Kitty Sleeping Behavior Explained?

fureverywhere

fureverywhere

beloved friend who will always be with us in spiri
Location
Northern NJ, USA
The dogs seem to be the smarter in this department. Given a choice they will pick the softest spot. All the better if there is a robe or blanket to curl up with. Warmth and the smell of your favorite human MMMMM ZZZZZZZ

The cats are weird. The top of a radiator. The heat is not on and just a rippled metal top piece. My open tool box has nails and oddly shaped tools. Prime sleeping spot...and now one of the weirder choices. Yesterday I emptied the remains of a plant and re-potted the living part to another container. The dirt filled pot was still on the table. With a sleeping cat folded into it. Over the course of the day at least four different cats have fallen asleep on top of the dirt. Can I interest you in a soft bed a few rooms away? Why do cats sleep in such awkward places?
 

My cat picks more comfy places, he'll be with me in bed near my pillow for a few hours a night, he'll curl up in the little nester section of his scratching post sometimes for an hour or so, and usually in late afternoon or early evening he goes downstairs into the basement and crawls inside one of our camping sleeping bags or between a down comforter we take with us for the dog on cold camping nights. I've seen some crazy pics online though of cats in strange positions. :D
 
I used to have a whole bunch of books on the kitchen divider. Somehow they would climb up and arrange their body fat over the top. This idea...
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Do your cats change daytime sleeping places, seemingly on a regular schedule?

I've noticed with my current cat, she will choose a place, like the top of the cat tree, and sleep there for a few weeks every afternoon. Then she will switch to a new place, like the couch, for a few weeks. Next, it will be on a chair. Then she may repeat the whole cycle.

I think I read somewhere this is instinct. In the wild it would be dangerous to stay in the same place consistently.
 
NancyNGA said:
I think I read somewhere this is instinct. In the wild it would be dangerous to stay in the same place consistently.
Click to expand...

That might be it.

I'm watching Mao sleeping (finally!) and he has a big round wicker basket filled with comfy material right near my feet here at the computer. He'll curl up in there for an hour or so, then get up, yawn, and stretch out full length on the floor for an hour.

Then to my bed for an hour. Then the sofa.

I was wondering if temperature regulation might be part of it ... or if he just picked up my polyphasic sleeping habits.
 
In Missouri, heating the house solely with firewood, two stoves going in the coldest weather, our two cats amazed us with their sensible proclivities for seeking temperature-constant location: they sought to sleep under the big Timberline stove much of the time! Holding my hand there, it seemed way too hot, yet they preferred the location. They knew something all my training denied: constant temperature above, cooling concrete floor below!

How I miss them! Regret I have no pics; digital cameras were already out, our budget excluded them .....imp
 
I've always wondered how they can tolerate the high heats. I had one big Calico that staked out the old radiator all winter. This thing glowed red, or so it seemed - you certainly didn't want to touch it. Yet there she was, all sprawled out on top of it for hours. Ouch!

I've had other cats that I think were solar powered - they would track the sun all day long, going from window to window, stretching out full length to absorb all that free energy.
 
SifuPhil said:
I've always wondered how they can tolerate the high heats.
Click to expand...

Mine too. I have a floor heat vent in front of a window. I put a foot stool over it, so my cat can see out the window. She will stay in the tiny space between the floor vent and the wall under the stool. I have gas heat, so the air coming out can get to 130 deg F.:shrug:

Btw, I just saw the Hershey kiss ascend tonight. :cool: Much better than the Atlanta peach drop. :p (happy new year.)
 
Happy New Year to you too! I never heard of the Kiss or the Peach - I lead SUCH a sheltered life!

130 degrees - youch! I'm thinking of doing some experimentation now - all in the name of science, of course: I'll put Mao in the oven and slowly turn up the heat ...
 
Okay another prime spot. So good that two cats who basically will paw fight will sleep at opposite ends...the fish tank. Thirty gallons so rather wide. But the burble of the filter and the smell of fish. perfect for a day long nap of course.
 
Uh, fish tanks ... had a 30-gallon with one fish - a beautiful lionfish, with the floaty veils - in it. Stupidly I didn't have a cover on it.

Came home from work and kitty was sleeping curled up in front of the tank with Mr. Lionfish dead next to him. Expensive cat snack. :(
 
fureverywhere said:
The dogs seem to be the smarter in this department. Given a choice they will pick the softest spot. All the better if there is a robe or blanket to curl up with. Warmth and the smell of your favorite human MMMMM ZZZZZZZ

The cats are weird. The top of a radiator. The heat is not on and just a rippled metal top piece. My open tool box has nails and oddly shaped tools. Prime sleeping spot...and now one of the weirder choices. Yesterday I emptied the remains of a plant and re-potted the living part to another container. The dirt filled pot was still on the table. With a sleeping cat folded into it. Over the course of the day at least four different cats have fallen asleep on top of the dirt. Can I interest you in a soft bed a few rooms away? Why do cats sleep in such awkward places?
Click to expand...

Because they were once tree dwellers and could watch their territory from an excellent vantage point. Both the locations you mentioned were above floor level. So they could protect themselves by pouncing on a predator if necessary. :cat:
 

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