08/21/2025
WHERE YOUR CAT SLEEPS REVEALS THEIR PERSONALITY
The cat experts at The Cattery, a cat rescue in Corpus Christi, Texas, recently shared insight into how your cat's sleeping preferences aren't at all random. They are often carefully made choices based on their instincts about their environment, safety, and even you as their owner.
Cats that sleep out in the open feel safe and trusting
Given how temperamental cats can be, the idea of a "trusting" cat might seem a bit far-fetched. Yet it turns out that cats who sprawl out in the middle of the living room floor for a nap trust you as their owner. "If your cat likes to sleep out in the open, whether that be the middle of the room, out on the sofa, or whatever," The Cattery said, "that means they feel very secure and safe in their environment."
Sleeping up high are tapping into their natural animal instincts
Is your cat the type that likes to sleep up on a high shelf, windowsill, or in the penthouse of their cat tree? It's not because they have a penchant for luxury cat real estate. They're actually going off of instinct. The Cattery says, many cats feel more safe and secure from higher vantage points where they can get the lay of the land.
Cats who hide to sleep might need a bit more alone time
The Cattery says this is also totally normal behavior and doesn't mean your cat's mad at you like it would if, say, your partner crawled off to sleep in a closet with their back to you. Don't worry! "Cats are sensitive and can easily feel overwhelmed or stressed," The Cattery explained, "and being alone and hidden helps them decompress."
Cats that sleep next to you or with other pets feel secure
Unlike those reclusive cats that like to sleep behind the refrigerator or whatever, cats that sleep right alongside you - or even on you, as so many cats love to do - are open to more companionship even while sleeping because they feel safe and secure with you. "They not only love you but they trust you," The Cattery said. Instinct also comes into play here, too. "Sleeping in a group is safer, not just for your cat, but for you too."