Many people don’t know why a cat sleeps on a person? Agree that this phenomenon is quite common and almost every owner of such a pet has had to deal with it. Of course it has its own explanation. He was found by specialists who studied the behavior that is typical of domestic cats.
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Why do people sleep with their pets?
Once your furry friend has first found a place on your bed, it will be difficult for both you and him to stop sleeping together. Dogs provide companionship when you're alone or in a less-than-ideal relationship. They provide extra warmth on a cold night. They give a feeling of security, this is especially true for children who are afraid of the dark. Sleeping together can even strengthen your bond with your pet. It is worth admitting that it is very difficult to refuse a warm and furry bundle of unconditional love.
You may become infected with bubonic plague
Yes, you read that right. Bubonic plague is not just a disease from history books. Dogs and cats can still carry fleas that spread this disease, and if you sleep with them you will be at serious risk. When you sleep with your pets, fleas can jump from the pet's fur to your bedding.
Cat scratch disease is a serious disease that you can get if you are scratched by a cat that has fleas on it. This condition will make you feel very unwell and can also have negative effects on your liver, spleen and kidneys.
"Chocolate" on your pillow
Every owner thinks his dog is a genius. You have established deep contact, you understand each other perfectly. But imagine the situation: your genius left traces of chocolate on your pillow. And guess what? This is not chocolate! Dogs are not afraid to play with feces and even eat it. Therefore, your pet most likely has traces of feces on its paws and fur. So when your dog sleeps in your bed, traces of feces are left on your bedding and on you.
Danger for children
After you've read about all these risks, you've probably at least thought about stopping your pet from sleeping in the same bed as you. However, if you're not yet ready to force your dog or cat to sleep separately, at least make sure they don't sleep with your baby. Allowing your dog to sleep in the room with your child can lead to the development of possessive and aggressive behavior. In addition, scientists have determined that dogs that sleep in the same room with a child are a threat to your baby; they can bite him. From 1989 to 1994, there were 109 fatal dog bites in the United States, 11 of which involved attacks on sleeping infants.
Pathological causes of bumps
Although such flatulence does not bother the animal, it can be a sign of serious illness.
The most common of them:
- Lipoma. The popular name is fat lump. This is a small soft lump. It occurs as a result of improper metabolism and the proliferation of adipose tissue, and occurs in a mild form.
- Brodavchak. It looks like a small dense lump, which over time can grow to the size of a walnut. The appearance of papillomas is observed only in cats over 7 years of age and is associated with the presence of the papilloma virus in the body. If the type of virus is benign, the cancer will disappear naturally. However, oncogenic papillomas are recommended to be removed.
- Eosinophilic granuloma. Occurs when a severe allergic reaction develops. Allergens can be various insects, parasites and infectious processes in the body. Granulomatosis often occurs as a reaction to food or household chemicals. It appears as several dense nodules, which, if left untreated, grow to large sizes and ulcerate. To successfully treat an animal, it is necessary to eliminate the source of the allergy.
- Tumors. Lumps on a cat’s head can be neoplasms of various types - benign or malignant, as well as metastases penetrating from distant organs. In this case, the nature of the tumor must be examined and the tumor is either surgically removed or not. Animals aged 15 years and older are recommended to be euthanized. The prognosis after surgery is very unfavorable for them.
Benefit
Considering how many negative effects there are from sleeping with a pet, I had to try very hard to find something positive. It turns out there is a benefit to sleeping with your pet after all: better quality sleep. Many dog and cat owners believe that sleeping together with a pet either does not affect the quality of sleep or improves it. The study found that 41 percent of participants reported improved sleep quality when having a pet in their bed. So pets can actually create a cozier bed environment that promotes deep, good sleep.
Scientists' answers
The scientists' conclusions are based on numerous observations, analysis of data from scientific research and experiments. During their conduct, many interesting facts from the life of cats emerged and even the concept of “cat psychology” appeared.
From a scientific point of view, the main reasons for a pet choosing such an unusual place to sleep as the human head come down to the fact that this animal is looking for a more comfortable (warm, pleasantly smelling, safe) territory for rest, corresponding to its status and emotional preference.
Is it time to say goodbye to your sleep partner?
Although the diseases listed above, such as bubonic plague, are quite rare, they are still worth thinking about. There is a much higher chance that you will become infected with something if you allow your pet to lick your face and your mouth, but co-sleeping also puts your health at risk. As for infants, small children, as well as people with impaired immune systems, they are strictly prohibited from sleeping in the same bed or even in the same room with animals, as this is too dangerous.
Cat love.
No matter how bad the cats’ character may be, they love their owner, who takes care of them, feeds them and tries to create all the conditions for the cats’ comfort. This is why cats sometimes show affection towards people for no apparent reason.
They were just in a good mood and decided to show how glad they were to have such a wonderful owner. You cannot ignore such manifestations of feelings or punish a cat for increased attention to your person, as some animals can be seriously offended and take revenge.
You do it anyway, don't you?
Yes, this behavior is easily understandable. Your pet is a full-fledged member of your family, and all the diseases listed above are rare. No one can stop you from sleeping with your pet, but if you all decide not to fight this habit, then you should take care of your own safety. Make sure your pet visits the veterinarian periodically and receives all necessary medications that the veterinarian prescribes. Wash your dog daily after walks and check him for signs of possessiveness or aggressive behavior.
Most domestic cats are affectionate and gentle creatures, so they love to sleep in public or nearby. There are several explanations for this behavior of these furry animals. Let's try to figure out why a cat lies on a person, and not just next to him. What is the reason for this behavior and is it necessary to wean the ward from such a habit?
Precautions for fungal infections in domestic cats
This disease is anthroposomal, meaning it is transmitted from human animals and vice versa. The most vulnerable to the fungus are children and the elderly, as well as people weakened by other diseases.
Therefore, if there are children at home, older people or seriously ill people, of course, the best solution is to isolate the sick animal in another room until complete recovery.
If all the residents of your apartment are adults and healthy, all you need to do is treat the skin with ointment, put on gloves and a mask, clean the wet ones using antiseptic agents, iron the cloth with a hot iron and clean with your hands.
Why cats love to sleep in public
Representatives of the cat family are heat-loving and cautious animals. According to one version, man was able to domesticate a wild cat only because a fire was always burning in his home and food was being prepared. For a cat, the owner is a source of warmth and calm. During sleep, all predatory instincts weaken and the cat becomes vulnerable. In this way, the ward shows the person that he trusts him completely. Felinologists have been studying the habits and psychology of domestic cats for a long time and have come to the conclusion that some individuals experience deep affection for their owners.
Supporters of esotericism claim that cats are able to sense the energy of people. When the patient goes to sleep at his feet, we can safely assume that the person’s aura is damaged or a lot of negative energy has accumulated near it.
Search for heat
The average body temperature of a cat is slightly higher than that of a human and is 38.9 °C. To maintain it, especially in a cool room, the pet looks for an external source of heat: a stove, heater, radiator or owner, especially his knees and head.
The head is the most accessible part of the human body for a furry pet. At night, it is more open than other areas hidden under the blanket, which is why pets use it as a natural heater.
Some diseases lead to an increase in the temperature of the entire human body or a specific area of it. During such periods, the cat can often climb onto the owner for warmth.
If a cat sleeps in your bed, what does it mean?
There is a popular belief that domestic cats are endowed with healing powers, so it is not by chance that they choose a place to sleep. The furry ward can lie at his feet, rest on his stomach or climb on his head. Our ancestors believed that there was a reasonable explanation for this behavior.
The cat lies down on the chest - check the lungs or forget about grievances and hatred. The cat is sleeping on the owner's head - perhaps he felt a distant headache or intracranial pressure. Varicose veins or joint problems are possible if your pet sleeps on their legs.
Note! Cats actually sense temperature changes much faster than humans. And inflammatory processes, as a rule, are accompanied by an increase in temperature at the location of the source of infection.
However, if a cat sleeps on a person, then this is not yet a reason to sound the alarm. A pet can simply bask, show a feeling of affection and love.
Pets often react to hormonal changes in the female body. It was believed that if a pregnant woman placed a cat on her stomach, and it curled up and began to purr, there would soon be a new addition to the family.
Some owners do not allow their pets to sleep on the bed with them, considering the animal a carrier of various diseases. To be confident in the health of your ward, it is necessary to systematically carry out hygiene procedures and take him to the veterinarian for an examination.
However, there are also advantages to sleeping together - a purring warm lump calms the nerves, relieves the feeling of loneliness and warms you up during the cold season. Source: Flickr (J._Sibiga_Photography)
The animal treats the owner
Pets become full members of the family. A person gives his younger brothers love and attention, takes care of nutrition and health, and provides complete and high-quality care. In turn, the animal has an impact on human health and this is due to the fact that a person receives a huge amount of positive emotions, which has an extremely beneficial effect on his general physical and spiritual condition. The cat fits perfectly into the human environment, it symbolizes home comfort - all this creates a positive emotional background in the house, and the person experiences the most pleasant emotions. This animal can become your best friend; it can brighten up loneliness. Despite the love of freedom and independence of a cat, he can sincerely become attached to a person, and the person to him. An example of such loyal friendship is Eve McDonnell from Birmingham and her cat Missy. The woman lost her pet eleven years ago, but during all this time she did not forget about her, but continued her search. And years later I was still able to find her. A miracle happened and Missy returned home. Eva herself is no less than 72 years old, and it is Missy, in her opinion, who helps her stay young and healthy.
A cat sleeping on a person can really relieve discomfort from a sore spot. Lying on its owner, the place of pain heats up and the person becomes warmer and more comfortable, the pain slowly begins to dull, and then disappears altogether. It is not for nothing that patients are often prescribed physiotherapy using heat to relieve spasms. Therefore, healing properties are attributed to cats for a reason.
The cat returned to its owner after 11 years
Where else do cats like to sleep?
Sometimes pets choose interesting places to sleep, for example: a table, a house threshold, a travel bag or a closet. Sleeping in secluded places can be explained by the fact that the animal wants to hide from prying eyes and noise, and enjoy solitude and silence. It's no secret that some cats are unsociable and wild by nature, while others just want to relax.
Interesting fact! Great-grandfathers believed that cats sleep on the threshold of the house, protecting the home from evil spirits and brownies.
If your pet gets into the habit of sleeping on the kitchen table, then wean him off this habit. Wool can get into food, which is not very pleasant for household members and guests. The most attractive places to sleep are window sills, radiators and laptops. Cats love warmth, so they sleep sweetly, basking in the sun.
Is it possible to sleep with a cat?
The opinions of veterinarians and felinologists regarding the stay of pets in bed differ radically. Some believe that an animal has no place in bed, while others do not see anything reprehensible in this. It is important to understand one thing - animals that have access to the street are potentially dangerous. They can be carriers of serious diseases, including helminthic infestations and lichen. But those pets who do not encounter stray relatives and have no idea about grass and soil can be allowed to bask on the bed.
The furry creature will take a position that is comfortable for it and will definitely express its displeasure if you move it. A pet predator may suddenly wake up and start playing with its hair, fingers, or blanket. However, there are also advantages to sleeping together - a purring warm lump calms the nerves, relieves the feeling of loneliness and warms you up during the cold season. Whether to allow your furry pet to sleep with you or not is up to you to decide.
