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When I get in bed, my cat will do anything she can to sleep with me. I don't just mean on the bed, I mean on my chest, my back, the backs of my legs, my side, or across my arms. A few times she's even gone to sleep with her forehead pressed against mine with her paws laying on my face. I don't mind too much, except for when she lays down on my face and I have a hard time breathing, but I'm starting to wonder if there's a reason for it that I should be looking into.

I play with her quite a bit, and she's more interested in playing and running than I've ever seen a cat of her age (6 years old). She seems to get a bit of separation anxiety when I leave for work each day as well.

Why is she so cuddly with with me during the night?

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  • Has she always done this or is this a change? If the latter, has anything changed in her environment? Are you spending more time away from home than you used to? Are you in the southern hemisphere and it's starting to get cold out?
    – Monica Cellio
    Commented Jun 20, 2014 at 3:47
  • Every day is a bit of progression. She's rescue, so she started out being painfully untrusting. Over time she's just started doing it more and more. It's just starting to get warm where I am. As far as I know, I haven't been spending more time away from her. If anything, it's the opposite.
    – littlekellilee
    Commented Jun 20, 2014 at 14:42
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    My cat used to be feral, and although she loves me and shows me in other ways, she does not like physical contact as much as most cats. However, only when I'm in bed, she always spends almost all of her time lying on top of me or next to me. I'm guessing sleeping with/on you shows that she trusts you completely (as they choose to sleep in the safest place possible).
    – surfmadpig
    Commented Aug 30, 2014 at 4:54

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Three reasons:

1) the cat loves you and is cuddling with you

2) you produce heat and the cat likes your warmth (they have a warmer inner body temperature, so things feel "cooler" to them than they would to us)

3) the cat feels more secure with a large ally right nearby

If you have just one cat and no other pets or people are around that could make your cat more "needy" to you which would create insecurity that is alleviated by #1.

I love cuddling with my cats at night or even during the day. Enjoy it, it's great!

The separation anxiety is not so great. I notice some of my cats seem more emotionally secure than others. I wish they all felt completely emotionally secure. It is quite possible the cat feels abandoned or unloved when you go out to work, it is hard to let them know you still love them even when you are away...

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  • Thanks so much! You made me feel a lot better about everything! Maybe I should get a kitten for her to play with so she isn't so lonely when I leave...
    – littlekellilee
    Commented Jun 19, 2014 at 15:33
  • @littlekellilee I tend to think kittens and older cats don't really get along, but I asked to see what other people think. Does age matter when adopting a cat (if you already own a cat)?
    – Spidercat
    Commented Jun 19, 2014 at 21:18
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    Before you rush off to get a new cat: cats don't necessarily always get along with each other. I suggest if you want to get a companion cat (which if they become buddies will help your current cat be less lonely) you foster one from a shelter. Give it say a 6 month trial and if they don't seem to be bonding try fostering another one, that way no one looses.
    – Dan S
    Commented Jun 20, 2014 at 1:39

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