Cats/dogs on the bed - what are your thoughts?

WelshWoofer

My 8 yr old bichon frise would be horrified if he couldn't sleep on the bed. In the summer he comes for a cuddle then sleeps on the floor where its cooler but in the winter you won't shift him off the bed. It is a bit like having another husband though (got rid of mine!) with the huffing and puffing and wiggling around and unidentified whiffs from time to time!:rotfl:


It does help that he doesn't shed any hair though (unlike the ex husband!).

Fosterdog

Cats have always been allowed on the beds in my family. From when I was 6 years old until I moved out of my parents home my cat shared my bed every night and still slept there after I left until she passed away at 20 years last year. She slept both under and on top of the covers, wherever she wanted to be.

My parents have always had cats on their bed, as did my grandparents and all relatives.

I used to allow some of my foster dogs on the bed but not overnight, it would be jumping in for morning cuddles only. My two dogs now aren't allowed on any furniture but they are both big GSDs and always have a doggy smell and we have bought a new bed and sofa in the last few months so don't want them ruined. If it was just me and no OH though I would probably still let them up for cuddles.

spike7451

My cats have always slept on the bed,Miss Daisy wakes me every morning at stoopid o'clock for a feed then curls up at the bottom of the bed for a sleep,using my leg as a pillow.Old Orbit (rip) liked to snuggle up against my back under the quilt during the winter.Cats sleeping on the bed is part of the pleasure of being owned by them.

pinkcandyflossprincess

well I would prefer if they didnt but my room seems to be a magnet for kids and cats. I may go to bed lone but wake up up with cats and kids camped out, oddly the house has 5 bedrooms so never figured out why my bed is so popular:o

jackomdj

Our next dog most definitely will not.

Our old dog used to. When we first got him I said he wouldn't but OH was away and he used to sneak into his side without waking me, when OH got home (after several months) we just let him. Fast forward 13 years, the now old dog had arthritis, he was in and out of the bed but more often than not he could not get himself up so would wake me up, oddly he just did this low groan which I was tuned into.
A friend of mine said I looked worse in the last few months of his life (due to sleep depravation) than I did when I had a colicky baby! Glad I let him contine in those last few months BUT as I said never again.

bacardi66

When I was growing up, our cats weren't even allowed upstairs let alone in the bedroom. When I got my own kittens I did try to keep them out of the bedroom but just gave up in the end as I couldn't bear the mewing and scratching at the door.

18 years on my remaining cat sleeps exactly where he wants to, the floor, the bed, under a bush in the garden, on the sofa - wherever the fancy takes him. I just want him to be happy

However none of my cats have ever slept in a cat bed, no matter how many varieties I have tried over the years.

I am hoping to get a dog in the future and of course in theory I will never ever let a dog sleep on my bed

lallysmum

Last night I went up to bed to find ds (6 nearly) merrily snoring on *my* pillow. Budged him over, got ready for bed, got kindle set up for night time sleeping - on average I manage half a page before I fall asleep with it, lol - and then the cat jumped up. Cat likes to sleep in between me and kindle and needle my arms with his claws.
Held cats paws in my hands, rejigged kindle, tucked covers over cat, shoved ds back onto his pillow.
Eyes closing, dropping off... 16 year old virtually blind and deaf Bonnie the ShihTzu starts barking at the foot of the bed to get up.
Get scratched by cat moving to get dog up, turn back, ds is on my pillow again. Shove everyone over and attempt to get comfortable.
5 mins later, cat number 2 jumps up. He likes to sleep on the pillow, moves myself over to middle of the bed (the most uncomfortable bit where the pillows meet), resettle at 1, dog, child, cat 2.
Cat number 3 jumps up.. will only sleep at feet.

Drop off to sleep to be woken by cat/dog armageddon as cat 2 has realised that dog is closer to me. Cat 2 attempts to sleep on dogs face.
Settle cat 1 under covers, cat 2 on left side of my bent legs, dog on other side, cat 3 at my feet, ds on his pillow.
Wake up at 3am as ds turns over and headbuts me on the nose.
Animals all very comfy. I'm not allowed to move my legs.

This is just about every night.

If, once Bonnie goes, I ever get another dog, they will absolutely be kept downstairs at night. She's too old to change now and too poorly, but I would never let animals on my bed at night.

valk_scot

zaksmum wrote: »

Wonder why some people have said a cat's ok on the bed but definitely not a dog?

I might change my mind if I ever got a dog. But that's very unlikely, I'm a cat person and would far rather have another cat tbh. I can see myself sharing a bed with four cats easily enough but four Labradors? Ummmm...anyway, doggy breath smells awful. Cat breath smells awful too but they at least keep their mouths shut most of the time!

Sally_A

Dogs have the habit of moulding their shape into your body, delicate rhythmic snores with the odd dreamy bunny chase - all is right with the world.

I love having a dog on the bed.

Person_one

zaksmum wrote: »

Wonder why some people have said a cat's ok on the bed but definitely not a dog?

My dogs can go on the bed anytime they want.

They are clean and flea free, so why not? They don't sleep on the bed with us but can nip upstairs for a snooze on it if they want.

They both get their timing spot on for a siesta when the afternoon sun's coming through the bedroom window onto the bed, too.

I'm a dog person, but I can sort of understand it.

My dogs are never clean for very long, especially in the winter, and they certainly don't spent hours grooming and cleaning themselves as cats do!

Fortunately, I'm not massively fussed about them being a bit grubby as long as they stay on top of the covers rather than under. They're still far more hygienic than a few of my exes were!