Does your cat affect your sleep?

From purring to pouncing and all things in between, our cats’ nighttime antics can be enough to wake up even the heaviest of sleepers. But, to find out just how much our cats affect our sleep and the many ways they do so, we decided to conduct a survey and shed light on feline sleeping patterns.

The feline snoozing survey

The results are in, but what did our survey tell us? More than 80% of cat owners are having their sleep disturbed by their feline friends, reveals the latest Omlet survey. Following a discussion amongst the Omlet cat owners about the close sleeping arrangements with our pets, and the resulting impact on our daytime energy levels, we began wondering whether it is actually normal, or wise, to be allowing our cats to sleep in our beds. Are we just soft when it comes to letting our cats get cozy at night, or are we a nation of pet slaves who value our cats’ happiness more than our own sleep?

Over 900 cat owners responded and more than half (56%) said they let their cat sleep on the bed with them at night, with 40% allowing them to do so on the first day! In fact, by the end of the first month of cat ownership, the number has increased to 71% of owners allowing their cats into their beds at night.

A massive 84% of cat owners who allow their cat to sleep in their bedroom admitted to having their sleep disturbed by their cat – and as a result 1 in 5 cat owners sometimes resent their cat following a bad night’s sleep. Could this cozy sleeping arrangement actually be negatively impacting the nations’ relationship with their cats?

Cat nap or chaotic slumber?

We then invited these cat owners to share how exactly their cat disturbs their sleep. Many agreed that the main disturbance is due to their cats lying too close to them, purring, snoring or cleaning themselves. Here are our top 10 favourite, more unusual, ways that cats are disturbing their owners’ sleep…

Chasing mice around the bedroom
Patting my face
Trying to eat my toes
Zoomies at 3 am
Dribbling on me
Hairballs
Trying to wake me up for breakfast, or asking for a snack
Knocking things off shelves
Licking my eyelid
Restless dreams

A third of cat owners say they have to change their bed sheets more regularly since allowing their furry friend to sleep on their bed. Only a small number of participants (12.2%) are aware that allowing cats to sleep in their beds can be unhygienic.

Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine found that when you look a bit closer cats can have parasites like fleas and ringworms, which unless treated can cause health issues in humans*. Fleas for example can jump into your mouth leading to owners becoming inadvertently infected by tapeworms. Yuck!

37% of cat owners have made the wise choice to shut their bedroom door at night, saying they can’t allow their cat to sleep on the bed because their sleep gets disturbed.

1 in 4 owners wish their cat would sleep in their own bed at night – which begs the question, why don’t they?

Perhaps they’re so connected to their owner that they can’t bear to be more than 2 inches away from them, or maybe their owner has never found a cat bed which provides the same level of luxurious comfort as a king-size bed and a thick, cozy duvet does? Until now…

Your cat’s sleeping solution

Bedsharing with your feline friend may leave you feeling better connected, but as evidence shows, doing so isn’t great for either party. That’s why at Omlet, we designed a bed that your kitty won’t be able to resist.

The Omlet Maya Donut cat bed offers a divine, sinking feeling for felines, complete with a faux fur cover to make for easy cleaning – happy cat, happy owner. The supportive shape also means cats can feel super secure, cocooned in a cozy nest area that feels like a big hug.

Place your Maya Donut cat bed inside the Omlet Maya Indoor cat house for the ultimate feline hideaway. Complete with optional storage space, your cat’s sleeping space can be transformed into a secluded and calming zone for them to be in complete peace and most importantly, out of mischief.

Designed to look like a piece of modern furniture, the Maya Indoor cat house looks great in any room and can be placed in your bedroom if your cat likes to be close to you, or downstairs to give you a truly undisturbed sleep while your cat enjoys a luxurious slumber in their very own cat house.

Overall 52% of cat owners said they may prefer it if their cat slept in their own bed, yet 70% of people say they don’t regret allowing their cat to sleep on their bed. So the Maya Indoor cat house might be the perfect compromise to keep both cats and their owners happy.

Omlet and your cat

Whether your cat chooses to sleep in your room, or somewhere else in the home, we designed products they won’t be able to resist. From the Maya Donut cat bed to the Maya Indoor cat house, your feline will choose to get their sleep in their own space every time, whilst building a wondrous connection with their owners as daytime arrives.