Cat owners find it hard to grasp that sometimes a cat prefers a person in the household to the other, especially when it comes to choosing to sleep.
Pet favoritism can affect the relationship of the owners, and many have blamed it for their problems. So, we often come across the question from cat owners asking why do their cats sleep with one person and not the other.
We will explain several reasons for this kind of sleeping behavior. And it is not because the other person is doing something wrong. So, don’t worry about that, and keep reading to know more about Why Does Your Cat Sleep With You And Not Your Husband?
Why does my cat sleep with me and not my husband?
Cats show their favoritism while choosing the person to sleep beside. There are several reasons why a cat can choose a specific side of the bed to sleep, and it may not always be about the person on that side. The following factors affect the sleeping habit of the cat-
- Calmness
- Comfort and safety of the cat
- Warm Spots
- Attachment
- Instinct
Like humans, every cat likes to sleep where it can find comfort and safety. Cats know what they want when they are choosing a place to sleep.
If one’s husband is fidgety in sleep and constantly changes positions, the cat will know that, and it will avoid sleeping next to him. It will come and sleep next to the calmer person to find the comfort it needs while sleeping.
The cat probably had a couple of nights of disturbed sleep with your husband before deciding to sleep by your side.
Even though cats belong to a predator family, the small size makes them at risk of attacks. It is in their innate nature to find a safe spot for their sleep.
They feel vulnerable in their sleep and susceptible to any night-time attack from a predator. When a cat wants to sleep with someone, it means that it trusts the person completely to save it from any attack. It might just be possible that the cat feels safer with you than your husband.
Cats have a natural temperature of 102 degrees, which is 3-4 degrees more than humans’ natural temperature.
So, the need for warmth is much more in cats. Sleeping next to a person provides them with a constant heat source, and that is why the cat prefers to sleep near or head or feet.
Cats even make a habit of choosing the warmest place in a room and make itself cozy. At night, it is just possible that the cat is trying to find the best spot for warmth on a specific side of the bed, and one happens to sleep on that side.
It may appear that the cat is sleeping next to you for affection. But actually, the cat is finding that side of the bed as the warmest spot. It has nothing to do with the person.
Cats can have more attachment towards one of their human friends than the other. A cat’s preference for a particular person to the other is probably for the difference in companionship.
If one shows their affection to the cat, it will show love for you. Cats like to spend most of their time alone, but they crave attention too.
They show their fondness differently and more subtly than dogs. So, if a cat wants to sleep with you more, then it means that the cat is fonder of you and wants to spend time with you.
Cats possess a strong instinct because of their ancestors. House cats come from European wild cats, and they still have some similarities.
So, they choose a sleeping place where they have the maximum chance of survival. These places mostly depend on their behavioral traits and genetics of the cat. There can be many factors like a habit or safety for which your cat prefers you over your husband.
How to change your cat’s sleeping behavior?
Now that we know the reasons behind the cat’s sleeping behavior, we can answer how one can remedy this situation. Although it might be a difficult and time taking process, it is possible to make your cat more accepting of your husband.
Cats are their creatures, and one cannot force them into changing their behavior. But one can make sure that one’s husband spends more time with the cat and make it comfortable around him. He can start by playing with it every day and tend to its needs daily.
One can also make a cozy cat-friendly place near one’s husband so that it spends the night beside him. The cat will start spending nights with both of its human friends when it gets habituated.
How do cats choose their preferred person?
There is a saying – cats choose us, we don’t choose them. It has some truth attached to it as cats prefer to be with people who continuously interact with them, feed them, and play with them.
Cats create a strong bond with humans, and it should not come as a surprise that the cat prefers a person who stays home for work or for attending kids.
Due to the individualistic personality of the cat, they show a varied level of affection for others. Cats will form a stronger bond if one pets it or plays with them in the way they like it.
There can be several reasons for which a cat can choose a person over another. But it doesn’t mean that the cat does not like him or her.
One of the most crucial aspects of this behavior is that the cat is probably not receiving love equally. One should remedy this situation and spend time with the cat to know that it has the affection it needs. In the end, the cat always chooses what is best for them, and one can’t control where a cat decides to sleep.
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Hi There, AJ Oren here. I am the founder of this amazing pet blog & a passionate writer who loves helping pet owners to learn more about their pets through my articles. I am also the content manager of this blog. I have experience in pet training and behavior, sheltering, and currently working for a veterinary clinic.