Skip to Content

Why does my cat sleep on my pillow?

If your cat has been sleeping on your pillow a lot, you might be wondering why and what you can do about it. This post will show you a number of possible reasons why your cat has been doing it and what you can do about them.

So, why does my cat sleep on my pillow? Possible reasons why your cat sleeps on your pillow are that it likes your scent that it is on the pillow, it likes the smell of the pillow, it finds the pillow comfortable, or that your scent calms it down when you are not around.

There are actually a number of possible reasons why your cat has been doing it and it might be due to a combination of them. However, there are some things you can consider when figuring out the main cause and there are a number of things you can do about it.

Why does my cat sleep on my pillow?

Below are some possible reasons why your cat has been doing it and what would make them more likely.

Your cat smells your scent on your pillow

The reason why your cat sleeps on your pillow might be that it makes your cat feel safer because your pillow has your scent on it. This would be more likely to be the reason why your cat does it if it tends to sleep on your pillow when you are away and if it tends to sleep where you are when you are home.

Related: why does my cat sleep on my clothes?

Your cat likes the smell of your pillow

The cause might also be that it likes the smell of the pillow. This would be more likely if your cat tends to sleep on your pillow at random times and if it also sleeps on things with your scent on such as your bed or the area you tend to sit in.

Related: Why does my cat sleep on my chest?

Your cat finds your pillow comfortable

The cause could also be that your cat simply finds the pillow comfortable. This would be more likely if your cat tends to sleep on your pillow at random times and it does not seem to be looking for attention when it does it.

Separation anxiety

It could also be the case that your cat has been doing it due to having some separation anxiety and the scent on your pillow calms your cat down when you are not around. This would be more likely if your cat tends to start being anxious when you are leaving and if it sleeps on other things with your scent on when you are not around. It would also be more likely if your cat doesn’t sleep on your pillow when you are around and if it follows you around a lot.

Things to consider about your cat sleeping on your pillow

Below are a number of things to consider when figuring out the main reason why your cat has been doing it.

If your cat has always slept on your pillow

If your cat has not always slept on your pillow, it would help to consider what else happened when your cat first started doing it. If it started doing it suddenly, it might be because you started using a laundry detergent that smells different or because you started leaving your pillow in a different spot.

What is different when your cat does not sleep on your pillow

If your cat does not always sleep on your pillow, it would help to consider what is different when your cat does not do it. For example, if your cat only seems to be doing it when you are not around, it might be the case that it has been doing it because it likes your scent on your pillow which calms your cat down.

What to do about your cat sleeping on your pillow

Below are some options you have to help deal with the behavior.

Give it another place to sleep

One option would be to give your cat another spot where it can sleep. One way to do this could be to get a cat bed and to put it where it normally sleeps on your pillow.

Keep your pillow somewhere else

Another option would be to keep your pillow in a spot that your cat cannot get to. By doing this, it will not be possible for your cat to sleep on your pillow.

Why is my cat suddenly sleeping on my pillow?

If your cat has suddenly started sleeping on your pillow, it would be more likely to be due to a sudden change such as if you changed what you wash the pillow case with or because something caused your cat to start getting anxious when you are not around.

Why does my cat sleep on my pillow during the day?

If your cat sleeps on your pillow during the day, it could be because it has some separation anxiety which would be more likely if it does it when you are not around. It might also just find your pillow comfortable which would be more likely if it sleeps on your pillow at random times.

Why does my cat walk on my pillow?

If your cat walks on your pillow, it could be because your cat finds your pillow comfortable to walk on or because your cat is just getting across the bed or couch.