How to Train Your Cats to Sleep Outside the Bedroom: 6 Steps You Should Know
Our night rest could be disrupted by your cute pets, or you are allergic or don't just want to share your space anymore. So, how can you train your feline friend to sleep in another room? Let's dive in!
Are you wondering how to train your cats to sleep outside the bedroom? Our adoring feline companions have a big flair for doing what we don’t want them to do. It appears they do it on purpose sometimes.
This can include getting into corners of the house where you wouldn’t want them to get to, tampering with items left within their reach, etc.
Sleeping outside the bedroom can be done in two ways:
- Sleeping outside the bedroom but within the house
- Cat sleeping outside the house itself
One thing to note is that cats hate barriers. Closed doors irritate cats because they hinder their mobility and ability to see potential dangers. Because of their curious nature, the cats would want to know what is behind the doors.
Note that a monitored house cat’s average wandering distance is 40-200 meters, thus, even your entire house is considerably less than a normal cat’s turf. One of the reasons they want to extend it as far as possible is because of this.
Should cats sleep in the bedroom? This is totally up to you as a person. Some persons would rather have the cat right outside the bedroom, while some enjoy the solace of having their cats sleep in their bedroom right on their beds.
Read: Guide to Kitten Sleeping In Separate Room At Night
Table of Contents
- Why cats love sleeping in the bedroom
- Sleeping in the bedroom vs. Sleeping outside the bedroom
- How to Train your Cats to Sleep Outside the Bedroom
- 7. Place Your Feline in a Cattery:
- Final Thoughts
Why cats love sleeping in the bedroom
1. Security
Even though cats are small predators, they are also at risk of being hunted by bigger animals, so they must be wary. When your cat is sleeping, it is vulnerable and is at the greatest risk of being unsuspectingly attacked by a predator.
Sleeping with you in the bedroom provides them security and extra defense if a predator should launch a nighttime attack. They sleep with you because they trust you, they know you’re not a danger, and you can also provide an extra layer of defense if needed.
2. Warmth
Cats love warmth. If there’s a warm patch in your home, it won’t be long before your cat finds and occupies it. With a body temperature of 102 degrees (3-4 degrees higher than human body temperature), a cat’s tolerance of, and desire for, warmth is far greater than ours; hence they need a warm place to sleep.
4. Companionship
Your cat may like sleeping with you in the bedroom simply because they like and trust you. Your cats know you take good care of them and consider you a good sleeping companion! Contrary to stereotypes, cats enjoy companionship (on their terms).
Cats are often considered independent creatures who are happy in their own company. But your cat can get lonely. Interacting with the human they love helps to enrich their lives (and yours). If your cat sleeps with you, they enjoy your company and want to spend time with you.
Sleeping in the bedroom vs. Sleeping outside the bedroom
A Cat Can Help You Fall Asleep
Depending on your cat’s personality, it can help you fall asleep or stay up the whole night. One of the best ways to know his character is by learning how to read his body language. Your cat’s presence in your bed can help you calm your mind, forget about your stressful day, and finally fall asleep. Plus, its soft purr has a smooth, stimulating effect of a white-noise machine that will have you sleeping in no time.
Reduces the Risk of Heart Diseases
1. A 10-year-long study conducted by Minnesota University’s Stroke institute proved that sleeping with your cat can reduce the risk of heart attacks. The study, which was presented in 2008, included 4,435 Americans aged between 30 and 75 years. Out of the 4,435 participants, 2,435 owned cats while the rest have never owned one. Over the 10 years, the study confirmed that the risk of death from heart failure among cat owners was 30% lower than that of the people who didn’t own cats.
It Promotes Bonding
A study published in the Behavioral Processes journal confirmed that women have special bonds with their feline friends.
According to the research, scientists observed the interaction between human families and their cats. And they discovered that cats are more likely to bond with females than men. Therefore, if your cat wants to sleep with you, don’t chase him away as it promotes bonding. It shows that your cat trusts you.
You may miss out on some of the basic benefits above if you make your cats sleep outside the bedroom. However, this decision is not bad as allowing cats to sleep in your bedroom has some coins which include; Exposure to bacteria and parasites that may be on the cat’s body, Disrupted sleep, and allergies
How to Train your Cats to Sleep Outside the Bedroom
To Avoid some of the downsides of allowing your cats to sleep in your bedroom or on your bed you need to understand exactly how to keep them away from the bedroom. The following are some of the methods you can use. While cats can be difficult to train, it is possible. You can teach your cats to sleep in other parts of the house with a few simple steps.
1. Close the Door to the Room
The first step is closing the door to
where you don’t want your cat to go to
This is the most effective method for keeping a cat out of an area where you don’t want it.
However, cats are attracted to closed doors because they are curious. Cats like to explore things and investigate. It is no wonder that a closed door will promptly get their attention and entice them to find out what is going on behind them. Closing the door against your cats can cause your cats to withdraw from you if you don’t put other measure in place to build friendliness with your cat
2. Choose the Right Bed:
If you don’t want to share your bed with your cat for any reason, get her a bed to call her own so she has a cozy place to sleep.
The first step for your cat to sleep in their bed is to choose the right one for them. From the moment you know you will bring your cat home, you must select a space to place their bed and get a box or basket to act as a cat bed.
Whether you buy or prepare one, you have to take into account some factors:
Size: You should give your cat ample area to turn around and stretch since cats require this space. However, avoid making the bed too big because they won’t enjoy it. The idea is that they can stretch while also feeling safe in it.
Hygiene: Get a bed that is easy to wash, to eliminate odors, hair, and bacteria that could cause infections.
The material: There are many different types and materials for beds; some are filled with foam, while others are made of wool. When selecting one, keep in mind your cat’s comfort as well as the location of the bed (to determine whether it should be more sheltered or cooler). Furthermore, the climate, as there are even heated cushions to keep it warm during the winter.
The shape: To make the best choice, keep in mind your cat’s preferences and routines. There are open beds, high beds, cushions, and tiny caves. A roomy bed will be perfect if they like to stretch out as they sleep. On the other hand, if they prefer to rule the room, a high bed or even a cushion perched on a shelf will do. You should get a soft cave if they like to conceal themselves while sleeping.
3. Train your Cats :
Training your cat on what and what not to do will help your cat adjust. This is best done from when the cat is still young. This training will form their habits.
Cat training is teaching your cat to associate a desirable behavior with a reward. By doing so, you can encourage them to stop bad behavior and start desired behavior so you can both live a happier, healthier life.
4. Placing Toys Outside the Room
Another way to keep your cat out of the bedroom is keeping the cat’s toys outside the bedroom this attracts and keep the cat engaged. Some of these cat toys include puzzle toys, hiding places,climbing toys, catnip toys, toys to chase the list goes on and on.
5. Using Fresh Herbs
As you probably already know, cats have an incredibly strong sense of smell. This is something you can use against them. What herbs deter cats?
Rosemary, lemon thyme, curry plant, lavender and many other herbs can deter cats with their strong smells that cats dislike being near.
Rosemary, lemon thyme, lemon balm, Coleus Canina, curry plant, lavender and many other herbs can deter cats away from areas of your bedroom where you don’t want them roaming around.
6. Using Catnip Spray
Another way to keep the cat out of the bedroom is using Catnip spray on the cat toys and play area
Catnip is available in many forms:
* Fresh catnip (growing your catnip plant)
* Dried catnip
* Catnip sprays or bubbles
* Toys stuffed with dried catnip
Catnip sprays are a good option for cats that get an upset stomach from ingesting the plant. You can spray your cat’s favorite toy or cat tree or cat scratcher. You can also sprinkle dried catnip on a cat tree, scratching post, or cardboard scratcher, or you can roll a toy in it.
7. Place Your Feline in a Cattery:
Cats are usually very attached to their homes and become unsettled when their routine and environment change. Many will need a little extra ‘TLC’ to ensure they settle well while you are away. There are a few tips that you can try to help minimize their stress:
- Leave the pet carrier in your cat’s favorite room for a few days before you bring him/ her to the cattery. He/ she will become used to the sight and presence of the box and will be less unsettled once he/ she is placed in it. Some cats love their boxes as they can recognize their scent. Some owners prefer to keep the pet carrier in the cattery chalet for their cat as it holds many familiar scents from home.
- Consider bringing an item of your clothing (unwashed) that will carry your scent and may help to reassure your cat and make them feel more secure in a strange environment.
Final Thoughts
In summary, whether you choose to allow your cats to sleep in your bedroom or not is your choice and both choices come with their pros and cons. However, this can be properly controlled by taking the various measures discussed above.
