Reasons cats like to sleep in weird places as it could be a ‘red flag’

Have you ever found your cat sleeping in a new odd place, such as in a sink, on a shelf, or even in a cardboard box? There are multiple reasons why they might opt for these places for their naps, but you should make note of any odd behaviours.

While most humans prefer to sleep in their own beds every night, cats are more peculiar when it comes to picking a spot to sleep. Most cat owners will splurge on a nice cat bed for their feline friend only for it to remain untouched in your home as your cat finds it owns place to make into a bed.

But why do cats so often choose to ignore their designated beds to instead find the most random places possible to sleep in?

Cat behaviour expert Amanda Campion took to her social media account to answer the question, and there’s actually several different reasons why they might not like sleeping in their bed.

“Why do cats ignore that fancy bed that you’ve bought them and go and sleep on a shelf somewhere, or in the kitchen sink?” she said in her video.

She went on to explain: “Generally, cats will seek out high places, warm places, or anywhere really where they feel safe. Cardboard boxes, sinks, or even your shoes carry familiar and comforting scent, so that’s why they like to lie on your shoes, because it’s a scent that’s very comforting to them. It’s familiar.”

However, she went on to say that you should keep an eye on any changes in their sleeping locations or habits at it could mean there’s been a change in their mood, or how they’re feeling, such as if they’re feeling safe or a unsettled.

The location of where you keep the cat’s bed might also be a big reason why they choose not to use it. She explained: “Very often I’ll see videos of people’s home and the cat bed is on the floor, which is okay if you’ve got a geriatric cat that can’t get up anywhere. But always think about moving that pet bed.”

She went on to say that she keeps two beds for her cats, one lower to the ground and one higher up as her cats have different sleeping preferences.

“Giving them multiple options of where they can go and sleep is also good,” she explained. “Sometimes a tunnel is really good, they’ll feel safe and it’s dark and it’s cosy in there. And with a tunnel, they can see [ahead of them] and they can see [behind them] so they know no predators are gonna come and get them.”

It’s also important to note that cats often like to stay high up from the ground when sleeping as it makes them feel safer.

“Cats want to have a good vantage point because don’t forget, cats operate too. And they wanna be high up and they want to be able to look around the room to see if anything’s coming to get them,” Amanda said.

It’s important to always keep an eye out on any changes in your cat’s sleeping preferences, as it could mean that something bad is going on.

“But do watch out for any behavioural changes in their sleeping habits because this can also be a red flag to to tell you that there’s something going on, there’s something underlying going on and this is when you need to reach out to the vet,” Amanda said. “The smallest thing sometimes can be the biggest alarm bell.”