Do you let your cat sleep in your bed with you at night?

kathyfromcanada

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My cat Jasmine sleeps with me every night. She sleeps right beside my face and likes to snuggle right in there.


She helps me get to sleep at night. I don't believe that cat's can cause health problems. Unless you already have asthma or allergies to begin with.

Unfortunately Athena can't get up on the bed. She is too old and the bed too high. I doubt she would stay there anyways.

I wouldn't have it any other way.
 

kntrygrl256

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My cats sleep anywhere they want. Sometimes it's on my bed, to include, on my pillow, beside my pillow, under the covers or at the foot. I never know where they will end up.
 

gareth

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I'm actually amused by the concept of trying to tell a Burmese cat where it can and can't sleep.
 

Geoffrey

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9 days ago, as part of a question "Do you let your cat sleep in your bed with you at night?"  by Sparkymema, there was also the question: "Do you believe what some doctors say is true, that sleeping with your pet can lead to health problems?"

Answer: You certainly should believe this!

Apart from Fleas, there is Toxoplasmosis, Rabies in USA (Not in UK nor Australia and New Zealand), cat scratch disease, roundworm and ringworm!  Toxoplasmosis is not rare, the main symptoms are either none - or enlarged lymph nodes.  Pregnant women should NOT sleep with their cats, unless a feline blood test is negative, as toxoplasmosis can harm the baby if contracted in the early months.   

Cat scratch fever is due to an organism on the cat's claws, or saliva and causes a blister at the site of a prong or bite,  lymph nodes are enlarged and the patient is ill with fever.  It can be treated by antibiotics.

The worms are self explanatory....  There are other diseases available but they are rare.

NB.  Despite knowing all this, we do sleep with Sukie - as we have no choice!

With regards,

Geoffrey.
 
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artiemom

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Every night for the past week Artie has decided to sleep on my pillows. I turn over, he is on my pillow. I get up and he is stretched out on the pillow next to me or above my head...crazy cat!
 

Kat0121

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Mine can sleep wherever they want. Lately Lilith has been coming to bed with me at night. Henry usually sleeps on the twin bed in the cat room and as of a couple of days ago, Sophie has been sleeping in one of her cardboard box caves. 
 

Caspers Human

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9 days ago, as part of a question "Do you let your cat sleep in your bed with you at night?"  by Sparkymema, there was also the question: "Do you believe what some doctors say is true, that sleeping with your pet can lead to health problems?"

Answer: You certainly should believe this!
Besides all the things you mentioned, there have been studies which suggest that people who allow their cats or dogs to sleep with them don't get enough rest and can suffer the effects of sleep deprivation.
 

inanna

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My cats are allowed to sleep in bed with me and my husband or in my kid's beds. Only one actually does.

Yes, I like it and wish they all did it. My 11/12 month old cats are up to shenanigans at night. They are too busy chasing each other around to actually sleep. They usually nap for large chunks throughout the day. My 5 year old cat has a soft hideaway cube that she's fiercely protective of so she sleeps in there. The kitten curls up with me though.

If cats sleeping with me is potentially bad for my health I could care less. So is coffee. So is junk food. I think there are far more "dangerous" things than curling up with my fur babies.
 

gareth

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Besides all the things you mentioned, there have been studies which suggest that people who allow their cats or dogs to sleep with them don't get enough rest and can suffer the effects of sleep deprivation.
And yet the Centre for Sleep Medicine at the Mayo clinic found in 2015 that people who allow their pets to sleep in with them slept better and felt more refreshed the next day. Like much else in research, it's easy to find the results to back up your beliefs.

I only have my own experience to go on. When my cat is in the bed I tend to feel relaxed because I know she is safe. I also tend to keep still so as not to disturb her, and thus tend to fall asleep more quickly than when she is not there. I appreciate this is all anecdotal, but then I don't have a lot of empirical evidence to go on. What I do know is that if Mia wasn't there I'd probably get up and go looking to make sure she was ok if there was a noise, so the benefits to sleep with her there may admittedly be self induced !
 
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DreamerRose

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Generally speaking, most of us have vaccinated or dewormed our cats against all those dangers. And if you have had cats most of your life, you've already had cat scratch fever and are immune to it. I don't think there is much danger, if at all, from sleeping with your cat, and as Gareth said, there's a lot of comfort with another sleeping body in your bed.
 

Geoffrey

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Just a note in explanation.  My post was in answer to "Do you believe what some doctors say is true, that sleeping with your pet can lead to health problems?" 

The answer was that yes, sleeping with your cat can cause health problems!  However the risk of contracting any of these illnesses is quite rare - apart from fleas!    However a pregnant women could have damage to the baby if she caught toxoplasmosis in the early months of pregnancy and if there is the slightest doubt, then the pregnant woman should consult her doctor - as should anyone else who thinks that they may have contracted any of the illnesses. 

Despite the list of illnesses that can be caused by cats, I have slept with cats since 1954.   After I was married in 1960 we have still continued to do so!

With best wishes,

Geoffrey
 
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JMJimmy

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Does your cat sleep with you at night?

Do you like it or dislike it?

Do you believe what some doctors say is true, that sleeping with your pet can lead to health problems?

Where does your cat sleep in your bed?

Why do you think cats do this?

FYI, All of my cats sleep in my bed  =)
1) 3 of 4 of them do

2) Love it though we need a bigger bed

3) Not for a second

4) Mostly at the foot of the bed (thankfully)

5) It's comfy, the down reflects their body heat so it's nice and warm, and they want to be close to us.
 

detroitcatlady

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My cats sleep with me, when they're not up all night playing. They're snuggle buddies, they love to snuggle up against me while I'm sleeping, or sleep on top of me. They also like to sleep in the bed when I'm not there and I will often come home to find all of them curled up in the bed. My cats have always slept with me, even as kittens. Sometimes they would wake me up and want to play in the middle of the night, but it didn't really bother me, it was something I eventually got used to. If having cats sleep in my bed is bad for my health I could care less, there are far worse things I could be doing and I would never resort to keeping my cats out of the bedroom, which is what I would have to do to keep them out of the bed, they love the bed it's one of their favorite places LOL My cat treasure likes to sleep under the covers. All of my cats like to sleep on top of me, and sometimes they will all try to lay on me while I sleep, other times they just sleep next to me, all curled up together.
 
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bengalcatman

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Our Bengals sleep with us. I usually sleep near an open window, even in winter (our wood stove tends to overheat the house when loaded full to last the night.) Our male Bengal, Makena, loves to watch out the window, but he gets cold so I leave an arm out for him.


He watches out the window on and off all night, and snuggles in tight when sleeping

Makena sleeps with my wife when I am traveling. Makena is very protective of my wife when I am not home: he growls at night noises and will guard a door if he hears someone outside. He stays between her and who ever knocks on the door until he is sure about the person.

He also LOVES to nap with her in the afternoon

Eric
 

JamesCalifornia

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I think that seeing some "doctors" can definitely cause health problems - but not pets !
I have heard of several studies by psychologists that show caring for a pet reduces stress , loneliness and depression.
My cats run the house. I call them my children. ( the little stinkers ~[emoji]128525[/emoji]~ ) I like them with me and often wake up to find a few of them asleep on the bed.

Maybe I need help ... [emoji]10071[/emoji]
 
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