No matter how many cozy cat beds you provide, some cats will only settle for one nighttime resting spot: your head.
So, what’s behind this all-too-familiar 3 a.m. wake-up call? Is it because your head is the warmest spot on the bed? Or is it because your cat wants to snuggle up as close to you as possible?
According to Lisa Stemcosky—a certified cat behavior consultant and owner of Washington, D.C.-based PawLitically Correct—it's probably a little bit of both.
"I see it as a bonding behavior, as well as being comforting," Stemcosky says. "By laying on their person, cats can mix their scent with their person’s.”
Because faces and scalps have sebaceous glands that give off a distinct scent, cats are drawn to our heads, says Dr. Mikel Maria Delgado, a certified animal behaviorist and co-owner of Feline Minds in San Francisco, California. "That scent and familiarity may be comforting for cats who are very attached to their human,” she says.
Warmth is another factor in this behavior, Delgado adds. "Cats prefer temperatures much warmer than humans do, and so it is not unusual for them to seek out warmth,” she says.
If someone in a cat-friendly household, particularly a child, has a cat allergy, Stemcosky recommends not allowing the cat near the mouth or nose during sleep.
So, how is this behavior discouraged? Try creating a safe, comfortable space at the foot of your bed or in another area of the bedroom. Heated cat beds, in particular, may be extra tempting. "Cats are usually quite attracted to them, and they are a great way to make other areas of the house more attractive for sleeping, especially when they are turned on only at night," Delgado says.
Of course, if you don’t mind your cat sleeping on your head, there’s no cause for concern. As long as the behavior isn’t new or coupled with any signs of physical or emotional distress, it’s a perfectly normal and common cat habit, as well as a sign that your feline friend enjoys your company. "It's a great way to create and intensify the human-animal bond," says Stemcosky.