Why Do Cats Sleep at the Foot Of The Bed?

Seb Jenkins

Written by

Seb Jenkins
Written
by Seb Jenkins

Written by:

Seb Jenkins
Seb Jenkins

Author: Seb Jenkins

Seb is a professional SEO writer with a degree in Journalism, he has five years of experience in writing and editing. Seb specializes in topics like dog and cat breeds, aquarium guides, and pet care. He is passionate about educating and entertaining animal owners worldwide. In his spare time, Seb enjoys writing fiction novels.

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Viewed: 1577

Updated on: 06/08/2023

Many cats seem to have this shared determination to sleep at the foot of your bed, but why? While many people assume that their feline friends choose the comfiest and coziest position in the house to rest their eyes for the night, there are actually several reasons why they choose to sleep at the base of your bed. Fortunately for you, we have created a handy guide to outline each one of them! So, let’s take a look at why do cats sleep near your feet?

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12 Reasons Why Your Cat Sleep Near Your Feet

1. Remaining close to the caregiver

Security and safety. You will often find that your feline friend likes to sleep closest to the person who provides the most care to them. When we say maintenance, we mean the person who feeds them, cleans their litter tray, plays with them, and gives them general attention throughout the day. If you tick all of these boxes, your cat will opt for the foot of the bed above someone in the house which rarely provides care. It gives the cat a feeling of safety at night to be close to their caregiver.

READ MORE: Signs Your Cat Loves You

2. Survival instincts

So, we know that cats love to be close to their caregivers. So, why not cuddle up against you in the middle of the bed or under the covers? Well, that’s where the feline survival instincts kick in. Cats usually choose the feet because it reduces the chances of rolling over and crushing them in the night. Not only this, but it provides the best chance of escape if they need to in the night.

3. Protecting the ones they love from the foot of the bed

Cats are known to be very protective over the ones they love. However, felines also realize that they are at their most vulnerable when they are asleep. The same can be said of their human owners. Not only do they feel safe when they are near you at night, but they also think that they can protect you if needed. Therefore, when your feline friend positions itself up against the back of your legs, it often means that they want to be better protected and better able to protect you.

4. Cats are territorial

Cats are known to love their territory and are happy to make that known. If cats feel that they own space or a person, they will often show it in their actions. For example, when sleeping at the feet, it can mean that the cat believes they are letting you sleep in their territory rather than the other way around. I’d like to see them put together that bed from IKEA, though!

5. More space to work with at the foot of the bed

When a cat is getting ready to curl up into a long sleep, you may see them embark on some kind of routine. They may walk around a particular location and knead the cushions, carpet, sheets, or whatever. Essentially, they are getting the area ready to lie down and snooze. Your bed can simply represent a larger area in which to work. The bottom of the bed represents a close location and big enough to walk around and knead.

6. Keeping their eyes on the exit door

Sleeping at the end of the bed can allow the cat to keep their eyes on the bedroom door. We already talked about survival instincts and wanting access to a quick exit. Cats generally feel more secure if they know the way out and remain within reach of it, for example, the door. The foot of the bed near the entrance is sometimes the best vantage point for the bedroom door and a run to freedom.

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READ MORE: Cat Sleeping Positions

7. Do not disturb

 Let’s be honest, there is nothing worse than being woken up when you were in the middle of a nice, deep sleep. Well, your cat feels exactly the same! Humans tend to move around a fair bit in their sleep and many cats have cottoned on to this fact. Therefore, there are fewer disturbances for them if they simply remain at the foot of the bed. This keeps them close enough to feel safe and protect you, but far away enough, they aren’t woken up by every little movement you make. Basically, they don’t want to be disturbed.

8. For warmth

Just like humans, cats can get cold in the middle of the night. While they have their fur coat, they don’t have warm duvets to pull up over their bodies for added warmth. However, they do realize that humans give off plenty of warmth – more than enough to share. Therefore, your cat may choose to sleep at the foot of your bed in order to get some of that extra heat radiating off your body. You may even find that they venture up closer to your body and head if they are cold in the night.

9. To cool down at the foot of the bed

Just as cats may adjust their sleeping position to warm up, they do the same when they want to cool down. This is why you may notice a change in your cat’s sleeping habits as the seasons change, and it becomes hotter/colder. When a cat wants to cool down, it may move further down the bed and away from your natural body heat.

10. Night vision

Cats are nocturnal creatures. That means they are often up and about during the night. When a cat becomes domesticated, they often adopt your sleeping routine. However, that is not to say they sleep the entire night and remain at the foot of your bed. Cats have incredible night vision, allowing them to roam around the house with ease in the dark. They will often leave your bed to go to their water bowl, use the litter tray and generally explore the house. As they are aware that you are sleeping, they will often patrol the house to keep you safe.

11. Tidy environment

Feline friends usually love a tidy climate when it comes to their sleeping location. The bed’s head and middle are often lumpy and full of excess sheets/duvet, which can be uncomfortable for a cat. They prefer to work with a blank canvas and mold it to their needs. The end of the bed often has a flatter surface. If the cat then wants to knead the bedding into a different shape, they can do so.

12. Routine sleeping at the foot of the bed

Cats are very routine animals. Therefore, they adjust well to your sleeping patterns. They know when to go to bed, when to get it, when to eat, when to go outside, etc. They also enjoy the routine of staying with you while you sleep, so you may find that they stick around even if you sleep in late one morning.

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Photo by Javier Ezpeleta on Unsplash

READ MORE: How to Get a Kitten Sleep At Night?

FAQs

Why does my Cat lay at the foot of my bed?

Your cat sleeps at the foot of your bed for one of a whole number of reasons. They may be trying to remain close to you because you are their primary cat owner or caregiver. It also can be a way for your cat to feel safe and/or keep you safe. They may be trying to give themselves the best chance of survival in an emergency situation. It also can be an effort to keep their eyes on the nearest exit point, such as the bedroom door. It also can be a way for them to use your body heat. It also can be the way to mark the territory. They may like the extra space and the flat surface at the end of your bed. They may not want to be disturbed by your movement during the night. And they may like to easily hop down off the bed to roam around the house at night without waking you up. There are so many reasons why your particular cat chooses to sleep at the foot of your bed. Most likely, it is a combination of all of them.

Why do Cats love to sleep with their owners at the foot of the bed?

Cats love to sleep with their owners for many different reasons or a combination of them all. Remaining close to their caregiver allows the feline friend to feel safe and feel as though they can protect their owner. They can do this without the risk of being crushed or waking up due to every tiny movement that the owner makes. Cats generally like to protect the ones they love. Not only this, but they may feel territorial over you and your bed. Your natural body heat can also serve as a nice hot water bottle for the cat during colder nights. What’s more, the bed presents itself as a lovely, ample, and tidy space for the cat to work with.

What does it mean if your Cat sleeps at the foot of the bed?

Why do cats sleep at the foot of the bed? Your feline friend sleeping at the foot of the bed can mean a number of different things. In most cases, the reason behind their choice of sleeping spot will be a combination of the following:

  • Cats like to remain close to and show affection to their owner.
  • Your pet wants to survive – Avoid being crushed by you in the night.
  • Cats like to protect the ones they love.
  • Security and safety for the pet – They don’t feel as vulnerable.
  • Pets feel territorial over you and/or space.
  • The bed represents more space to work with when it comes to stretching their legs and sleeping for your pet.
  • The end of the bed allows the cat to keep their eyes on the exit/door/escape route in case of emergency in the middle of the night.
  • Pets do not want to be disturbed by every movement you make so the end of the bed is the best option.
  • Cats like to keep warm at night and your body heat provides that.
  • Pets want to remain cool at night so stay away from your body down the bottom of the bed.
  • Pets like to roam around the house at night because they are naturally nocturnal and sleeping at the end of the bed allows them to come and go.
  • The end of the bed represents a tidy and comfortable environment for a pet.
  • Your pet likes their routine of going to bed and getting up with you.

Do Cats recognize their owners?

Cats certainly do recognize their owners, and their sleeping patterns serve as evidence of that fact. Feline friends will often choose to sleep at the foot of the bed used by their primary cat owner or caregiver. Basically, whoever feeds them the most, cleans up after them the most, and gives them the most attention will likely see them at the end of their bed. This is because cats want to remain close to and show affection to the person who looks after them to feel safe and protect them. This has been reinforced by many a cat behavior consultant.