What to Do When Your Cat Won’t Sleep in Its Bed

1 Overview

1. In the wild, all its behavior is aimed at protecting itself. Especially when choosing a sleeping spot, small, hidden, surrounded places are the best options.

2. On top of that, a slightly higher spot makes the cat more at ease—high ground means seeing far and escaping fast.

Psychology: the enemy can’t see me, but I can see everything. Even if something happens, I can size up the situation and flee first.

3. This is important. Many cats have the habit of changing sleep spots, because in the wild they cannot hunt and survive in one place forever.

Solutions

Cats have only been domesticated for about 3,000 years (dogs over 10,000).

Even house cats retain much of their ‘wild nature,’ only to varying degrees and personalities.

1. Prepare several sleeping spots

I have said this many times—it is the optimal solution.

A simple delivery box works, or other items that match its habits (a cat carrier, etc.).

Give it more choices and it may stop pestering you on the bed.

2. You already spent money on a new bed—how to make the cat ‘take a liking to it’

Place a previously used (slept-on) mattress or piece of clothing inside the new bed, then put the new bed in a quiet corner and observe.

A sleeping spot with a familiar scent effectively reduces its rejection. Once it sleeps there the first time, the new bed will be included among its ‘options’ 99% of the time.

—In closing—

When it’s cold, place the bed somewhere warm and sunny.

When it’s hot, the opposite.

Compared with fancy, luxurious ‘influencer’ cat beds, a simple cardboard box may attract it more. Even if the box is tiny, it will insist on squeezing in.