While many cat owners enjoy cuddling with their pets, many people are perplexed as to why cats like to sleep on their human’s legs. Your cat may have its own gorgeous, comfortable bed, but prefers to join you in bed and sprawl out over your legs.
A natural cat cushion is found between your legs, which the cat perceives to be a very safe and pleasant area to be in.
It allows them to fall into a somewhat guarded state, although they can still be attentive and conscious in a split second, but they don’t feel compelled to be because they’re with you.
So, let’s delve a little more into why cats do this and if you should be concerned or grateful for it.
Give Your Cat the Perfect Day
Get the Free Ebook!
Why Does My Cat Sleep On My Legs?
When your cat isn’t feeling well or things aren’t going well, they’ll frequently seek you for comfort. Your kitten will feel comfortable and secure if you sleep on your body.
If you’re worried about your cat’s behavior, know that it’s entirely natural for him to sleep on your lap or legs. There are a variety of reasons why they would choose this particular resting place, but regardless of the motivations, it is a common behavior among cats and is no cause for alarm.
From an early age, some kittens will sleep on their owners’ legs, and this tendency may last until adulthood. Other cats may develop the behavior later in their lives.
Because the thighs are so near to the body’s center, they have soothing warmth to them. Your cat might be cold or just looking for a warm place to sleep.
When you see human newborns sitting and sleeping in their mothers’ laps, it’s usually for the same reason that your cat is searching for warmth and comfort.
You’re their best bet if they’re seeking a safe place to sleep, knowing that nothing will harm them.
Cats have been shown to be able to feel their owners’ emotions, which include joy, sad, and even being unwell. If you’re sick or don’t feel well, your cat may notice and try to cheer you up.
They’re attempting to soothe you and make you feel better by lying on you and purring. Cats, like humans, appreciate the sensation of having a loved one close, and that loved one is you. Often, simply being near their person is enough to make a cat feel safe and pleased.
While they’re happily dozing, sleeping on your legs helps them to feel your presence.
Cats have reflexes that make them suspicious of potential threats, and falling asleep necessitates a sense of safety. They have a wonderful view of the room surrounding them from your lap or legs on the bed or sofa.
If anything startled them awake, they’d be able to tell right away if it constituted a threat to them.
It’s understandable that your cat would want to sleep on or near you, but why your legs specifically?
Simply said, this is frequently the most accessible area of your body, regardless of the situation.
Your legs, if you’re sleeping in bed, give a decent area that doesn’t move as much as your head. Your legs are the most level place for a ball of fur to cuddle up on when you’re seated.
The basic answer to why a cat sleeps on a human’s legs is sometimes: habit. If you used to pick up your cat and place it on your lap when they were younger, they will most likely do so as they become older.
If you adopted them as an adult, it’s possible that their former owner sat on their laps with them.
Cats mark their territory by rubbing themselves on humans and furniture, so it’s possible that they’re lying to their human slaves to claim what’s rightfully theirs. This is more likely to happen when there are many cats in the house, and one of them is a bit more possessive.
Perhaps your kitty senses that you’ve been too nice to the workplace cat. To indicate its territory, your cat may lick your nose.
If your cat doesn’t normally jump on you but has recently begun to do so, it’s possible that they’re stressed. This might occur as a result of being unwell, in pain, or simply having anything disturb their normal routine.
In these situations, it’s critical to make your kitten feel protected and cherished, as well as to provide them with the security they require.
Although this may seem self-evident, it should be mentioned that if your cat, or any feline for that matter, is lying on top of you, they must adore you.
If you’ve recently taken a kitten home, adopted an older cat, or are cat-sitting for a friend, this may be a huge badge of pride.
Must Read: Should I Let My Kitten Sleep With Me?
Why Does My Cat Lay On My Legs?
Your cat likes to lay on your legs because it is a safe, secure, and protected environment for her. It also gives comfort and warmth while attempting to express to you that she totally trusts you.
While it’s true that cats may be choosy and sensitive about where they sleep, they may also seek out a unique and safe location where they can sleep in solitude.
Surprisingly, that specific location is right between your legs. This may seem strange to first-time pet owners, but rest assured that it is only part of a cat’s routine behavior.
The following are some of the most prevalent reasons your cat sleeps between your legs:
1. Safety Zone
She feels protected on or between your legs, which is one of the reasons she sleeps there. This indicates that she has a high level of confidence in you and believes it is safe for her to sleep on or between your legs, especially at night.
It’s also a good posture for her since she won’t be squashed if you roll over in the middle of the night.
2. I Own You!
Your cat’s unusual sleeping arrangements reveal a lot about your connection with her. By choosing to lie between your legs, she is taking possession of you in her eyes.
It is you, not the other way around, who is awarded the honor of sleeping close to her.
3. Sense Of Protection
Your cat likes to sleep on your legs because they not only provide warmth but also provide her with a sense of safety and security.
Sleeping between your legs gives her the same sense of security as sleeping in a cardboard box or beneath a pile of blankets. Furthermore, it’s an elevated location, which is ideal for keeping a lookout for potential threats and “prey.”
Sleeping on or between your legs is your cat’s method of establishing her territory, just as stroking your legs to transmit their smell. Not only is she branding you as her human, but she’s also marking your bed as hers.
4. Keeps Eye On Everything
A cat’s nature as a predator in the wild causes them to prefer sleeping in an elevated place. A cat may have an excellent view of her surroundings from a high vantage point, and she can keep an eye out for danger.
Likewise, lying between or on your legs allows her to view the entire room. It’s also worth noting that cats are nocturnal and are most active around dawn, so lying between your legs helps her to sleep while still staying one step ahead of any potential threat.
5. Likes The Warmth
Cats are warm-blooded creatures that may have been the first sunbathers, as demonstrated by their fondness for sleeping in sunny windows or in a location at home that receives direct sunshine.
A cat’s typical temperature is approximately 102 degrees Fahrenheit, and they strive to maintain that temperature and comfort when sleeping by cuddling between your legs.
Because your leg area has large blood arteries, it creates a lot of heat, so don’t be shocked if your cat snuggles up to your legs. Think of yourself as a warm cat bed.
6. Stressed Kitty
Another reason your cat loves to lie between your legs is that she could be nervous or anxious at the moment.
When a cat is stressed, she becomes more territorial and possessive, and one of the ways she expresses this is by lying between or on your legs. Should you wish to remove her from that particular location, she may hiss and scratch you.
You might also like to know the reasons why doesn’t my cat sleep with me
What To Do If Your Cat Sleeps Between Your Legs?
Finding a technique to gently convince your cat to choose a new napping area is the solution in this situation.
While having your pet cat sleep next to you or between your legs may appear to be a nice gesture, it may frequently become a source of frustration for you. It not only limits your mobility, but it may also hurt your cat, particularly if she is a tiny breed.
What you can do is give her an alternate resting space that is secure and warm but not between or on your legs. Simply lay a heating pad in a certain area of your bed and cover it with extra bedding or clothing so your cat can still smell your scent.
It should preferably be a few inches higher than the bed to give the cat the impression of height. Expect your cat to resist at first, but with a little time and care, she’ll become accustomed to the new napping location.
When you and your pet cat hug and sleep together, studies show that cats release oxytocin, a feel-good hormone, and our cortisol and stress levels decrease considerably.
If you’re out of the house most of the time, sleeping time with your cat is a nice opportunity to catch up on snuggles and a little playfulness.
Not only will the warmth and comfort assist your cat, but it will also benefit you.
Cats are nocturnal creatures, which means they’ll be up in the early hours of the morning. If your cat rests on or between your legs, this might cause you to lose sleep.
Even if your cat is an indoor cat, she may track dirt, dust, or worse, kitty litter into your bedroom on occasion. If your pet cat is allowed to wander freely outside, it might cause more difficulties because she could be a disease carrier.
As much as we like our felines, we must acknowledge that our beds are hallowed sanctuaries, and sleep time is a privilege. It may be quite unpleasant if your cat sleeps on or between your legs, especially if she’s a bit fat.
Consider purchasing them a new cat bed with a heating pad instead, so they can stay warm and comfy. Alternatively, lay down a t-shirt with your smell on it to make them feel at ease without having to sleep on you!
If you’re comfortable with your cat sleeping on your bed but don’t want them lying between your legs, use clicker training to encourage them to sleep next to you. They’ll quickly discover that being near you is almost as nice as being with you, and they’ll get rewards for it!
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my cat sleep between me and my husband?
The reasons for this vary, but in general, it is the person who looks after them every day. Your cat needs this relationship because they are sociable creatures that want affection and attention from their owners. They are expressing their love for you by sleeping with you.
What does it mean when your cat wants to sleep with you?
Cats are frequently depicted as self-sufficient creatures who want to be alone. However, your cat may get lonely. Interacting with the person they adore enriches their lives (and yours). If your cat sleeps with you, it means they like being with you and wants to spend time with you.
Why do cats bother you when you sleep?
It’s possible that it’s not getting enough stimulation, enrichment, or exercise during its active times, so when you’re drifting off, your cat is wide awake and ready to play. If your cat spends the majority of its active time alone at home while you’re at work or elsewhere, it’s possible that it’s bored and searching for company.
Final Thoughts
If your beloved cat prefers to lie between your legs, consider yourself lucky because it means she trusts and loves you.
With you, she feels safe, warm, and protected, and most importantly, she’s identifying you as her human. You may, however, give her a separate resting space within your bed so she can be warm and comfortable while still knowing you’re close.
Feel free to clear your doubts in the comments section below!
