Smell is one of the best things that has a profound effect on your cat. They identify their potential prey and enemies by recognizing their scent. They have scent glands throughout their bodies and use them to leave scent marks on objects. And it's amazing when they want you all the time.

Your scent tops their list because they can associate it with someone who cares so much about them. So at night they go straight to your head to fall asleep for a long night, basking in your fragrance. You may wake up to find your cat "grooming" you by licking your hair - this is an adorable trait and a clear sign of affection on their part. Give your cat a rub in the morning, he deserves it after all!

You are his property

Cats are royalty. They believe that the human mission is to look after them and provide them with everything they need. For furry household members, a person is property that he can treat as he wishes. These graceful creatures want to be the main priority of the owner, strive to capture his full attention and, speaking without exaggeration, his consciousness. That's why throwing the bed you bought for them and settling on their owner's head seems like a brilliant idea to cats.

They feel safe

Although your cat stays at home with you, bedtime is the time when she wants to feel completely safe. They want protection from any possible attacks on them while they sleep. This is typical behavior of any animal in the wild; even the lion climbs the tree before they fall asleep to feel safe and secure.

In this case, your cat believes that your head is one of the safest places they could ever sleep. Your presence makes them feel protected. After all, you are the person who provides them with food and shelter and takes care of them in every way.

Arms, stomach or chest

In this case, it is difficult to say unequivocally why the chosen place was the stomach or chest. Since almost all organs are located in this area, it is difficult to say what exactly the problem is. The maximum that can be done is to go to the clinic and get examined. But, almost always, the animal sleeps on its stomach due to the fact that this is the most convenient place for this purpose.

The cat sits in your arms - this happens quite rarely, but, as practice shows, this is an important sign. The hand on which the cat sleeps is very important because the meanings are opposite.

  1. Right hand. When an animal chooses this hand, it means that there will soon be a chance to get married. Since this is a sign, and not a direct prediction of the future, it means that it cannot be missed. It’s worth taking a closer look at the opposite sex around you, or making a new acquaintance, or maybe meeting one of your old friends.
  2. Left hand. When choosing this hand, the favorite suggests that illness is coming. Again, this is not a prediction, but a sign. This means you need to pay attention to your health, take vitamins, play sports, switch to proper nutrition, and quit bad habits. You shouldn’t be afraid that a cat is sleeping on your left hand, you need to be grateful and take action, because the animal “looks after” its owner.

They want to spend more time with you

While you are away from home all day for work, your cat misses you a lot, and you yourself don’t notice it. No matter how many cat toys and other furry companions they have, they still lack the love that only you can give them. As soon as you get home from work, they get very excited and run to rub their feet on you. Cats love physical touch and this is also one of the reasons why they prefer to sleep next to or on the top of your head. Your soft hair makes the bed very comfortable!


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Why do cats like to sleep near their owner's head?

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Why do cats like to sleep near their owner's head?

And again about cat oddities... Respond, cat lovers! Do you often wake up at night with something warm and fuzzy touching your face? It is worth noting that there is more than enough space to sleep in the apartment. What's in the apartment! Even your favorite bed is wide enough to sit somewhere comfortably. But cats never look for easy ways!

And yet why? Most experts agree that the reason for this behavior in cats is the desire to occupy a warmer place. And, although the human body itself is quite “warm”, at night the center of heat shifts precisely to the head area. The body temperature of cats is higher than that of humans - about 39-40 degrees Celsius, and yet the tailed cats are always “not enough” for warmth. Moreover, they “prefer” to remain warm for the sake of the so-called basal metabolism, so as not to force their body to “strain” and “produce” excess heat. That is, it is much easier to find an external heat source and lean against it. The owner is the best candidate!

But this is just one theory, although it seems the most convincing. Cats are generally interesting creatures; they really love to make their lives comfortable, so that everything around them is soft and warm. And so that nothing will bother you again.

We have already noted that there are many other suitable places to sleep on the bed. Of course, there are places, but is it comfortable to sleep there? Take for example the area where your feet rest. If your sleep is restless, you will often toss and turn in your sleep. What then do you tell the cat to do? Roll over with you? Another time somewhere in the future somehow another time sometime later!

However, one does not exclude the other. So what do we have? Sleeping on your feet is uncomfortable. The head is warm and quite cozy. According to respected experts, the area of ​​the owner’s head is the center of odors that are pleasant to the cat’s sense of smell. It has been found that many cats like the smell of our hair. The cat associates the smell of the owner’s face with absolute safety, and this is the only way she can relax and fall asleep fully. Safety for felines is an absolute priority.

Cats are also territorial creatures. They not only absorb other people’s smells, but also “give” their own, marking their own territory. Sleeping next to the owner's face - what could be better if you need to declare your rights to him?

By the way, there is another very interesting point, which, however, very often puzzles and annoys cat lovers. The fact is that when they wake up, they feel that their pet’s butt is buried in their face! Of course, there is little pleasant here. But there are still reasons for joy: the cat trusts you in the “holy of holies” in such a bizarre way, showing that you are an integral part of its family.

A cat sleeps according to its own cycle. And this cycle is different from our human one. In order to feel fresh and rested in the morning, it is advisable for us to sleep soundly and soundly throughout the night. It is clear that being close to a cat does not improve the quality of the owner’s sleep. Whether you like it or not, you will have to wake up at least several times during the night! It's all about natural cat instincts. Then the cat decides to go and eat. Then she will want to play - after all, she must maintain the reputation of a “night” animal. To ensure the normal functioning of the body, it is enough for a cat to divide its sleep into separate cycles of several hours each. But you can’t afford such luxury!

We are looking for a convenient solution. Indeed, the cat is a “nocturnal”, or rather “twilight” animal. And nothing can be done about it - that’s what nature intended. You can only “adjust” it a little, that is, make sure that the cat is active in the evening, at dusk, gives up all its energy and is thoroughly exhausted. This requires an active game, best of all “hunting”, in a variety of variations. After that, be sure to feed the cat tightly. Then the likelihood sharply increases that, having become tired during the game and having eaten heavily, the cat will proceed to its usual evening toilet, after which it will fall soundly asleep.

Is your pet annoying at night?
Well, you need to try to practice using the method described above. Cats love order in their lives and will happily embrace the new “tradition” of running around before bed. Don't expect immediate dramatic changes in your cat's behavior! Be patient and be consistent in your actions. Everything will be alright! Original publication: Strange Cat Facts: 'Why Does My Cat Sleep On My Head?' Author: Michael Arbeiter. Source and photo:

What to do

It turns out that your cat jumps on your head several times during the night. Unlike us humans, cats do not sleep for hours on end. If you can't sleep because your cat is nocturnal and she keeps moving or playing, here are a few things you can try that will help you and your cat sleep at night:

  • Make sure your cat's bed is warm and cozy before she will be attracted to sleep. Otherwise, they will still hang around your head.
  • It's important to have your cat exercise or do something else before bed. This will exhaust them physically, after which you can feed them good and tasty food. The combination of a satisfying meal and tiredness will help them take the next steps, meaning they will eventually prepare themselves for sleep.
  • However, it is best to train your cat to stay outside your room all night. Just close the bedroom door, although they may scratch at the door or whine to let them in for a few days and they will get used to it. Make sure your cat has everything they need: water, food, cat bed, litter box and scratching post, and they won't bother you anymore.

Looking for a convenient solution

Despite their predisposition to being nocturnal, Vyacheslav said cats are nonetheless flexible by nature and can actually be persuaded to adopt more comfortable sleep habits, starting with some activity before bed.

“Use cat toys in a way that simulates hunting—pull the toy away from the cat and let the cat catch it.” “After a good workout, right after the last catch, give your cat a bowl of cat food. After this, the cat will eat, groom and fall asleep.”

According to the specialist, although any behavior modification may take some time, repetition can always help encourage predictable behavior. Your pet may be stubborn at first, but time and patience will truly lead to more mutually agreeable schedules and bedrooms.

Treatment for a cat

Many people believe that cats heal. In some mysterious way, they feel a sore spot and try to lie on it. Oddly enough, after such cat therapy the pain subsides.

Doctors, of course, unanimously say that a cat cannot be cured, but it will be quite possible to relieve a headache or relieve a spasm. The fact is that the cat acts like a heating pad, and the vibrations it creates by purring relax you.

Interesting! Cat owners claim that their pets treat headaches, joint pain and even toothache, restore heart rhythm, and normalize blood pressure.

Cats are able to sense a person’s mood and often lay on their owner precisely when he is depressed or excited. Moreover, the animal behaves very delicately: first it will lie down next to it, then it will gradually move towards the owner until it takes the place that it considers necessary. Surprisingly, communicating with a cat helps you calm down and lifts your spirits.

Treatment with a pet

  • Felinotherapy (therapy with cats)

This is a scientifically proven method of treatment through contact with cats. It is believed that mustachioed pets have strong energy that they can send to help people. This method of treatment is actively used in psychotherapy. Children with serious illnesses (cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, autism) receive positive emotions from contact with a cat. It helps them socialize and relieves stress. Adults with mental illnesses also undergo feline therapy in combination with other therapeutic measures.

  • Bioenergy

They believe that a cat can have a positive effect on a patient on a physical level.

  • The currents generated from stroking pets' fur have a beneficial effect on inflammatory processes.
  • The purring of a pet calms the nervous system and acts on the foci of the disease, like ultrasound.
  • Pet claws give the effect of acupuncture, affecting nerve endings.
  • Cats can anticipate the development of the disease by choosing the same place. If a cat lies down on its chest, the owner needs to check the heart and lungs. If there are problems in the gastrointestinal tract, she will lie on his stomach. When your pet prefers to sleep on a human head, it makes sense to check intracranial pressure. Owners of these animals notice that when they have colds, their pets regularly lie down.

How to arrange a place for a cat to sleep

Perhaps the cat does not have a cozy sleeping place for a comfortable night's rest. To prevent your pet from freezing, place it near a radiator or in another warm and not accessible place. A special basket from a pet store, a mattress, or an old warm sweater are suitable as a bed. If a cat likes to hide in secluded places, then an enclosed cozy house is suitable. If the animal prefers to be more in the company of people and observe, then an open basket is better. Buy a basket for a cat who can't stand closed spaces.

The bed should be cozy, soft and dry, of a suitable size. Your pet will enjoy relaxing on the bed if you sprinkle it with mint and put your favorite toys on it. If the cat appreciates the furnished corner for relaxation, he will stop visiting the owner’s bed.

When you take a kitten into your home, let him determine his own place to sleep. Felines intuitively find the most suitable corner - perhaps on a hill - to observe what is happening. The main thing is that the cat is allowed to be in this place. If there is no battery nearby, use a heating pad.

In a family, like in a pride of cats

Another reason why a cat prefers to lie down next to its owner is another explanation that relies on some features of cat psychology. It is believed that the animal perceives its owner as a strong and large representative of the pride in which it lives. It is an indisputable fact that many of the wild cat family live together, organizing entire clans. By respecting the “alpha leader,” the pet, being in a safe position, feels protected.

This version keeps pace with the natural instincts of cats, although many owners, basing their guesses only on the emotional component, claim something slightly different. They believe that a cat that sleeps on its head thus shows a person its sincere, immeasurable love and gratitude. Anything can happen, but those who have known these narcissistic, selfish and slightly shameless animals for a long time know that they do not love anyone but themselves.

Where cats sleep: energy

Cats are a source of bioenergy. The intersection of different energies in one house can be a positive and negative factor.

  • Cats are sensitive to places where biofields intersect. Such points can negatively affect human health.
  • The animal chooses a similar point for sleep and normalizes the energy, transforming it into a favorable one.
  • The cat's biofield has a positive effect on humans. Pets neutralize negative waves.
  • The cat tries to stabilize places with negative energy and locates itself in them.


Do not try to force your cat to sleep in a specific place in the apartment. He knows where to go to bed. Since sources of negative energy tend to change location, sensitive cats follow these movements.

Bed made from improvised materials

  1. Wicker basket bed. If you have a large wicker basket made from wooden rods at home, it is perfect for a cat bed. It is necessary to put a soft filler in the form of a synthetic padding pillow. Cats love to climb into boxes; your pet will love this bed.
  2. A sleeping place made from an old suitcase will help your pet feel comfortable. Its bottom should be covered with a large pillow filled with synthetic padding. If the bed has a lot of space, is warm and cozy, the cat will not want to climb onto the owner’s bed.

Feather pillows are not recommended to be placed in a cat's bed. It is necessary to use materials that are easy to wash.

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