While you are reading in bed or watching TV on the couch, does your cat crawl up and lay upon you? Do they comfortably lie on your chest and maybe for hours together still and silent? You should feel very much flattered. Probably you are already making “Aww” and “Wow” while admiring them.
As a cat lover, there is actually no joy than curling up on a cold with the kitty just beside you or upon you. But do you know the logic behind why cats choose to lay on you? It may be comforting to imagine the way they cuddle because they love you. But honestly, they are using you.
We are not totally denying the fact they are seeking companionship. However, that is not the only reason; there are various methods on how the cats show that they love you. But lying on you has different meanings. Here we have listed down the reasons why the cats tend to lay upon you.
Reasons why cats lay on you
When you are crazy about cats, you will find yourself analyzing the adorable actions that they do. But cats are smart and savvy creatures. They have specific reasons why they sprawl upon you. Here are some basic things you can understand.
You are a cozy spot
Have you noticed that cats love the first ray of sunlight? Whether you have put them in a cat house or just on the floor, your cats crave the sunlight. The reason behind it is that they love warm places. Who doesn’t? Obviously! As soon as the sun sets, the warmth goes down, and that is when you can find them crawling up on your couch or bed. They are looking for something cozy, and the only thing that they are familiar with is you. Otherwise, you can see that they are along the side of the radiator or room heaters too. Also, you are comfier than any of them because it is snuggly, and you already have the bedcovers. You are offering them something they seek out. It is a wonderful thing to see that they nestle up against you on the bed. Especially on a long winter weekend and vacations indeed.
It’s all about security
As a pet lover, you must have been very much familiar with the fact that pets love being safe and secure. And when it comes to cats, there is no exception. They are always in search of a place where they can sleep peacefully without any disturbance. If only you are not her comfy couch, she would never bother to lay upon you. She feels extremely safe sleeping on you. The cats do not have to worry about any dangerous predators around them when you are around. This obvious feeling made the kitty’s dreams possible. As a master, you can always encourage this behavior. In the case of kittens, even you love them sleeping on you and feel secure as they are near you.
You are making it comfortable
Cats sleep like 15 hours every day, and sometimes even more. Definitely, they will be looking for a comfortable place where they feel soft and cause no scratches to the body. Be it a sofa or a laundry basket, they love the fabric and the surface, which is smooth and relaxing. They apply the same principle even when they are lying on you. And with a number of push blankets when you sleep, easily attract them towards you. It is similar to how the children will be attracted to the parents, and how they feel cozy and comfortable. Similarly, this behavior in cats is a replica of the same.
They trust you
If you are a working person, after you return from a long day, they typically want to stay with you. After working day or night when you come back home, they only want to be on your side. At least, until you go to bed, they climb on top of you and follow you to be around. Many people have a misconception that cats might do this lounging with any person. But that’s not true. Even though there are many people at home, the cats sleep only with their favorite people. In other terms, it has only one master whom they trust. The cats have their own style of expressing themselves, and this is one among them. Usually, they become extremely anxious when they are not at ease. Finally, when they get to lounge on you, it is sure that there is nothing that would harm them. You can take that to be one of the genuine compliments received from the animal kingdom.
They love the sound of your body
Now it gets weird! Alright – but this is true in the case of cats. The natural sound that your body makes is loved by the cats. It is soothing as they sleep on top of you. There is a steady rhythm like your heartbeat and breath. As you inhale and exhale, it helps them to lull automatically. Similarly, the cats associate themselves with the smell of their masters. According to them, it reflects the companionship and care the master provided to them. Therefore, the cats love relaxing on you with the natural body sound and smell. You may not know or even realize what they are, but perhaps it is associated with their memory lane. Hence, it chooses to be upon you.
Display of power
Well! Cats master in that. Your cats may constantly look for an occasion or chance to prove their presence at home. By just lying on you for the entire day or daily, they try to display their power. Especially with a home that has multiple pets, this is often seen. They sway around and are inclined to show affection physically, especially when the other pet or a different cat tries to sleep on or beside you. They basically are trying to grab attention and be part of your routine. Never take this in the wrong sense because cats love to be adored.
These are some of the important reasons why cats love to lay on you. So, you don’t have to worry as the cats are habituated to this practice. They love their owners as much as you love them.
The other signs of Love you can notice from the cats
Now you would have got an idea of how lying upon you has logic. Now there are numerous types of behavior that might have caught your attention. But you are clueless about that every time. Here is for you to understand the behavioral pattern of getting petted and expressing love on the owners.
| Cat Behaviors | Meaning |
| Purring | It is the most common way to show that they are happy. Especially while they are extremely relaxed and enjoy something you do, you can see them purring. They often make some noise rumbling or vibrating as you pet them. |
| Scratching | When the cats want to seek attention, they scratch the most. It proves their ownership in the home and with their master. |
| Tail posture | They use the upright tail to show that they love you. It does not happen very often, but during some special meal and occasion, they rear up and show affection. |
| Licking | Usually, cats lick themselves to self-groom. But quite often, they also groom the favorite people by licking or nibbling the cloth. It proves their familiarity with their owners. |
| Bunting | It is one of the special signs of love. The cat rubs their cheeks on you or rubs the head on you. It means they are leaving their smell on you. They are used to mark the territory always & this is one way doing it with their favorite person. |
| Meowing when you pass by | Meowing happens only when you tend to react to their sounds and vocalizations. They communicate with you and meow to make you talk or interact with them. |
| Rolling | It is a tantrum that they play on the owners to pick them up. They show that they are very much excited to see you; hence, they roll quite often. Especially when you come back after a week’s trips or so, just like the children, it rolls on the ground until you take them. |
| Cat kiss | Only if you are an extremely affection on cats, you will notice this Cat Kiss. When they extremely trust a person, they keep their face wide open and make a Slow Blink. It is considered as the way of kissing their boss only to inform them that they are trusting them. |
Why does the cat love the warmth of humans?
Now, this may not be entirely true. Cats do not only love the warmth of humans. Basically, they also love the heat source from anywhere. Sometimes, when you are sweating in the hot sun, the cats will be playing very actively than ever. So, the first thing you need to realize is those cats do not perceive the heat just as you do.
Usually, the cats’ body temperature is around 102 degrees, which is comparatively warmer than the average human body temperature, which is 98.7. There is one more fact that will shake you up. While the healthy human body feels the pain at a temperature of 112 degrees, for cats, the pain temperature lies at 126 degrees as they have fewer heat receptors. It is one of the reasons why they are not afraid of fire as much as they are terrified of the water. You would have seen social media posts of cats lying on the top surface of the furnace and walking on the hot stove. They may look funny, but technically, it is possible for them only.
Also, the age of the cat determines how much warmth the cat can take. For example, the newborns and kittens within four weeks may not be able to produce as much as heat the older cats. So, the kittens more often tend to sleep on you. It can also be proved with a different approach.
Newborn cats have a profound sense of temperature with the ability of the receptors that they have on their faces. Usually, these receptors help them to find their mother cat as their eyes would not have been wide open. So, when you are bringing any kitten home, they depart from its mother, and it gets used to the warmth of humans. They love to snuggle upon you because it is natural for them to seek heat, and that’s how their receptors work.
Frequently Asked Questions
What about cats who sleep but won’t move?
Most cats are accustomed to sleeping on you with the warm, and you have become their favorite mattress. For you to move without disturbing the sleep of the cat, you can pick a heating pad from K&H Pet products. Just place them over the pad after they had slept. You can see them sleeping comfortably, and even you can mobilize after that.
What are the other alternatives to keep the cats warm?
With technology, there are multiple options available for keeping the cats safe. You can encourage them to be at the insulated cat homes offered by Fur home collective which are warm kitty shelters. It is waterproof and has snuggly bed covers; hence, they tend to sleep peacefully.
Conclusion
The reason why the article was entirely made is to make you understand the behavioral pattern of the cats. As a pet owner, you do not have to worry about why they always sleep on you or whether they are trying to stalk you. They are extremely sweet, and you could be their lullabies even though you don’t sing it for them. The cats love to express their affection for their favorite person or any loved ones. Lying upon you is just one among them. In a cat world, they are consistently in search of that one master whom they can trust and sleep peacefully, ensuring their safety.
