How do I make my kitten use her bed?

ileana and douggie

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Aug 24, 2006
Messages
34
Purraise
1
Location
Bucharest and UK
! My new kitten will not be caught dead in her bed!
If I put her in it she will get out immediately and she tends to sleep on the floor. I'm quite concerned that she might catch a cold, even though it's summer the kitchen tiles are always cold.
 

babyharley

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Aug 17, 2005
Messages
25,708
Purraise
2
Location
Minnesota
You can't make a cat do anything
They will sleep and do as they wish!


I got Harley a bed when he was little, and he wouldn't use it - so we returned it. He'd rather sleep on the floor, or the couch/chair.

I don't think its bad for them to sleep on the floor - I would keep the bed out, so she can use it when she wants to - maybe she just has to get used to it


Good luck!
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #3

ileana and douggie

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Aug 24, 2006
Messages
34
Purraise
1
Location
Bucharest and UK
Originally Posted by babyharley

You can't make a cat do anything
They will sleep and do as they wish!


I got Harley a bed when he was little, and he wouldn't use it - so we returned it. He'd rather sleep on the floor, or the couch/chair.

I don't think its bad for them to sleep on the floor - I would keep the bed out, so she can use it when she wants to - maybe she just has to get used to it


Good luck!
Thanks! I beg to differ though, I can make my older cat scratch me whenever I please!
 

buzbyjlc10

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jul 14, 2005
Messages
1,981
Purraise
5
Location
State College, PA and Haddon Township, NJ
"Women and cats will do as they please, men and dogs should sit back and enjoy the ride"

Haha... Oliver has two beds yet has taken over my ladybug beanbag chair isntead.... he will get onto/into his beds occasionally though, but he ALWAYS sleeps with his mama at night and I wouldnt have it any other way
 

ericanicole

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jul 31, 2006
Messages
1,454
Purraise
2
Location
No Vacancy...One on the way!
maybe spend relaxing time with your kitten while she/he is in the bed. My kitten arrived to me at two weeks old, I would feed him and swaddle him in a baby blanket and when he'd get done Id cuddle him up in a fluffy blanket. He got used to the smell and every time after he'd eat he would make his way to the blanket ( i left it on the floor bunched up) and pass out. every now and then thats where he goes for a nap.
 

renovia

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Feb 26, 2006
Messages
4,360
Purraise
8
Location
Maine
stoli has a bed positioned right next to a window so he can see everything and get some major rays. he started using it when i first got him as that was the only 'fluffy' thing to sleep on in 'his' room. Now he sleeps with me at night but during the day he'll conk out in the sun.
 

lovekg

TCS Member
Young Cat
Joined
Jul 14, 2003
Messages
67
Purraise
1
Location
Indiana
Oh 'making' the cats do what we want...seems impossible.
I just bought Brady a bed and he is finally laying in it! I would suggest just laying it somewhere close to you. For instance, if you're at the computer, but the bed by the desk. Sometimes they like to be close to us. Also Brady's bed came with catnip to enhance their desire to lay on it. I haven't used any of that yet though.
 

phantomsr

TCS Member
Young Cat
Joined
Jul 2, 2006
Messages
90
Purraise
1
I always try and let my cat pick his own stuff at the petstore and when he was a little kitten he picked out a bed at the petstore that he really seemed to like. Then he proceeded to sleep in the the entire time we were at the store. When we got the bed home, he decided sleeping on the floor under the bed was a better solution. He never slept in the bed. Eventually he migrated to sleeping at my feet but he was leaving a nice pile of cat fur all the time and I was getting tired of cleaning it up so I put his cat bed there. After that he'd always sleep in it. Soon the other cat realized what he was doing and they started running to the bed to get their first. So I bought them another identical bed so they both had one. Occasionally a bed would get knocked on the floor and they'd alternate between sleeping in their bed and on the foot of the bed with me. Nermal would even go as far as trying to get his bed back on my bed. Funny to watch but annoying at 4 am when your cat is freaking out jumping up and down trying to drag a cat bed onto your bed.
 

esrgirl

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 10, 2004
Messages
2,163
Purraise
2
Location
Indiana
Try some catnip. That's how I got my girls to sleep on their cat tree. I covered it with catnip. Someone makes these fun boogie mats that you can unzip and stash a bunch of catnip in- you can drape one across the bed and hopefully that will attract the kitty. Catnip spray may help too- but buy some catnip.

Edited to say-

Actually, I don't know if your kitten is over 6 months- if she isn't she probably won't be into catnip yet so disregard this advice. Annabelle was an early catnip lover (a few months old), but Isabelle wasn't interested until she was over a year old.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #11

ileana and douggie

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Aug 24, 2006
Messages
34
Purraise
1
Location
Bucharest and UK
Originally Posted by esrgirl

Try some catnip. That's how I got my girls to sleep on their cat tree. I covered it with catnip. Someone makes these fun boogie mats that you can unzip and stash a bunch of catnip in- you can drape one across the bed and hopefully that will attract the kitty. Catnip spray may help too- but buy some catnip.

Edited to say-

Actually, I don't know if your kitten is over 6 months- if she isn't she probably won't be into catnip yet so disregard this advice. Annabelle was an early catnip lover (a few months old), but Isabelle wasn't interested until she was over a year old.
She's just over 7 weeks, so I suppose that will be a no
I'll just try and see what her favourite place to sleep will be and I'll place the bed there - hope it works!
 
Top