How do I get a kitten to sleep in its own bed?

Question

I recently rescued a kitten off the streets and she's about 4-5 weeks old. Whenever she's feeling sleepy she comes over to my lap and sleeps. It's cute but I really want her to be sleeping on her own bed so I'm able to work while she's sleeping. How do I get her to sleep on her own bed? I've tried moving her once she's sound asleep but she wakes up and crawls over back to me.

Answer 1

Considering her age, she still needs to sleep with her mother. Since you adopted her, you are now her mother :)

I can think of the following "action-plans":

• make her bed as soft and as warm as possible; don't wash everything on her bad at the same time; let it be soaked with her scent;
• have patience for a while, until she grows a little older;
• depending on the details of the work you want to do, get used to work while supporting a sleeping cat.

It also depends on the preferences of the cat. Some prefer to sit on the lap, others prefer to sit NEAR their owner, but NOT on his / her lap, while others prefer the top of the furniture or the high light appliances.

Answer 2

There are three main things a kitten that age needs from her mother (you): warmth, safety and food. Your lap provides at least two of those things, and her bed probably provides none.

You can solve the warmth issue by using a heating pad, but make sure there is a thick and/or tough layer of some type to prevent her claws from digging into it and accidentally electrocuting herself. A warm water bottle wrapped in a blanket may also work.

Feed her in or near her bed, and if she's eating out of a dish, leave it near the bed. Make sure you're feeding her enough.

A covered bed works best; cats feel a lot safer when they're in dark, tight spaces. If she's already attached to you enough to sleep on your lap, then put it in the same room as you work so she doesn't have to leave the bed and go looking for you for reassurance she's safe.