A viral soundtrack is making the rounds on TikTok where people upload a video of their cat’s sleeping position. “Did you know you can tell you and your cat’s relationship based on where they sleep?” the audio begins. “If they sleep by your feet, they think you’re their kitten and need to protect you all the time.”
The soundbite continued: “If they sleep by your head, especially if they put their butt near your face, they think you’re their mum and they’re ready to be groomed. If they sleep on top of you, they think you’re their belongings… if they sleep between your legs, they think you’re their human heater.”
Cats who are the “little spoon” are acting as “your guardian” as “they need to hear your breath and heartbeat to make sure you are still alive”.
Felines who sleep under the bed “are a little insecure”, and the trust between you both still needs to be built.
On the other hand, cats sleeping by the front door or window are guarding the family against intruders.
The audio added: “If they sleep above you, according to hierarchy law, the higher you sit, the higher you rank, so they have accepted you as part of their colony as a low-ranking cat.”
What the cat sleeping positions really mean
Veterinarian Dr Barri Morrson verified that if your cat sleeps on your chest, it’s because they “want to be close” to you.
Cats may even feel soothed by the sound of your heartbeat and the rhythmic motion of your breathing, Dr Morrson added.
Those cats who like to sleep on your head are considering your hair as a “soft pillow”.
When your cat sleeps besides you in the bed, it “means your cat trusts you”, they’re bonded to you, “but need a little extra space”.
Cats who sleep at the bottom of the bed, by your feet, could be doing so to be close to you but have the extra security of an “easy escape”.
Those resting between your legs feel as though it’s a “warm, safe, nest-like area” to snooze in.
“Even so, your cat still has the security of an easy escape route,” Dr Morrson added.
Do be concerned, however, if your cat begins to sleep in its litter tray, which could indicate urinary or digestive issues.
