SO YOU’VE GOT A NEW CAT, AND YOU’RE WONDERING IF IT’S OKAY TO LET YOUR FURRY FRIEND SLEEP WITH YOU AT NIGHT? THE SHORT ANSWER: YES, OF COURSE, IT’S OKAY! IN FACT, I WOULD SAY IT’S ALMOST A GIVEN THAT MOST INDOOR CAT OWNERS IN MALAYSIA (OR ANYWHERE, REALLY) END UP LETTING THEIR CATS SLEEP IN THEIR BEDS. WHY? BECAUSE HONESTLY, WHO CAN RESIST THE SNUGGLES AND THE COMFORTING PRESENCE OF A LITTLE FURBALL NEXT TO YOU WHILE YOU DRIFT OFF TO SLEEP?
AND HERE’S THE THING – FOR THE MAJORITY OF US, OUR CATS ARE NOT JUST PETS; THEY’RE FAMILY. A CAT CURLED UP BY YOUR SIDE, PURRING SOFTLY, IS LIKE HAVING A NATURAL “COMFORTER” THAT MAKES SLEEP 10 TIMES BETTER. IF YOU’VE EVER HAD THAT MOMENT WHEN YOUR CAT FALLS ASLEEP ON YOUR CHEST OR NUZZLES INTO YOUR LEGS, YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I MEAN.
BUT, OF COURSE, THERE ARE ALWAYS SOME EXCEPTIONS…
FOR SOME PET PARENTS, IT’S NOT ALWAYS A SMOOTH SAILING WITH THEIR CATS AT BEDTIME. MAYBE YOUR CAT LOVES TO PLAY AT 2 AM, GETS THE ZOOMIES, OR STARTS NIBBLING ON YOUR FINGERS TO WAKE YOU UP FOR SOME MIDNIGHT PLAYTIME. SOUND FAMILIAR? THESE LITTLE QUIRKS MIGHT MAKE YOU QUESTION IF INVITING THEM TO BED IS A GOOD IDEA. SOME CATS CAN GET HYPER AND KEEP YOU UP, MAKING YOUR PEACEFUL SLEEP FEEL LIKE A DISTANT DREAM.
BUT, AS ONE OF MY FAVORITE QUOTES GOES:
“THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE OFTEN THE ONES WE NEED TO WORK FOR.”
IT’S TRUE WHEN IT COMES TO CATS. IF THEY’RE GETTING TOO PLAYFUL, SOMETIMES ALL IT TAKES IS A BIT OF PRE-BEDTIME PLAY, WHERE YOU TIRE THEM OUT WITH SOME TOYS OR A GOOD RUN AROUND THE HOUSE. THAT WAY, WHEN YOU’RE READY FOR BED, THEY’RE READY TO CURL UP AND SLEEP – AND BOTH OF YOU WILL GET A PEACEFUL NIGHT OF REST.
I’VE BEEN THERE. MY FIRST CAT, AVERY, WAS A BALL OF ENERGY WHEN WE FIRST ADOPTED HIM. HE WOULD BOUNCE AROUND THE HOUSE AT NIGHT, AND IT TOOK A LITTLE WHILE BEFORE WE GOT INTO A RHYTHM. BUT AFTER A COUPLE OF MONTHS OF TRIAL AND ERROR (LIKE CLOSING THE DOOR TO THE BEDROOM AND LETTING HIM IN OCCASIONALLY), THINGS SETTLED DOWN. AVERY LEARNED THAT BEDTIME MEANT SNUGGLES, NOT ZOOMIES.
AND LET’S NOT FORGET THE JOY OF BEING GREETED BY YOUR CAT RIGHT BEFORE BEDTIME. IT’S LIKE THEY’RE SAYING, “OKAY, HUMAN, IT’S CUDDLE TIME!” I SWEAR, SOME CATS EVEN SEEM TO KNOW THE CLOCK, AND IT’S LIKE THEY’RE EAGERLY WAITING FOR YOU TO GET READY TO SLEEP. NOW, THAT’S A VIBE.
BUT HERE’S WHAT I THINK
IF YOU’RE WONDERING WHETHER OR NOT YOU SHOULD LET YOUR CAT SLEEP WITH YOU, THE ANSWER IS SIMPLE: GO FOR IT! THERE’S NO HARM IN TRYING IT OUT. IN FACT, YOU MIGHT JUST FIND THAT HAVING YOUR CAT BY YOUR SIDE AT NIGHT BECOMES ONE OF THE MOST COMFORTING, RELAXING THINGS YOU’VE EXPERIENCED. AND IF ANY ISSUES ARISE – LIKE HYPERACTIVITY OR PLAYTIME AT NIGHT – WELL, THERE ARE SOLUTIONS, AND IT’S USUALLY A MATTER OF TIME, ROUTINE, AND A BIT OF PATIENCE.
AS ANOTHER QUOTE I LOVE SAYS:
“CATS ARE CONNOISSEURS OF COMFORT.” – THEY KNOW HOW TO MAKE ANY SPACE FEEL COZIER, AND I THINK WE CAN LEARN A THING OR TWO FROM THEM WHEN IT COMES TO RELAXATION.
IN SUMMARY
IF YOU’RE ASKING YOURSELF IF IT’S OKAY TO LET YOUR CAT SLEEP WITH YOU – DON’T WORRY, IT’S MORE THAN OKAY! IT’S A BEAUTIFUL BOND THAT WILL MAKE YOUR NIGHT TIME MORE SPECIAL. BUT, IF PROBLEMS ARISE, JUST WORK THROUGH THEM, AND SOON ENOUGH, YOU’LL BOTH BE IN SYNC – A PERFECT BEDTIME DUO.
HAPPY SNUGGLING, AND MAY YOUR NIGHTS BE FILLED WITH SWEET DREAMS AND PURRS.
