Cats sleep between 15 and 20 hours a day and need a comfortable, safe place to sleep during this time. If your kitten sleeps everywhere, but not in his own bed, then it is impossible to force him. After all, cats have their own ideas about comfort, often different from ours.
Are you wondering how to train a kitten to sleep? Every cat is unique, so there are no universal rules. However, there are several practical recommendations that can help solve the problem.
Why does the kitten stubbornly refuse to sleep in its bed?
Cats are independent animals and often change their resting spots and explore new areas where they can sleep peacefully. Before you set a goal on how to accustom a kitten to a place to sleep, find out the reason for its refusal.
If he does not want to sleep in his own bed, this does not mean that he does not like it or that the pet is capricious. However, other available surfaces may have what cats are looking for when they choose a place to sleep: warmth, comfort and security.
This is why many cats prefer to sleep on sofas, tables, on clothes or on your bed. They instinctively feel more protected when they sleep in high places where they are protected from "predators".
If your kitten only wants to sleep in your bed, this may indicate deeper reasons:
- the baby feels safe with you, so he seeks your protection before bed;
- he considers you part of his pack;
- the kitten prefers the height of your bed because it gives him an advantage over possible threats;
- Your furry pet misses you, especially if you spend a lot of time away from home, so he takes advantage of this time to be close.
Many owners prefer that their pet does not sleep on pillows, much less with them, due to allergies, inconvenience, hygienic reasons, or simply because the small predator is active at night and does not allow sleep.
How to accustom a kitten to a place to sleep without coercion? To change the behavior of these wayward creatures, you need to change their thinking. Subtle persuasion is a key principle in cat training.
Where to place the bed
Usually, animals have several places to rest. In addition, these places may change over the course of a year. If in winter a cat needs a warm bed, then in summer he will prefer a spacious and cool one. Of course, options such as a window sill can work well at any time of the year. If your window is insulated and there is a radiator near it, you can place the bed there. In winter, it is easier to make a house for your pet or buy one so that it is warm and cozy.
In the summer, owners can lay bedding on the balcony. It’s very good if you have several options in each of the cat’s favorite places. For example, you can first purchase bedding, and after six months, buy a house. This option is good if you live in a private house. Then the second bed can be placed in the yard.
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Author: Pavel Chaika, editor-in-chief of Poznavaika magazine
When writing the article, I tried to make it as interesting, useful and high-quality as possible. I would be grateful for any feedback and constructive criticism in the form of comments on the article. You can also write your wish/question/suggestion to my email [email protected] or Facebook, with respect, the author.
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Teaching a kitten to a place to sleep
Having got a kitten, the owner wants it to follow certain rules in the house.
This is much easier with puppies, as they easily remember commands and can follow them. The cat is freedom-loving and, unconditionally trusting its owner, like a dog, will not willingly obey him. Many people want to train a kitten to sleep in its own place, as this makes it easier for it to go to the toilet at night. If the tray is located far away, then the baby may not rush to it, but will settle down somewhere near the place of sleep. The kitten tries to stay close to its owner and clings to him in his sleep. There is nothing wrong with this, but only if the owner himself is not against it. When it is necessary for your pet to sleep alone, you will need to be persistent and prepare a house for the animal.
How to accustom your pet to its place?
Buying a house or bedding for a cat is half the battle. It can be much more difficult to accustom a kitten or an adult animal to it. First of all, care should be taken that the personal space of a mustachioed friend meets such criteria as stable construction, comfort, convenience, and free access. In this case, the animal will get used to it much easier.
It happens that a cat, having quickly examined a new house, immediately chooses it as its main place. However, this does not always happen, and to tame a pet you must resort to ingenuity. Among the basic techniques:
- accustoming to a new corner;
- the location of the house where the mustachioed friend likes to relax;
- soft coercion.
Features of training a kitten
It is important to ensure that the pet's bed is ready on the first day of its stay in the new home. It should be convenient for the animal to enter and rest comfortably. During the cold season, additional heating may be needed. The baby will explore the territory for a long time, and it is important to observe his actions. If he likes a certain corner for relaxation, you should move the bed to it.
What should a sun lounger be like?
In order for the kitten to want to sleep in its place, you need to provide it with a comfortable bed. You can't just lay a rug in the corner and think that's enough . The cat, like the owner, should have a comfortable, cozy sleeping place where he will feel safe.
To teach a kitten to sleep in a new place, they make a house for it from a box, a basket, or buy a ready-made one at a pet store. Some pets like their sleeping place to rock. A special hammock is suitable for them, which can even be attached to a battery. The lounger should always be kept clean and dry. To prevent the baby from freezing at night and waking up from it, he needs to put on a heating pad. It is placed on one edge of the bedding, but not on the entire bottom, so that the pet can cool down if desired. You can also lean the lounger against the radiator.
It is good if the bedding is located in the place that the cat chose itself. A kitten, once in a new home, goes to sleep where it is comfortable and calm, and its wishes must be taken into account whenever possible. It is unacceptable to arrange it on the aisle in a noisy and drafty place. A room in which the light is on for a long time is also not suitable, as it will wake up the baby.
Sleeping together between owner and pet
The love for co-sleeping manifests itself independently or is cultivated through education. There are both pros and cons to such a vacation, so it’s best to proceed from your preferences. As a last resort, the animal can always be accustomed to a bed.
The only caveat is the age of the pet. The older he is, the longer he will have to be taught to sleep separately. For this reason, it is recommended to weigh all the pros and cons before purchasing a kitten.
Where should a cat or kitten sleep: determining a personal place
If you initially decide in which place the cat will sleep, you can avoid many problems associated with weaning from the bed. Some animals lie down with their owner due to the lack of a private corner. If you do not want to sleep together, equip your pet with a separate place that meets the criteria listed above, and scold him for any attempts to occupy your bed.
Is it possible to let a pet into your bed?
There is no clear answer to this question. If you like to sleep with your pet, then you shouldn’t deny yourself this. The only exception in this case is the presence of contraindications.
The dangers of co-sleeping
Sleeping in the same bed is not harmful in itself, but is contraindicated in certain groups of people. These include:
- children under 3 years of age with a weak immune system;
- owners suffering from somnambulism or restless sleep, fraught with accidental injury to a cat sleeping nearby;
- pregnant and lactating women suffering from a temporary decrease in immunity;
- allergy sufferers.
Separately, it is worth noting the period of illness of the animal. If your pet is infected with infections transmitted to humans, then, in addition to sleeping together, avoid any close and unprotected contact.
Benefits of co-sleeping
In addition to receiving pleasant emotions, sleeping together relieves fatigue and tension. Vibrations from a cat’s purring give this effect.
There is also an opinion that the parts of the body where the cat lies down are miraculously healed. It is close to superstition, but there is still some truth in it. The fact is that mustachioed pets choose the warmest places, that is, areas with hyperthermia. Their purring really alleviates the general condition of the patient, but it is not able to cure a serious pathology.
Types of models
Today on the pet supply market you can find a huge variety of furniture for animals. This also applies to cat beds. They can be classified by color, material, shape and size. Since cats spend a considerable amount of time enjoying sleep, a bed for your beloved cat is a special item.
You need to choose it wisely, so first of all pay attention to their main varieties:
In addition, in order to quickly accustom an animal to a bed, it is important to pay attention to some other parameters:
Do you want to accustom your cat to a bed? This means that the animal needs to like the house. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to determine this in advance, so you need to know some tricks and tricks.
Common mistakes: what not to do?
It is important for the owner to remember that the animal should never be taken out of the house during daytime rest and night sleep. Young children should be prohibited from doing this, since such an act can forever push the cat away from his favorite place. You need to call and wait until the animal leaves the house on its own.
If the kitten cries and wants to leave the litter and lie down with the owner, you should bring him back, stay with him and wait until he falls asleep. It is impossible to teach a baby to sleep in the master’s bed, because it is difficult to wean him from this habit in adulthood. With patience and love, you can accustom your mustachioed pet to its own corner without unnecessary stress.
Source
Rules to help train a kitten to a place to sleep
Cats sleep between 15 and 20 hours a day and need a comfortable, safe place to sleep during this time. If your kitten sleeps everywhere, but not in his own bed, then it is impossible to force him. After all, cats have their own ideas about comfort, often different from ours.
Are you wondering how to train a kitten to sleep? Every cat is unique, so there are no universal rules. However, there are several practical recommendations that can help solve the problem.
