# my cat doesn't sleep with me



## wcoastbreeze (Jul 9, 2005)

Okay I know this sounds stupid, but what should I do to train my cat to sleep with me? He's only 4 months old, and he gets into bed after I've fallen asleep and he pounces on my feet and wakes me up, and then proceeds to fall asleep on the floor. How do I change this? If I want him to sleep with me when I get into bed, what should I do?


----------



## nerilka (May 17, 2005)

Best advice I have is to wait and don't try to force it, Perhaps petting & playing with him on your bed, At 4 months, thier still developing habits;Does he nap on your bed during the day? Other People here know alot more than me


----------



## SammyO (Nov 27, 2004)

I wouldn't suggest petting and playing with him at night when you are supposed to be sleeping as he will associate play time with bedtime and you will end up with a kitty that keeps you from getting your sleep. There are tons of posts on this forum about people looking for advice to get the cats to STOP waking them up at night!

No worries, I bet it won't be long until he starts sleeping with you. My Tasha went from sleeping close to he bed to right beside to bed to sleeping at my feet and the sleeping by my head. I try not to pay too much attention to her when I am sleeping because then she wants me to get up and she will continue to meow until I do!


----------



## coaster (Dec 1, 2004)

You just can't force a cat to sleep where you want the cat to sleep. If you put them somewhere, they'll just get up and go somewhere else if that's not where they want to be. All you can do is provide places and let the cat choose. This cat is little more than a kitten at four months. He's going to be up and active during the night. If it's bothering your sleep, you'll just have to close the bedroom door. I suspect when this cat gets older and less active, then he'll WANT to sleep with you on your bed.


----------



## Scribbles (Mar 17, 2005)

As others have said you can't force them they'll just do what they want 8O


----------



## nerilka (May 17, 2005)

I did not actually mean playing at night,just generally, I see now that may not be such a good idea


----------



## d_b (Jul 17, 2004)

As others said, you cant force them to sleep with you. When I first got Baily (year or so old) I tried like the dickens to get him to sleep with me. Nothing worked. About 4 montsh after I got him I woke up to find him under the covers with his head next to mine on my pillow. Now he sleeps with me every night.

Moral of the story, give it time....


----------



## Puma (Nov 29, 2004)

It's ok, I understand what you were trying to say...You want to bond with your kitty and by playing with him you are certainly bonding with him, and actually it is not a bad idea to play before bed time just make sure it is about a half hour before you get into bed.

Like the others said your kitty is still young (is he neutered?) just give it some time, after the two of you bond you will be remembering the days he used to sleep on the floor instead of your head. :wink:


----------



## Celebsilmare (Aug 9, 2004)

Just out of curiosity, do you move a lot when you sleep? I find that my cats will not stay in the bed once Jason falls alseep because they know that he will toss and turn. They figured this out very quick, and now sleep one the trunk at the end of the bed.

Cats know when it's best not to be a certain place and will react accordingly. If you move alot, you kitten may avoid the bed.


----------



## wcoastbreeze (Jul 9, 2005)

hey thanks for your responses! well i actually don't move a lot at all when i sleep. in fact i stay in the same position throughout the night. the only thing i really do is adjust my legs and feet a lot--which is why they always wake me up by pouncing on them. but yeah i do want to bond with my cat and i mean, i just don't feel comfortable when they aren't next to me because i sometimes worry subconsciously and it's difficult for me to fall asleep. and they sometimes sleep at the base of my bed but i always end up putting my feet on them accidently or soemthing... but last night i gave them a lot of treats and i kept the treats next to me when i fell asleep and they stayed there and slept with me... that was good.


----------



## Seabiscuit (Jul 10, 2005)

My cats are finicky about where they sleep. Biscuit slept above my head every single night for a year until we got a new bed with a headboard. Now he won't sleep with me AT ALL. He has taken to sleeping on the top bunk in the kids room. Sissy is the only one who will sleep under the covers with me when she is cold, other wise she sleeps by my feet. But she was the one who slept on the top bunk of the kids bed before Biscuit took over. Before that she would never sleep with me. They are so funny. I bet if you give it time your kitty might decide your bed is a good place to sleep. But it has to be up to them because if you try to force them then they will never want to sleep with you. Cats are funny like that.  I have two other cats but they sleep in the laundry room because Mama Kitty will try to terrorize my pet birds at night and Billy stays in there with her to keep her company. Also because Billy demands for us to pet him all night long...and we do have to sleep some time!


----------

