# Letting Your Cat Sleep On The Bed With You?



## sophiam (Aug 1, 2012)

For the past two years my cat has slept at the bottom of the bed. The first night we got him that's just where he fell asleep and since then that's where he's slept. I was telling someone that for two years now I have slept with my feet out of the side of the bed because my cat takes up the whole of the bottom of the bed. She was completely confused that I would let my cat sleep on my bed. She said her cats are not allowed on her bed or any of her furniture. 

Now I can't understand that. Even if I tried to get my cat to stay off the bed it wouldn't work. It's not like he actually listens to me anyway. In fact I feel pretty lucky that he allows me to share the bed with him. I figured most people allowed their cats to sleep anywhere in the house. Now I can't figure out if I'm the weak one for letting my cat walk all over me, or she's just cruel for not allowing her cat on her furniture. I'd love to hear if anyone else has rules for their cat, and how do you get them to listen to you?


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Lolacola,
You're not "weak", but neither is she "cruel"!!
Cats and owners are all different, in their Perks & Quirks!
What is perfectly fine with one, may not be to another one.
If you've seen her cat, and it seems healthy and happy, doesn't have "issues", and it doesn't hide or run away from her, then it's all good!
You and your cat are happy to share a bed, and that works for both of you!
I have several that share the bed!
Sharon


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## Sundown (Aug 11, 2014)

I don't allow my cat in my bedroom. I have allergies and figure I need one cat free area. Other than that the cat sleeps pretty much where ever he wants. He has his own bed that he usues occasionally. He aslo sleeps on the sofa, my recliner, one of the kitchen chairs, on top of his scratching post/climber, and sometimes just in the middle of the living rom floor.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

On the bed?? I go home every night hoping my girls will let me in the *house*. :shock:


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## happy_panther (Aug 4, 2014)

Definitely all owners are different! When we got our two, the first rules of mine were no cats on the kitchen bench or table/where we are eating food. So far, one has only tried to jump up a couple of times and he gets a spray with the water bottle. It is also a safety thing actually, he jumped up on the stove once - thank god it was off!!

The other rule is not behind the couch, becuase it is a pretty expensive leather lounge and we don't want it shredded when they try to get back out. They used to sneak down there a lot, but again a squirt with the water bottle or grabbing them before they jump down has seemed to stop them doing it. It is also covered in blakets and doonas until we know we can trust them lol.

We don't really let our cats sleep with us either, especially on work nights, because they disrupt our sleep and decide that 5am is play and pounce time. On weekends we do sometimes for cuddles. 

I guess everyone has different rules and preferences, doesn't mean you are weak it's just what works for you. I have opinions about some of the leniencies of other cat owners I know but ultimately it is their choice... so long as they don't try to impose that on our guys when they visit - kind of like parenting I guess?


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Just had to....


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## G-PEG123 (Feb 20, 2014)

Ha ha! Funny and true. Lily sleeps on top of the washing machine in her bed and we close the door. Lucy sleeps on the half bath floor on a pile of blankets. And we close the door. I don't know what I'm going to do permanently but I don't think I'll have them sleep with me. That part of why there's two of them.

Our last cat slept on my feet. I don't recall her waking me. Maybe I've forgotten because she had been sick for awhile and slept on the kitchen rug for a long time.


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## howsefrau32 (Mar 6, 2013)

Somehow, my sister has managed to teach her two cats that they are not allowed on the kitchen counter or the table. I think it may be because the counter tops are granite and very slippery, but I am jealous that for whatever reason, they don't go on her counters. That is the only place it bothers me to have the cats, on the counter while I'm cooking. I usually have to shoo Stephano away about 20 times while I am cooking dinner. Other than that, I don't really care where they go. My teenage daughter sleeps with one of our cats snuggled right up next to her all night. My cat Beep likes to curl up next to us, but only in the winter when it's really cold outside. I love kitties snuggling up next to me. No, you are not crazy, kitties are the best snugglers


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## ashlee18 (May 21, 2014)

My cat doesn't even sleep in the bedroom. The dogs are in my bed and he would be attacking them all night long. Everyone is allowed on the furniture but not the counters. I am still working on keeping the cat off the counters.


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## zuma (Nov 5, 2009)

Leelu usually sleeps by my feet. When it's cold, she snuggles closer and if I toss and turn a lot, she leaves and sleeps in her bed. Haha In the morning she'll come up to my face and purr. Great way to wake up. 
I wouldn't want it any other way. I change my sheets a lot more often though. 
But each to their own, some like it, some don't.


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

Like Marie, I'm just glad they let me live in the house.....

Mow and Book sleep with me. If I lock them out when I open the door in the AM they are both laying there staring at me....i feel so bad for them.


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## Jenny bf (Jul 13, 2013)

Both Kiki and Lulu sleep on the bed. Lulu gets into the crook behind my knees or if I am alseep on my back she sleeps between the knees, although she quickly moves onto the same place with my husband as she gets a better cover from the AC. Kiki is at the base or on my pillow and if I move in the night she purrs me back to sleep. Very occaisional nights they sleep in the living room.
Our only sule has been no scratching on our furniture which they are fine with. I figured when we are not at home they are all over the counters and dining table anyway, so we clean the counters before any food prep. Except for Kiki getting into our glass bowl on the dining table to sleep ( because of course there IS nowehere else)they don't jump up anywhere, except to lay on their blankets on the sofa. Mainly because I am not worried about it and neither is my husband and we don't have allergies. Each cat and each person has their own preferences


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## Dumine (Jun 30, 2014)

With my first two cats we were very strict. They can be on my furniture but only on my lap and never on the tables or counters. We got them both together, so they would sleep together in their own bed. Angel was so tiny when we got her and all alone that I took her to bed with me where she snuggled against my neck all night.
You can teach your cats pretty much anything, but you have to start early and you have to be consistent. 
Femmy will sleep on the bed only when she's cold and exactly like I taught her. Right on top of me and as soon as anyone moves she'll jump off. Angel on the other hand, sleapt in the bed, under the covers, with two people her whole life so she just moves around a bit when you turn over and then goes right back to sleep. Her favourite spot is behind my bum where the covers form a little tent. Now the not so funny bit is when they are both on the bed at the same time. Me on my side with Angel behind my bum and Femmy on top of my hip.


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## Marcia (Dec 26, 2010)

When we took in our cat Annie as a stray, she was so grateful all she wanted to do was sleep by my head or even better, ON my head. After repeatedly moving her to my feet she finally got the message and stayed there during the night. We LOVE our cats on our bed, on our chairs and just about anywhere they want to lay around but totally get someone that would not want them in the bedroom. Not on ANY of the furniture?, that seems a bit much.


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## Heather72754 (Nov 1, 2013)

I don't let my cats sleep in my bed - they let _me_ sleep in _their_ bed. Lol.



lolacola said:


> how do you get them to listen to you?


Get a dog. :wink


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## tezster (Jun 4, 2013)

My cats do whatever they want, whenever they want. If this is an indication of my future parenting skills, my kids will be spoiled and selfish little brats, because if there's one thing I've learned, it's that I'm not much of a disciplinarian.


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## larsan (May 3, 2014)

We had 3 cats many years ago and they never were up on counters or tables. They were allowed on furniture though. Then we got the 2 we have now. I tried everything to keep them off counters and tables. The advice I was given was that if I wanted pets that didn't jump up, to get a dog!!!

Some cats are "up" cats and some are "down" cats. Our 2 that we have now are up cats for sure. So we go with the flow.

Abby will only sleep on top of the covers and gets down if either of us moves...she usually comes back later. Gizmo sleeps under the cover as close to me as he can get...our Velcro cat


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## DaveMB (Jan 9, 2014)

Gizmo used to sleep against my legs or near my head, Eboney is still finding her place in the house and has slept in loads of different places so far.

She spent last night laid at the side of my pillow near my face.

No furniture restrictions in my house (although I totally understand why people have them) She can go/sleep wherever she chooses as long as she stays off of the counters I'm not bothered.


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## Marcia (Dec 26, 2010)

Heather72754 said:


> I don't let my cats sleep in my bed - they let _me_ sleep in _their_ bed. Lol.
> 
> 
> 
> Get a dog. :wink


Ha! Good one Heather!
A guy came in to the shelter recently wanting a cat. I asked my initial probing question about what he was looking for in a cat, "one that listens to me" he said. :?

After a moment of trying to determine if he was serious or not, I told him to get a dog. Never saw him again.


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

tezster said:


> My cats do whatever they want, whenever they want. If this is an indication of my future parenting skills, my kids will be spoiled and selfish little brats, because if there's one thing I've learned, it's that I'm not much of a disciplinarian.


Yeah... kinda this for me too. The boys go on the counters.. table... couches... beds.... bookshelves... wherever. The only time I shoo them off is if there is danger involved. 

For example the big boys know to stay on the bar section while I cook so they are allowed. Neelix hasn't learned to stay behind that imaginary line so he gets put onto the floor each time he crosses it (which is a bazillion times per night) because there are knives and hot burners and stuff out and about (not to mention of course the hygiene of him tramping across my prep area).

MowMow sleeps curled up against/under my cheek. Book usually starts at the end of the bed but once it cools down outside he moves up to the body pillow I sleep against. He lays on it and drapes a back leg over me. If it's REALLY cold he lays on the arm that's stretched out from under the covers.

I've started a hunt for a new mattress and I wanted to go from a King size to a full size but... I think I'll have to compromise on a queen or we won't all fit in the bed..

I admit now that there are 3 of them i'm thinking we need to do some rearranging and make some changes. Right now it's feeling a bit like a free for all...all the time...


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## dt8thd (Jan 7, 2013)

Our cats go wherever they want, whenever they want. The only time they get shooed off of anything is if they're on the counters when we're preparing food, or on the table when we're eating--and even then, no one bothers to make them get down off the table during meal times unless everyone is sitting down together for an "official" meal. Subsequently, we inadvertently ingest a lot of cat hair. I linked a video in another thread last week, which is also quite appropriate here.

Emily @dt8thd | Websta (Webstagram) 

The table that's covered in cats? Yeah, that's where we eat. :roll:

As far as sleeping arrangements are concerned, any cat that wants to sleep on my bed is more than welcome--heck, it's encouraged. Choco-cat and Poe sleep with me every night.


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## cat owner again (Dec 14, 2012)

Pretty much the cats broke me into their rules. I can't imagine being able to keep them off the furniture because when I am not around, they would do it. Neither will sleep through the night so they don't get to come in the bedroom. They don't want to either.


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## sheiladoreen (Jul 11, 2014)

We had set a rule that we would never let our cat sleep in the bedroom as my SO has allergies (we have Orientals so they're less allergenic, but still). That was kiboshed about 3 weeks into owning Puccini and we decided just to train him to sleep all night, so he cuddled with us on the bed. He hates being woken up, so in the night if we roll over we'll sometimes get a hiss or a yell but we're used to that now.

When we got our second Oriental they preferred to sleep together. Sometimes they're on the bed but usually they're downstairs on the couch. We did have to shut the door on them a few times as they preferred playing to cuddling at night but they're used to our schedule now.


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

Sheiladoreen, I have pretty bad allergies to the cats. Have you tried an air purifier in the bedroom? I have one and I turn it on as soon as I get home from work then close (I use a big lava rock to keep the door cracked for the boys to get in and out) the door most of the way shut. It really helps!!

In fact last night I had shut the door, MowMOw was on a rampage to find Book (who now takes refuge on my face at night). I locked Mow out and Book in and went to bed. The air purifier was on high. When I opened the door and walked out of the room this morning I was attacked by some serous allergy action. I guess spending all night in my air purified room did NOT prepare me for the rest of the apartment this morning.


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## sheiladoreen (Jul 11, 2014)

MowMow said:


> Sheiladoreen, I have pretty bad allergies to the cats. Have you tried an air purifier in the bedroom?


My SO is actually okay! With each cat he had about a 2-week adjustment period with some sniffles. And he'll have a red/itchy/swelling reaction if he gets scratched from playing rough with the cats, but otherwise he is fine. Our cats are fairly "hypoallergenic" despite that being a term widely applied to cats by breeders looking to sell. We've had friends with cat allergies stay over in the "cat room" without reactions.


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## Moochmom (Jun 3, 2014)

One of my two kitties sleeps in the bed with me-not every night but most nights. I'm always really disappointed if they decide to sleep elsewhere.


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## olywhizz (Mar 25, 2014)

My cats have many beds to sleep but one or two will usually end up in bed with me and every once in a while I wake up with all four in bed with me


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## sheiladoreen (Jul 11, 2014)

Moochmom said:


> One of my two kitties sleeps in the bed with me-not every night but most nights. I'm always really disappointed if they decide to sleep elsewhere.


THIS!!

I had abandonment issues when we got our second cat. To my SO I kept saying, "He doesn't love us anymore! He's upset we got a second cat! He likes the new cat more than us!"

I'm used to it now (and glad they get along so well!) but it is always nice to have a warm kitty to snuggle with -- and knowing they chose _you_!


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## Mochas Mommy (Dec 9, 2013)

Mocha slept every single night either right beside me curled onto my arm OR right between my legs at the end of the bed OR right beside me and under to top blanket. It even became part of our bedtime routine...I'd get in, thump the bed twice, and she'd come....I really miss that with her.

My childhood cat, Berz, slept beside me whenever he was inside. In fact, many nights, he would jump onto the window sill outside my window and scratch to be let in to sleep on the bed!

Now, if I let these three kittens in my bed, I will willingly admit myself to a psychiatric facility! They would fight and play and be kittens all night long. Nope...they have their very own human bed in their very own rooms...with no human to have to share it with....works fine for me! Close my door and I get to sleep in peace!


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## tgwillard (Oct 18, 2012)

Emily will go to sleep on a chair in a room next to our bedroom. A few hours later she will wake us up for an early morning feeding. After I feed her she most always will come back to the bed and sleep next to us until we get up. 

It seems she likes to be near us at night, either nearby in the next room or on the bed itself. She is very quiet and we only know she is on the bed and wants her wet food because she walks on us. In the winter she snuggles closer to us and in the summer will stay at the end of the bed.


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## cat owner again (Dec 14, 2012)

Last night my female slept on my bed and when I got up to go to the bathroom, she wanted to go out of the room. I let her and when I went back to bed the sheet felt wet. I have a water bed and she obviously jumped and made a pin hole in it. Not sure I want her on the bed.


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## bibiak87 (Aug 3, 2013)

I'm late to this but I had to post! 

Gizzie is usually attached to my head during the night. She either sleeps right next to my pillow or she she sleeps on my pillow and curls around my head --> free massage from her kneading! 

But no, you are not weak! Many of us on the cat forum "suffer" because a cat is asleep on us or around us and we don't want to interrupt them.. 

I think it's in the contract between you and your cats.. :deal


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## FarmCatRescue (Aug 15, 2014)

My bed? Uh . . . yeah, right. I don't think they understand that concept. Of course, I've had a cat sleeping in the bed with me since I was about 4 years old.


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## Artiesmom1 (Jan 28, 2014)

Artie is 'stuck' to my legs every night!
He has to be snuggled right up to the back of my legs (I sleep on my side).
It does make it hard to move; almost like having my legs wrapped together.
On the other hand, on the nights he decides to leave me alone (not often), I miss him.
When he jumps down, it is so cold in bed, being alone.....
never a happy medium!!!
atback

I guess it is the 'joys' of being a cat guardian!!!:cat

Seriously, I tried to keep Artie out of my bedroom when I first adopted him. That lasted 2 weeks! I kept the door closed, it did get stuffy in there--apartment building with one window in that room. He cried and jumped on the door, trying to get in, all night long.
The last straw was when I had a laundry basket full of clean clothes and I was trying to sneak in my bedroom. Artie just made a bee-line for the door, ran all around my room, jumping on everything, and shedding fur everywhere. I decided to give up and admit defeat! The room I tried so hard to keep cat free was now contaminated with CAT!!!! 
Since that day, Artie goes everywhere....he has free reign of the apartment.
He knows there are certain areas he is not allowed on, but being a cat--he feels he can break the rules!!!!
When I catch him, he looks at me, eyes wide open, meows, tail goes up---then, he sees me pointing down and saying "down, get down, bad boy!" His ears immediately go back, he gets smaller in statue, tail goes down, he starts sassing me back and jumps down, with his tail between his legs...walks away sassing me. Of course I saw, "stope answering me back" and he will eventually stop....

What can you do? He has me trained!!!!nekitty


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## FarmCatRescue (Aug 15, 2014)

The cat I grew up with would do this if the door to my room was shut and she wanted to get in to sleep in my bed. 

She would put her paw under the door and violently rattle the door back and forth in the door frame. It made a remarkably loud sound. She was a very smart cat.


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## gizmothecat (Jun 26, 2013)

When I'm home...wherever they want, when I'm out only the bedroom door is closed. Before I got marshall gizmo would sleep with me...now not so much  I love when my cats sleep with me

But every since marshall...they do this every nite at bedtime


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## KsKatt (Jul 6, 2014)

What's that old saying, a picture is worth a thousand words;


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

I have no idea how you do that..?? I only sleep with TWO cats and a king size bed never seems big enough for is all.........


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

When I had 3 cats, they would all be in bed with me and I often felt pinned to the mattress. When I got Jake I decided that he wasn't sleeping in the bed, he seemed happy in his crate and he never tried to get in the bed. But I felt wicked guilty. 

After I lost Maggie, I actually held fast on keeping Jake out of the bed for months. But finally gave in one night when I was feeling really low (when my father was diagnosed with a brain tumor). Apparently he was waiting for that first invitation and now he doesn't even ask, he's a regular. 

For the most part Holly sleeps at my feet. Kobi likes to get right in my face and Jake thinks he needs to get between me and Kobi...so there's a bit of a battle there when I turn out the light and settle in. But eventually Kobi leaves and sleeps at the top of the stairs or on the bathroom rug. Once Kobi leaves, Jake moves over and gives me a little more room. 

The really funny part is that most times when I get up to go to the bathroom, Jake moves into my spot and puts his head on my pillow...and I have to fight with him to get him to move.

I gave up on keeping cats off the counter years ago. And after having cats for nearly 30 years, all of my furniture is cat friendly so I don't worry about keeping them away from it.


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

MowMow said:


> I have no idea how you do that..?? I only sleep with TWO cats and a king size bed never seems big enough for is all.........


You see that she's not in the bed, right? :lol:


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## Sylvie'smom (Sep 9, 2013)

I've always had cats that loved to snuggle under the covers but my present kitty, Sylvie stays 30 minutes tops and seems to prefer her cat bed which sits on top of the guest room bed. I miss sharing my bed with a kitty but I must say, I do sleep better alone. I am a light sleeper hence my husband and I have twin beds.


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## Luvmyfurbabies (Jun 25, 2012)

Wow..........you mean some people with cats are actually allowed to have a CLOSED DOOR in their home????????.........who knew? Nope not mine, all three follow me to bed and stay there until I get up..........my reward you ask........they let me sleep in on my weekends and wait patiently until I rise and then off we go for some goodies!


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## koshechka (Jul 14, 2013)

My cats are allowed everywhere. I wish they hadn't liked the granite counters, but they are all over them - as the video I posted shows. As to other furniture, I keep moving my breakables higher and higher. I moved the vase I had in my bedroom to the top of a 5" armoire only to see Gretel there one night. For a while I couldn't figure out how she got there, then after playing I realized she was jumping from the bed. Still it's quite a distance, maybe not as high as from the floor, but the distance itself is bigger. She looks like she is flying, wish I could film her, but she refuses to do it on demand. 

As to the bed - they are all over it. When Mashka was alive I bought a queen size bed just for myself alone because the full size bed wasn't enough for her and me. Somehow she managed to take the whole bed. When she was a kitten she wouldn't let me sleep by chasing her tail alongside my back. Then she quieted down and slept mostly around my legs (but of course claiming the center), as she got older she climbed towards my stomach, and when she got sick she liked to sleep near my head.

Hansel and Gretel are different. Gretel likes to lie on top of me if I read in bed, but then she leaves. Hansel sleeps mostly near my legs or discretely in the corner except when he gets into an affectionate mood during which times he climbs near my face and tries to lie on top of my face. Sometimes I worry he'd strangle me one day, though I suspect I'd wake up immediately if I can't breathe. He also likes to lick my face. But they don't wake me up, they didn't even when they were kittens. When they want to play they decide I am too boring and run downstairs and play there.


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## sarahthompson (Aug 8, 2014)

How can you say no to something this cute


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Exactly!! Tooooo cute!


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## librarychick (May 25, 2008)

Only Torri is allowed in our room...but that's because it's her 'Princess Tower' (aka safe room). So she sometimes sleeps with us, more often she sleeps on the window ledge or one of the cat posts I've got in there for her.

The boys have never been allowed in there, and there have always been plenty of closed doors, so it doesn't bother then at all. Right now the boys have their own room in the basement, they have to eat apart from Jitzu so she doesn't eat all their food AND Doran sprays in the summer, so keeping him confined at night makes a huge difference for our house's cleanliness.

Jitzu stays in the main part of the house, she mostly sleeps on the couch cuddled up with a pillow and my couch blanket. Not a hard life at all 

If all of our kitties got along, and didn't spray, I'd love to sleep with all of them. I'm not banking on it happening anytime soon though. *sigh*


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## 2Siamese (Apr 6, 2014)

The meezers, boy and girl Cosmic and Mia sleep on, or if cold enough, in my bed with me. Mia is relatively nice and sleeps next to my knees. Cosmic prefers my arms, with his head on the pillow like a human. When I had a heater in my room, they usually slept in their bed in front of the heater, but since it blew and I use the A/C for heat, my bed has become the communal sleeping area. Bella sometimes joins us in my room, but she prefers the bed on the sofa's arm rest. Then again, she's half persian, much longer hair.


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## oceanmist (Feb 12, 2011)

Casie always slept on my bed. I used to put the pillow next to me up against the headboard and she would sleep where the pillow was. She slept like that for so long that I couldn't sleep without her at least within sight of me. When she died, I had to bring the dog up to my room so I could sleep. 

Cherry sleeps on my bed or near it. I really can't sleep without her in the room and if I wake up in the middle of the night, I'll sometimes go find her and bring her there so I can sleep. Every night, she'll jump up on my bed, lie down, and get up again. Sometimes she'll knead my blankets and then fall asleep curled up and other times she rubs against my arm and flops down onto it. Most of this summer she's slept at the bottom of my bed, but that poses the risks of accidentally being kicked off. >.> Lately, she's taken to sleeping on her cat tree. I moved it so it's maybe a foot away from my bed. It's nice because I can stretch out on my bed and she doesn't have to worry about being rolled onto. Also, it keeps me from dying of heat if she decided to curl up beside me. 

In the winter she mostly sleeps on top of me. When she was younger she used to climb under the blankets and sleep with her belly on my back and her front legs on one side of me and back legs on the other. 

Cherry is practically allowed everywhere. There are a few places where she isn't allowed due to fragile objects. She also isn't allowed on the counters when we are cooking. Any other time is fine and she mostly stays off them unless something interesting is happening.


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