Why Does My Cat Sleep Above My Head?

If you are a pet cat owner you often wake up to find out your cat soundly sleeping on top of your head. Though, you may not fully understand your cat’s emotions and behavior, as your cat might be loving to spend time with you. You are not alone though as most of the cat parents woke up in the middle of night to discover your cat sleeping on your head. Therefore, all of the cat owners always try to figure out “why does my cat sleep above my head”.

Your cat may sleep above or on top of your head for various reasons, such as affectionate bonding or a need for warmth. There’s no need to change  your cat’s behavior if you don’t mind them sharing a pillow.

Reasons Why Your Cat Sleeps Above Your Head

Just as the pets owners love to show affection to their pets. Similarly, loving cats want to show their love towards their owners by touching them either by cuddling against them to blend smells or kneading them like a blanket. So are yo looking for the reason to your question “why does my cat sleep above my head”.

1. They are craving for warmth

You might have noticed your cat spend their day time in the sunny areas of your home such as near the window or balcony. This is because they love warmness and want to take nap in warm areas. Similarly, human bodies release heat from their head making the pillow warm place on your bed.

Further, cats have higher body temperature than humans and thus they try to find warm spots to take naps. As the cat gets old they become more desperate for warmness. Human body releases heat from the head and while you are sleeping the cats find your head the most warm place until they can get under the covers with you.

Sometimes, cats also sleep near your head and not above your head as they find that spot more warmer. Not only these reason but as throughout the night your head is the most unlikely part of your body that makes movement and thus cat feel safer sleeping near or above your head.

2. They want to express love

Cats express their love in various ways. They knead you, mark their territory, and occasionally groom you by blending their scent with yours. Cats may lie next to your head to be near you and to express their love for you. Cats that sleep with you are a sign of trust. If your cat is resting next to you, it’s probably because they feel safe with you.

Because kittens love to cuddle and are groomed by their mothers when they are young, they can think that your hair is fur and attempt to take care of you in the same way that their mothers did. Furthermore, since your cat won’t need to move as frequently while you sleep, your head might be the safest spot for them.

3. They are stressed

Cats who are stressed out need to be comforted, and curling up with their favorite human is a wonderful way to do it. Sadly, anything can make cats anxious or stressed out, including relocating, getting a new pet, or having a baby. Cats may also experience separation anxiety, which makes them want to spend as much time as possible with you because it causes them to feel uneasy.

Furthermore, ill cats may curl up near to your head to relieve stress and feel better about themselves. “Why does my cat like to sleep above my head when they’re stressed?” you might be wondering, though. Cats will seek for safe areas to hide when they are under stress. For instance, your cat might hide beneath the bed if they are scared of strangers when some new person enters your house. Your cat may seek for the safest spot to be near you or above your head if they are feeling concerned about something.

Reason To Share Your Bed With Your Cat

The question “whether to sleep with your cat or not” is the most oldest and concerned question of cat owners. Some cat owners have a belief that cats disturb their sleep and there are many drawbacks of sharing bed with your cat while, some think that the perks of sharing bed with your cat overcomes the drawbacks. Below we have mentioned some of the advantages:

• Better for owner’s health

Minnesota University has a ten year long study confirming that the risk of heart attack reduces for the people who sleep with their cats. Further, the warmth and scent of your cat may help you sleep stress free as well as improves your sleep quality.

• Comforting

You can fall asleep with a cat’s purring and extra comfort from their bodies pressing against yours. Furthermore, being near your pet may help you de-stress because you adore them.

• Improves Immunity

By exposing you to allergens, sleeping with pets from a young age may help decrease allergies in maturity. Though it’s uncertain if it affects adults in the same way

• Develops Bonding

Sleeping with your cat develops feeling of trust and also creates stronger bond with your cat. Sharing the bed with your cat is one of the best way to strengthen your relationship with your pet.

Reason Not To Share Your Bed With Your Cat

You may love to share the bed with your cat but their are some of the drawbacks to it too. Though the disadvantages are not much severe and can vary from person to person. It might not be applicable for all of the cat owners. And in our opinion if these drawbacks are not affecting any pet owner they might not stop their cat from sharing their bed with it. We are mentioning some of the drawbacks below:

• Disrupted Sleep

Since you could wake up more often during the night, sharing a bed with a pet has been linked to lower quality sleep.

• Allergies

If you and your cat share a bed, it could make your allergies worse. Sleeping with a pet can exacerbate allergy symptoms for people who have asthma or are sensitive to pollen or dander.

• Disease Transformation

There’s another thing to think about when you sleep with your cat that is spreading diseases. Some common cat diseases can be transmitted to people, however not all of them can.

Final Thoughts

You now have access to numerous well accepted theories to address your query “why does my cat sleep above my head”.

It’s natural that your cat wants to sleep next to you because they love you and feel comfortable and secure with you.

Undoubtedly, there are circumstances in which you might decide not to share a bed with your cat. Ultimately, it comes down to personal preference. Always see a veterinarian if you find out any unusual changes in your cat’s behavior.