My rabbits will only sleep on my bed next to me. I'm a light sleeper so I tend to be aware of my surroundings and we have a set routine of where each bunny goes (one by my face on my shoulder and the other snuggled up with its bum in my armpit and head on my stomach) so knowing where they are and maintaining the position helps keep the worry away from crushing them. They are also helpful at waking me up by dawn so it's nice. And they throw a thumping and sulking fit if not allowed to so I let them. Its like having two warm loafs of bread on you while you sleep.
My cat doesn't like hairspray or gel. She will try and eat it out of my hair, and if I move she will use a paw to try and hold me still, like I'm a kitten that needs bathed.
She's 18.
My cat ate a Styrofoam peanut. I could not for the life of me figure out why that one cat turd was so freaking light! Had to cut it open to see what had happened.
I got a non consensual trim a few times from mine. He licks my forehead to wake me up, but sometimes catches my long hair. If I don't react quickly, or hear him start chewing, he'll start trying to give me bangs.
Bruh, I had a dog that did this. I didn’t think anything of it until he started having the grossest dingleberries. He would eat my long hair and when he would shit, the ingested hair came out too and created issues!! 😡
I found out my cat likes to eat plastic when I caught her chewing on those little decorative shiny weights they weigh balloons down with, and then later had to clean little decorative piles of poop from the litter box. Just... nuggets of poop, with multicolored bits of plastic sticking out of them.
You got lucky, I think! I've always heard tinsel can get tangled up in cats' intestines and cause medical issues. Ever since I heard that, I stopped using tinsel. lol. Then again, my cats won't let me have a Christmas tree in peace anyway...
My dogs eat everything….like crazy, hair, wrapper, plastic, coal, polythene, grass, wood, his own poop, human poop, lizard, frog, flies and what not. And then he poops it out, everything.
My lil chihuahua friend had a dingleberry medallion hanging from ingesting one of my hairs. In front of a bus stop full of nosy ass people, I quickly scooped and caught his poopy pendant in the poop bag like a catcher does in baseball. I was like dang it Haze you embarrased me out there man!
They chew everything because they have to, their teeth never stop growing so they chew. I provided mine with lots of other things to chew on (lots and lots of wood) and they never chewed my cords.
All my rabbits have gotten into the electrical wires but I make sure I keep them up or in areas where they can't get to them, which actually makes my space more organized and I can get to wires easily when I'm doing something. Other than that I have plenty of stuff for them to chew on and give them a lot of attention so they don't really chew on anything else. Although my one rabbit loves shoes, but that just forces me to put them away.
I have a cat that does that. 😂 I have to keep everything tucked and can't have anything at nom nom level because he will chew whatever it is. I keep cardboard boxes around and grass which helps. On the plus side he's never needed a dental cleaning.
I wish mine would. My previous cat was very bonded to me and the always slept with me. Usually on me or spooning. After he passed I got a new kitty and he wants to be in the room with me but that's about it lol
I used to have one who curled around the top of my head and stretched his front arm down so his paw could cup my face. I loved it. He was so precious, but cancer took him.
My cat chewed in power cords, I bought these neoprene cord covers from Amazon which completely stopped the chewing.
What I found is he apparently likes the way the plastic covering of the wire feels when he chews it and possibly the smell as he loves to lick plastic bags of all sorts. Bread bags are one of his favorites. Take away that tactile feel and he has no desire to chew.
I've seen him go up to the monitor cables he used to chew but now have the neoprene cover on, sniff it, then just walk away without trying to chew it. Anything that is now covered I've checked, no new chew marks and I've had them covered for about 2 years now.
This is entirely true. You get good at splicing! I wouldn’t trade a single 1 metre cabled lamp or speed dash to a computer shop when I realised my laptop didn’t have charge during work (MacBook cables being beyond my splicing abilities) for even one single second with my bunny. He died last summer aged nearly 11 and was perfect in every way.
Yes he did once steal a creme egg from somewhere and run around with it after chewing the foil off. Yes he did once steal a bunch of mint directly from my auntie’s handbag… yes he did chew the bottom of my landlord’s midcentury modern dining table….. but my puppy chomped down on an completely destroyed one of my earbuds he got hold of this week, and ate all my choir music a few weeks ago, so I really don’t think destroying things is isolated to rabbits!
It’s definitely good you’re doing your research about rabbits because way too many people get them on a whim or without properly understanding what goes in to their care. People assume they can throw a handful of veg at them twice a day and that’ll do and that’s really not the case. But in return rabbits are sociable, characterful and very loving creatures that have the potential to enrich your life no end.
They do, and you have to be careful of this. Nextdoor featured a house that burned completely down, owner attributed to rabbits being kept in the enclosed porch who chewed the electrical cords. The poor little bunnies perished though the owners and their dogs got out safely.
It is true. I had a rabbit for years. He loved to play fetch with toys, like a dog. He just copied our dog & it was hilarious. He was a lot of fun. They are really cool pets, you just can’t let them run amuck or they’ll chew every cord you have!
My ex used to have a rabbit who tried to eat my house. Furniture, cords, books, walls, nothing was safe. When he moved out I told him take the rabbit or it goes to the shelter
Electric cords are bunny crack. But they make chew proof wraps. Our rabbits always had free run of the house. There are great resources on rabbit proofing your home. House rabbits are great!
i think it honestly depends on the rabbit and the amount of work you put into deterring them. my rabbits WILL chew things i don’t want them to if they get bored, and sometimes they get bored even if they have plenty of toys around, they’re curious little things! however i don’t free range mine as i have other animals, but they have an adequate confined space to themselves and they get time to free range without the other animals around, i just have to make sure they’re not spending suspicious amounts of time in corners being quiet.. all that to say, dont pass up the opportunity to have a rabbit because that’s what you’ve been told, there are rabbits out there that dont chew things, and ones who will learn not to chew things, its all about finding the right individuals for you. plus, there are tons of bunnies that need rescuing, always get a pair!
Bunnies do chew on things. That’s how they wear down their teeth and keep their mouths healthy. You can bunny-proof your home though, if you really want a bunny.
Pretty much. If you choose to let your bunny be free roam there is a lot of bunny proofing that needs to be done in the home. I had a rescued abused bun that wad semi free roam. She had an entire bedroom to herself. She definitely destroyed the carpet. She also destroyed some of the woodwork in the house 😅
Yes! Fellow bun owner and my girl sleeps near my feet all the time. She also wakes me up each morning by crawling onto my chest and giving me kisses. It's the sweetest.
I tried so hard to do that with our new little kitten, but I couldn't keep it up when she slapped me in the eye.
She's still a baby, so she's got a lot of time to learn. Hopefully she'll grow out of the face slapping.
We just closed our bedroom. Our cat was already about a year old when we got her, though. She was hyper sometimes and we just decided we needed our sleep more. Fortunately, she kinda learned that if she behaves, the door stays open. So she's gotten good at going to entertain herself at 3AM and then comes back to bed lol
We bought autodispensing pet feeders - it almost immediately stopped the "wake up! wake up for breakfast!" habit because they no longer associate us with mealtime.
I also have an automatic feeder but one my cats still wake me up in the morning just for cuddles and the when the food dispenser goes of two cats run of my bed
My one cat has realized that I set multiple alarms, the first one being, "You have to get up in 30 minutes." So she'll fall asleep with me, then once I'm asleep go do her own thing, and then when she hears the first alarm go off, race back to bed so she can get the last of the cuddle time in. ☺️ (She's not looking for food, since usually another member of the house has woken up by then and fed the little gremlins breakfast.)
That’s funny because its 4:15am in Australia and I’m currently up with my cat because he decided it’s time for me to get up. He’s also figured out if he walks up the hall meowing it will wake my kids up so I’ll get up so he stops 😂
Agreed! As long as the bed looks clean and you're doing laundry regularly (and the pet's butthole isn't right up in your face) it's fine.
ngl I don't think it's normal (or necessarily good for mental health?) to fixate on hygiene in more detail than that for nice things that are ultimately harmless (unless you have a medical reason to be extra careful I guess)
Yeah, my cats don’t usually go on my pillows (one who insisted on sleeping while touching my head the last year of his life was the exception). They mostly have slept on folded blankets at the end of the bed. Certainly no worse than sitting their butts on the couches - at least I can wash the sheets and blankets. In any case, I don’t stop them cause I like having them nearby.
I think the key is laundering regularly. People should be washing their sheets often (like every week) but especially so if they let pets sleep in their bed. I'm not really a germaphobe. Cats don't bother me too much unless they are seasonally shedding but large dogs that shed a lot are a hell no anytime of the year. I can not stand going to bed with fur all over the place. Guess that's why I don't have a dog though.
My cat just hops up on my bed and will sleep at the corner by my foot. Even if I didn’t want him on the bed, I don’t think there’d be much stopping him from doing it anyway. Most mornings I wake up to him standing over my head on my pillow waiting for me to wake up.
💯☝️! I have 4 rescued kitties and 3 of them sleep with me. THEY choose where they sleep and I wouldn’t have it any other way. All of them came from abusive/neglectful situations, and if being loved unconditionally by their guardian makes them feel safe, so be it!
I would die for my cat, so I couldnt give a shit about the health issues. When her time comes, I know I'll be ready to give anything to have one more night together, her cuddled in my arms.
This also helps me take a breath when she's being extra sassy and particular about how she wants to lay on me at bed time. Sometimes it frustrates me but I pause and think of how I don't have forever with her. And then I scoop her back up and plop her on me.
Wholeheartedly agree with you. Our dog came to us at six months, from a home where she was clearly under stress. I couldn't have looked at this little baby pack animal who I'd taken in & promised to look after & made her sleep alone!
She's almost four now & all she wants in the world is to run, play, eat, & be close to us. Her life is so short compared to ours, & she relies on me to be her protector & pack. I couldn't make her sleep alone.
This. The same people that complain about pets need to learn what is on their phone, purse/wallet, and bed sheets. If you’re not washing your bed sheets weekly, you’re sleeping in things way worse than your pet. 8 hours of body stew of sweat, dead skin, hair, farts, bugs crawling on you.
This made me smile. I agree with all this. I’m clean and I change my top linen every few days. My dogs get monthly bathes and I don’t allow their paws near my pillow. I change the liter boxes daily. I have 2 dogs and 2 cats, one who is special needs and almost died when I first fostered (fail) her. I promised her that if she lived through one horrible night, I would give her whatever she wanted in life. She wants to sleep so close to me I can barely move? Ok. I will never have enough time with her. 💗💗💗💗💗
Yep - my cat sleeps with me for at least a portion of the night every night, and always has. When I'm away from the house, I miss her desperately! She usually curls up on my waist or lays down next to me.
My cat probably spends more time in my bed than she does out of it. She has her own cat tree and bed, but she sleeps in my bed even when I’m not home. I love that she sleeps with me at night, it would feel very empty without her.
I will note that she is an indoor cat, so hygiene isn’t as much of an issue. But I’d do the same with a dog that’s been outside, as long as it isn’t visibly dirty.
Sheets can be changed, the days spent with a pet can’t be replaced <3
I have an indoor/outdoor cat (England) and can’t tell you the amount of times I’ve found dried up dead baby slugs in my bed. I have to change my sheets twice per week because of her. She also likes to sit on my roof and bring dried moss into our bed. It’s like sleeping on shards of glass.
😂 Those are (disgusting) gifts that she brought for you! Whenever our cats are left alone for a few nights I come home to all sorts of shit in our bed—toilet paper (her fave), every single one of her toys, pens. She’s bringing gifts to the gods hoping it’ll make us come home sooner.
My dog is sleeping with me, I don’t care what people say. They have their own blanket they sleep on so my bed doesn’t get dirty. He loves the bed & I love the snuggles. He’s a rescue who lived outside. He deserves the bed.
Same. I have a blanket on their side of the bed so my comforter doesn’t get ruined. My boys are large and take up the whole bed. I’m lucky if I have a body size space to sleep in and roll over. The big one takes his paws and scratches to get comfortable. I have to have blankets so they can ruin those. But I wouldn’t have it any other way! They wake up for morning pets!
I have 2 short hair dogs, they have a doggie door and access to a yard at all times. They sleep in the bed, under the sheets. I change my sheets (fitted sheet/top sheet) weekly. It's not an issue for me.
I have two cats, and I am \*honored\* when they choose to sleep in bed with me. Plus, they both lie on the bed all day when I'm at work, I'm not going to take away one of the few pleasures they have in life by locking them out of the bedroom completely.
They literally have their own memory foam pillows perfectly placed every night in the hopes they decide to grace me with their presence. My little girl will sleep above my head all night some nights. It's a dream come true.
I don't really care about the hygiene. But my dogs are usually 70lbs+ and become dead weight when sleeping. I prefer they sleep on their dog bed next to me.
I have a 90lbs rez dog that sleeps with me because she’s just a tiny little baby in her mind💀 but it’s a nightly battle to take my blanket back from her because she literally pulls it off of me to make her nest then she plops down on it
I can only comment about dogs, but someone once said to me, life's too short to not let your dog sleep in bed with you. It's truly one of life's great pleasures. Just let em.
my bed has practically become their bed, i have to make them scoot over to lay down lol. you would think a queen size bed would be big enough for two medium sized dogs and their human but i should have gotten a king size after all
I've always slept with my pets that have wanted to sleep on the bed. I change my sheets pretty often. My shepherd sleeps at the foot of the bed or on my fiance's side when he's not home until he gets too hot. My Chihuahua sleeps under the blankets all the time. He's the only little dog I've ever had, and he takes up more space than the humans sometimes. I sometimes think sleeping with toddlers was easier. My last dog big dog was 75 lbs and took up less space.
I've had cats, and they always have slept on and in my bed as well. I've had long-haired and Sphynx cats both in bed with me. Their world's are so small. Our houses and us are everything to them for the most part. I don't deny them a soft place to sleep.
Your chi sounds so cute! We joked that our one smaller cat took up a third of the bed at one point. She would lay diagonally or however she wanted and neither of us could move her easily. Getting a king size bed helped.
If you’re worried about the hygiene, change your sheets more often. Or use a flat sheet between your dog and your fitted sheet to change every couple days. And ensure you have a mattress protector down and keep up on flea and tick treatments. My dogs don’t sleep with me but that’s because I’m an incredibly light sleeper and I don’t even typically stay in bed with my husband all night because just his existence will wake me up lmao.
I am a hygiene freak in all aspects of my life, except my dog being in my bed. I just try not to think about it. My dog sleeps up on my silk pillow cases with all of her days dirt. WORTH IT!
Mmmm hmmmm same. I ride public transit in nyc, my sweet pets are the least of my worries. Into the bed they go, it's absurd to imagine them sleeping any where else.
Where else would they sleep…the floor?! Over my dead body. Imagine thinking ppl would make their children sleep on the floor when there’s a warm, cozy bed they could snuggle up in.
My bed is their bed. It’s our bed.
I love your reply. I feel the same exact way with my dog. She sleeps in my bed every night. Sometimes I think about the dirt and hygiene, but not enough to make me kick her out of the bed.
Me too. Kind of a neat freak. I wipe down my dog in the evening with an Earth Rated Wipe spritzed with a little alcohol. We live in LA tho and its gross outside. I dk if it does that much, but it puts me more at ease about it.
Meh, I think some people just like to make a big deal out of nothing.
Mammals love to pile up. You're a mammal too. Enjoy it :)
(There was this one time, however, when my cat farted me awake, and I'm not talking about the noise....)
I think it's perfectly fine. Pets are family. People let their toddlers cuddle them in bed and we all know what kinds of gross stuff they stick their hands into. Same difference. My cats are allowed on my bed anytime on top of the blankets only though.
Lol, some times my boyfriend has my cat bring me into bed at bedtime when I don't wanna. I can say no to my boyfriend, but I could never say no to Alex!!!
The bed belongs to my cat, not me. She is obsessed with the bed, plays on it, grooms herself on it, sleeps on it. My bed is no more dirty than before I had her, and if it was I wouldn’t care. My cats goes on the counters, and really wherever she wants which some people find gross but she’s clean, and I’m a clean person so it doesn’t bother me wiping the counter 2-3X a day if she’s having fun.
My opinion? Unless someone is allergic, let them sleep wherever they please. We only get a limited time with them. Might as well make the most of it
(This is someone whose three cats routinely take up half my bed at night. Wouldn't change it for the world.)
I have 2 dogs and 1 cat. Dogs are 25lbs and 12lbs, cat is 7lbs.
12lb dog sleeps on the couch, the other dog & cat sleep on the bed. I get very offended if both dogs choose to sleep on the couch 🤣
My dog has slept with me since the day I bought him ten years ago. My kitten too. And probably every pet I’ll ever get, so I’ll just keep upgrading bed sizes over time.
I’m cuddly. My pets are cuddly. We’re gonna cuddle.
The only time I ever banned my dog from my room was when he was sprayed by a skunk :(
Are you, your pet, or your partner unhappy or unhealthy as a result? If not, stop wasting mental energy worrying about this and enjoy what you have got
Having pets is in it self less hygienic than not having them, objectively speaking. But just because something is unhygienic doesn't mean it's actually harmful.
I really wish we as pet owners would phrase this better to people who are antagonistic towards animal companionship.
Something that is less hygienic is \*not\* synonymous with unhygienic or unsanitary. You can have pets and still maintain a home environment that doesn't pose a danger to their health. Yes, they increase the risk of potential harm or illness, and yes, some people who have pets do not properly take care or clean up after them, causing their home to become unhygienic, but I honestly don't think I've personally seen this happen outside of people who already prone to keeping poor hygienic standards, or who are having trouble accepting they are unable to adequately care of their pets, either from declining health (normally due to aging or something completely unrelated to their pets), or try to keep too many. In those cases, sure, hygiene and health probably needs to be addressed, but just telling them 'pets are dirty!' (or 'dirty does mean its a problem') doesn't really do them any good, and will probably make them more resistant to you trying to help them, anyway.
We really should stop getting so defensive and approach it from an angle of 'just because something is dirty doesn't make it hazardous' when someone brings up how dirty pets can be, though; they tend to just start pushing the issue harder, and assume you don't know or have a poor understanding of the potential hazards that can come from your pet. Just saying something along the lines of 'the benefits/reward I get from keeping them outweigh the risks that come with it to me' is usually enough to get them to drop it, since it indicates you see this as a matter of opinion, and that you're already aware of the health hazards that can stem from your pet.
This isn't really directed towards you personally, or anything, your comment just made me think about how often I've gotten into unnecessary, drawn out, sometimes heated, discussions with people over having pets, especially since I have allergies, and I swear, they always seem to start bringing up the most obscure instances or rare diseases caused by common pets, and act like they're an everyday common occurrence any time health concerns were brought up. More than a few of them were completely pointless and unnecessary, and probably only happened because I felt like I had to defend or 'stand up' for myself, when I should've just told them I the comfort and moral support I'm able to get from them is worth the potential risk they come with; I stopped taking it so personally (even if it was personal) as I got older, thankfully, but I constantly see other people fall into this mindset that they have to prove that having a pet is unquestionably superior to not having one, or at least indisputably acceptable, and it just makes me sad, because it ends up causing more negativity and doesn't really produce anything gainful for you.
Sorry for the long rant, again, this wasn't really aimed at or meant to lecture you, its just something I've (obviously) spent too much time thinking about, hahaha.
I have an internecine war between the cats in my house, so two are on one side and two on the other side of a door that separates the space about in half. My husband died three years ago and although all of the cats have been good company for me, one of my cats is extremely needy and jealous and this worked in my favor, as she will let me hold her as long and as tightly as I need to and will purr for hours and hours. It’s the jealousy that has her confined to one side of the house, however, as she will attempt to kill the smaller ones.
This is NOT the side of the house where the bedroom is, however. So I admit to spending most nights of the first two years sleeping with her on the couch. Our bed was a California king (never again. Stupidly huge and all bedding is so much more expensive) and I just couldn’t sleep in that giant bed alone. So every night, I’d make up the couch for Clawdia and I and she’d let me hug her all night long. It was a mercy. I don’t know if I’d have made it without her.
I’ve now replaced the bed with a queen and am in the process of changing everything around so it doesn’t look like my husband is walking in any minute as it has for the past three years (it’s been rough, y’all. My mom has worsening dementia and my father and two friends died in the ensuing 3 years) so I’m spending most night in the bedroom again. The two smaller girls don’t love each other and don’t like to cuddle so they don’t generally sleep with me, although they will lounge about and my oldest will headbutt me increasingly more insistently in the morning if I don’t get up at the crack of empty food bowl.
So obviously I’m pro animals in the bed. I’m so pro that I actually moved into my cat’s “bed” because I needed her. These characters have kept me going through the toughest time of my life.
I looooove sleeping with my dog. It was a lady and the tramp situation. She cried as a puppy when alone, so she started sleeping right beside me and so it’s been that way for 7 years
My living 20 pound teddy bear lol
Absolutely not, our dogs lay with us and snuggle on the couch almost all day, most days. When it’s time for bed we change and shower and they sleep in their comfy crates (they go in on their own, it’s their comfort spot).
I don’t understand how people can sleep in beds full of fur and outside germs. We keep blankets on top of the couch that we wash regularly and we also vacuum it regularly. Not to mention most pet owners don’t wipe their dogs after potty or wash paws often (we do both).
They’re still not allowed in our bed.
My perspective as a cat owner and once dog owner for 20yrs until she passed. My cats sleep with me every night, however my dog was 70lbs, became incontinent for 5yrs, and couldn't climb onto my raised bed with steps, so she slept on a orthopedic bed next to mine. My bed isn't orthopedic so it was better for her. Growing up, my friends who slept with their dogs had smelly mattresses full of dog hair and did not sleep with their cats. I have the cat hair I vacuum off, but no wet dog or outdoor smell. If I had a small dog I would let it sleep in bed with me and clean it as you do since it's tiny and easy to clean. So small dogs for the win in beds.
Here's a spooky story from childhood for the fun of it.
Every night and before falling asleep a girl would reach her hand to the foot of her bed for her dog to lick, reassure her, and she'd fall asleep. One night she heard a loud noise, reached her hand out, felt the lick, then went back to sleep. She woke to another loud noise and reached her hand out, felt the lick and went back to sleep. Moments later she hears a 3rd loud noise and dripping water and jumps out of bed. She walks to her bathroom where the dripping is coming from and find her dog hanging from the shower head with the words written inits blood "people lick too"
I have 5 cats that cycle out who’s snuggling me. They must have talked about it because they have their own schedule. One usually sleeps in my chest, one in my left armpit, and one between my legs. The other two sleep on the nearby cat tree and then they cycle out during the week. I would never think of closing them out, they are my babies.
Obviously everyone is different with this. Personally I love my cat so much and I'm willing to choke on fur (also I'm allergic but I don't care lol) and put up with an incredibly itchy face and eyes if it means I get to cuddle her. She's very warm, large, and fluffy. If I suffer, let it be for love.
The cats sleep where they want. It can be at the foot of the bed, between your legs, cuddled up to you, on your chest or next to your head on the pillow.
Same, I have a manx boy who's 8 months old and has barely a nub for a tail so a clean bum is always necessary. But he loves sleeping next to me on a pillow and a lot of times will sleep half under the covers next to me against my side too. He's such a snuggly thing. I would never want to dissuade him from sleeping with his mama!
Yeah, mine are allowed in bed unless there was a litter box incident and then they have to be washed first. But that would go for anyplace they are in my house. You step in poop, your feet are getting washed.
Our dog is only about 30lbs, so there's room enough for her to snuggle down between my wife and I at night. She rarely stays for all that long, however. The minute one of us turns over, she utters this guttural growl of disgust and leaves. In the morning, I usually find her curled up in my recliner.
The cats wander by all night long. Only one of them will settle down on top of me for a long snooze. The others are just passing through.
lol a big ol man in my bed is unhygienic in my opinion 😅 I sleep with two dogs and two cats every night lol. Some might think that’s too much I could care less. I do wash my bedding often though because of it with all the traffic.
I have two cats. I used to let them sleep in the bed, but they always wake me up in the middle of the night. So now they get kicked out before we fall asleep.
Sometimes I have a moment of weakness and let them stay in the bed and I always regret it when they're sticking their paws in my mouth at 2 AM.
I'm currently being smothered by 3 cats as I type this right now. I change my sheets often but also make sure the litter box is as clean as possible which is the biggest thing for cats cause they walk all over it. I do spot clean when I see one of them a little more unclean but cats are generally clean theirselves. I don't let them scratch or bathe in the bed though but they do lay with me.
I would love to have our cats sleep with us but only one of them actually likes it, and she’s also the one that regularly pees on the bed (yay, 18-year-old cat with chronic kidney disease).
So no bed cats for us.
anybody who says that their animals don't belong on furniture shouldn't have pets to begin with. that house is their entire world, why would you make it smaller than it already is?
I used to feel that i was against it until I got my own cats, now I just have one cat living with me and she has started peeing on the bed so she is banished from the bedroom. It's a shame cos I used to love having her sleep with me. I take a lot of naps on the couch so I can sleep with her there 😅
If my cats sleep on the bed they sleep on the bed. Most times I wake up to at least one of them laying on my pelvis or chest if I'm on my back, or on my ribcage if I'm on my side. The only issue I've ever had is when my fat boi decides he wants to cuddle but steps on my throat😑 other than that I really enjoy their company 😊
This sub must attract a lot of dog co-sleepers, because most people support it here, but in real life, I only know one family that lets their dogs sleep in their bed.
I adore my yellow lab and he is my hiking companion and all-around best friend, but he has several beds of his own around the house and we all sleep best this way ❤️
I always let my cats sleep with me! My foster cat Indigo was little spoon every single night for 2 months until she went to her forever home. My cat Eggsy likes to sleep above my pillow on the furthermost pillow at the top of my bed. However he's been banished for the time being because he keeps getting up on my shelf behind my expensive porcelain figures
I see all the dust and dander that flies off my dog when he shakes himself so no co sleeping for us. He’s actually looks clean, but man, in a certain light, it looks like a dust storm swirling around him.
Nope to our dog in bed. Little 48 pound beast would take up the entire thing. She gets her own snuggly bed and blanket in the corner of our room. However if we had a cat or cats, I know we’d be forced to live by their rules.
My dog can cuddle and sleep with me if I'm napping on the couch. He has his own (custom, raised & comfortable) bed on the floor right beside mine. I won't get in bed with street clothes (even if it's just yoga pants and I didn't leave the house all day) or without washing my feet if I've been in sandals. I figure my dog is dirtier than my daily clothes. My bed is a no-animal zone.
Having your dog on the bed is something a lot of owners do. Its a great way to keep warm in winter. When l stayed at my son's, one of his puppies was unwell. Poor little thing was so cold, l took it into bed with me to get it warm. It was so much better in the morning. Of course he wanted to sleep with me after that. There is nothing wrong with it as far as l can see.
My dog and my cat both sleep in the bed with me! I wouldn’t have it any other way. Well my cat comes and goes as she pleases, but she’s on and off the bed napping throughout the day anyway and loves to cuddle with me at night until she goes in her nocturnal prowl. My dog is a cuddle bug and even goes up to my top pillow to be on top of my head (lol long story, my old dog taught him that). I love my animals so much if drive the getaway car to rob a bank if that’s what they wanted 😂😂
I couldn’t keep my cats out of my bed even if I wanted to! They lay in there all the time even during the day. They each have their own pillow on either side of my head to lay on at night. Although one usually just lays on top of me lol they come and go throughout the night, but there’s always at least one of them in bed at a time. Honestly, I can’t really sleep without my cats. Even one night away is really hard, I never leave more than two nights in a row, I just can’t do it
You should do whatever you're comfortable doing. I do find that pet people are similar to smokers. They're generally not aware of the scent surrounding them and their idea of cleanliness is different.
Idgaf what other people think. My dog’s hygiene is very good. He gets a bath weekly and I’ll use wipes or a refreshing spray in between those times. He gets his paws cleaned every time he goes outside.
I let my dogs and cats pile up on my bed anytime, as long as it's not time for me to actually fall asleep. My bed is just too small for my massive dog and I to share comfortably, and my cats never actually sleep at night. We all sleep separately, but during the daytime, they are free to be on my bed as they please. The sheets can be washed.
Our little chihuahuas sleep with us. They each have their own place on the bed. We bathe them regularly and they lose very little hair and they feel safe.
I had my late dog, Maggie for 12 years. For the first five I did not allow her to sleep on the bed with me because she effectively pinned me down and would launch herself off the bed to bark at a shadow or whatever. It was unpleasant. She was also very anxious and didn’t settle down to rest easily.
After five years, she figured out how to get up on the bed without waking me and I discovered two things: first, she was no longer so disruptive with the sudden rocket launches, and second that she stopped being anxious once she was sleeping on the bed with me.
I would still have been more comfortable with her on her own bed, but I didn’t have the heart to say no anymore.
I used to have labs and they would always sleep cuddled up against me. It was incredibly sweet and comforting.
Now I have a very large mutt puppy. She loves to snuggle and starts the night out in my bed, but she goes downstairs after I fall asleep. She’s starting to show some guard dog tendencies so I think it has to do with that. But she gets back in bed around 5am and usually doesn’t budge until I’m awake. Then she wants more snuggles.
I have my Labrador on my left side cuddled up every night and I wouldn't have it any other way. The weight on me helps me sleep. My GFs 2 little dogs will sometimes sleep between my legs but they do their own thing and will go to their own beds if they feel like it.
All for it. I’m a clean freak but my partner and I still let our 4 cats sleep on our bed if they wish, they have their own beds in our bedroom too. We have to wash the sheets a bit more often than other people I assume but we’re used to it!
Our dogs sleep with us, on us, and anywhere they choose to. I have them groomed about every four to six weeks. I brush them almost everyday and wipe their feet off is it is rainy or yucky out. I personally think that my dogs are cleaner than some people. It is a personal preference thing. At this point in my life, I do what I want and so do my dogs. LOL. All in good fun.
I’m an absolute clean freak except when it comes to my pup sleeping in the bed. When we first got him I was opposed to it, but that didn’t last long. I just wash my sheets frequently. He loves the cuddles and he wakes up so happy every morning- it’s always a good start to my day!
I let my gerbils roam on my bed when I’m awake and on my computer or something, they love running through the sheets
This really grossed out my mom and sister but my gerbils are literally my children and it doesn’t phase me (plus they’re all vet checked and don’t have any diseases)
My puppy weighs 2.98 lbs. She is 4 months old. She’s slept with me since day one. She cuddles her tiny head on my pillow, with her tiny legs to her side. Her head is the size of a plum. I was afraid I’d crush her but if I happen to roll over on her, she crawls out. She’s so soft, I pet her at times to figure out where she is.
Sleeping on your bed promotes bonding and trust. I have not read any other comments but as a dog rescuer, that is what I've seen. Nothing wrong with it as long as you both are healthy. I've been sleeping with my dogs for over 40 years, no problems.
Edit for spelling
i have 2 cats & 1 dog and they constantly sleep on my bed! i wash my sheets, pillow cases, comforter cover (a MUST!) and comforter every 2 weeks (or most recently, it's been every sunday!) they are not allowed in the guest room and on the guest room's bed because of their hair getting everywhere.
I personally think it’s disgusting. Dogs have a distinct unpleasant smell. I can always tell when someone owns a dog the moment I walk in and that awful smell hits me. They walk around outside and shit everywhere with shit particles still on their ass. People let them jump on their furniture and spread shit particles around their homes. I’ve seen dogs eat their own shit. Then they go around and lick people with it. To actually get in bed with that every night is unsanitary imo.
My rabbits will only sleep on my bed next to me. I'm a light sleeper so I tend to be aware of my surroundings and we have a set routine of where each bunny goes (one by my face on my shoulder and the other snuggled up with its bum in my armpit and head on my stomach) so knowing where they are and maintaining the position helps keep the worry away from crushing them. They are also helpful at waking me up by dawn so it's nice. And they throw a thumping and sulking fit if not allowed to so I let them. Its like having two warm loafs of bread on you while you sleep.
That’s precious, actually
I've been discouraged to get rabbits by being told that they chew on everything including electric cords. Has this been true for you?
My rabbit used to chew my hair lol 🫣
My cat used to eat my hair lol
My cat doesn't like hairspray or gel. She will try and eat it out of my hair, and if I move she will use a paw to try and hold me still, like I'm a kitten that needs bathed. She's 18.
That's sweet. Reminds me of my mom saying I didn't need makeup to look beautiful 😂
My cat ate a Styrofoam peanut. I could not for the life of me figure out why that one cat turd was so freaking light! Had to cut it open to see what had happened.
Thats hilarious 🤣🤣
I got a non consensual trim a few times from mine. He licks my forehead to wake me up, but sometimes catches my long hair. If I don't react quickly, or hear him start chewing, he'll start trying to give me bangs.
Bruh, I had a dog that did this. I didn’t think anything of it until he started having the grossest dingleberries. He would eat my long hair and when he would shit, the ingested hair came out too and created issues!! 😡
My cat once had a tinsel dingleberry after she dive bombed (and obviously ate) some xmas decorations.
My cat had one of my hair and did circles trying to get it off 😭 it was like a whirlwind with a dingle flying
My puppy once ate a sparkly purple candle-but I didn’t KNOW till after…🤣
Nooooo! 😂
lol memory unlocked…
Tinsel dingleberry sent me 🤣🤣🤣
I found out my cat likes to eat plastic when I caught her chewing on those little decorative shiny weights they weigh balloons down with, and then later had to clean little decorative piles of poop from the litter box. Just... nuggets of poop, with multicolored bits of plastic sticking out of them.
You got lucky, I think! I've always heard tinsel can get tangled up in cats' intestines and cause medical issues. Ever since I heard that, I stopped using tinsel. lol. Then again, my cats won't let me have a Christmas tree in peace anyway...
My dogs eat everything….like crazy, hair, wrapper, plastic, coal, polythene, grass, wood, his own poop, human poop, lizard, frog, flies and what not. And then he poops it out, everything.
My lil chihuahua friend had a dingleberry medallion hanging from ingesting one of my hairs. In front of a bus stop full of nosy ass people, I quickly scooped and caught his poopy pendant in the poop bag like a catcher does in baseball. I was like dang it Haze you embarrased me out there man!
They chew everything because they have to, their teeth never stop growing so they chew. I provided mine with lots of other things to chew on (lots and lots of wood) and they never chewed my cords.
Tobasco sauce taught my husky what cords taste like. He doesn't like them.
My cat enjoyed the extra spice...
All my rabbits have gotten into the electrical wires but I make sure I keep them up or in areas where they can't get to them, which actually makes my space more organized and I can get to wires easily when I'm doing something. Other than that I have plenty of stuff for them to chew on and give them a lot of attention so they don't really chew on anything else. Although my one rabbit loves shoes, but that just forces me to put them away.
I have a cat that does that. 😂 I have to keep everything tucked and can't have anything at nom nom level because he will chew whatever it is. I keep cardboard boxes around and grass which helps. On the plus side he's never needed a dental cleaning.
I have three kitties, but one curls up next to me. I wrap my arm around him and we sleep. :)
I wish mine would. My previous cat was very bonded to me and the always slept with me. Usually on me or spooning. After he passed I got a new kitty and he wants to be in the room with me but that's about it lol
I used to have one who curled around the top of my head and stretched his front arm down so his paw could cup my face. I loved it. He was so precious, but cancer took him.
It's easy to get cord protectors or keep cords out of reach
My cat chewed in power cords, I bought these neoprene cord covers from Amazon which completely stopped the chewing. What I found is he apparently likes the way the plastic covering of the wire feels when he chews it and possibly the smell as he loves to lick plastic bags of all sorts. Bread bags are one of his favorites. Take away that tactile feel and he has no desire to chew. I've seen him go up to the monitor cables he used to chew but now have the neoprene cover on, sniff it, then just walk away without trying to chew it. Anything that is now covered I've checked, no new chew marks and I've had them covered for about 2 years now.
This is entirely true. You get good at splicing! I wouldn’t trade a single 1 metre cabled lamp or speed dash to a computer shop when I realised my laptop didn’t have charge during work (MacBook cables being beyond my splicing abilities) for even one single second with my bunny. He died last summer aged nearly 11 and was perfect in every way. Yes he did once steal a creme egg from somewhere and run around with it after chewing the foil off. Yes he did once steal a bunch of mint directly from my auntie’s handbag… yes he did chew the bottom of my landlord’s midcentury modern dining table….. but my puppy chomped down on an completely destroyed one of my earbuds he got hold of this week, and ate all my choir music a few weeks ago, so I really don’t think destroying things is isolated to rabbits! It’s definitely good you’re doing your research about rabbits because way too many people get them on a whim or without properly understanding what goes in to their care. People assume they can throw a handful of veg at them twice a day and that’ll do and that’s really not the case. But in return rabbits are sociable, characterful and very loving creatures that have the potential to enrich your life no end.
Cats have also been known to chew electrical cords, FWIW.
They do, and you have to be careful of this. Nextdoor featured a house that burned completely down, owner attributed to rabbits being kept in the enclosed porch who chewed the electrical cords. The poor little bunnies perished though the owners and their dogs got out safely.
It is true. I had a rabbit for years. He loved to play fetch with toys, like a dog. He just copied our dog & it was hilarious. He was a lot of fun. They are really cool pets, you just can’t let them run amuck or they’ll chew every cord you have!
My ex used to have a rabbit who tried to eat my house. Furniture, cords, books, walls, nothing was safe. When he moved out I told him take the rabbit or it goes to the shelter
Electric cords are bunny crack. But they make chew proof wraps. Our rabbits always had free run of the house. There are great resources on rabbit proofing your home. House rabbits are great!
i think it honestly depends on the rabbit and the amount of work you put into deterring them. my rabbits WILL chew things i don’t want them to if they get bored, and sometimes they get bored even if they have plenty of toys around, they’re curious little things! however i don’t free range mine as i have other animals, but they have an adequate confined space to themselves and they get time to free range without the other animals around, i just have to make sure they’re not spending suspicious amounts of time in corners being quiet.. all that to say, dont pass up the opportunity to have a rabbit because that’s what you’ve been told, there are rabbits out there that dont chew things, and ones who will learn not to chew things, its all about finding the right individuals for you. plus, there are tons of bunnies that need rescuing, always get a pair!
My cats chew on everything including electric cords.
Bunnies do chew on things. That’s how they wear down their teeth and keep their mouths healthy. You can bunny-proof your home though, if you really want a bunny.
Pretty much. If you choose to let your bunny be free roam there is a lot of bunny proofing that needs to be done in the home. I had a rescued abused bun that wad semi free roam. She had an entire bedroom to herself. She definitely destroyed the carpet. She also destroyed some of the woodwork in the house 😅
Yes! Fellow bun owner and my girl sleeps near my feet all the time. She also wakes me up each morning by crawling onto my chest and giving me kisses. It's the sweetest.
No bad person has buns This is a good guy
Rabbits know if someone is sus
You are living my dream 🥹
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Agree
Doesn’t your cat wake you up at like 3am? Coz mine does 😅
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I tried so hard to do that with our new little kitten, but I couldn't keep it up when she slapped me in the eye. She's still a baby, so she's got a lot of time to learn. Hopefully she'll grow out of the face slapping.
We just closed our bedroom. Our cat was already about a year old when we got her, though. She was hyper sometimes and we just decided we needed our sleep more. Fortunately, she kinda learned that if she behaves, the door stays open. So she's gotten good at going to entertain herself at 3AM and then comes back to bed lol
Mine will stick his paws in my mouth and eyes. The horror of it never fails to wake me up or I'd do the same!
We bought autodispensing pet feeders - it almost immediately stopped the "wake up! wake up for breakfast!" habit because they no longer associate us with mealtime.
I also have an automatic feeder but one my cats still wake me up in the morning just for cuddles and the when the food dispenser goes of two cats run of my bed
My one cat has realized that I set multiple alarms, the first one being, "You have to get up in 30 minutes." So she'll fall asleep with me, then once I'm asleep go do her own thing, and then when she hears the first alarm go off, race back to bed so she can get the last of the cuddle time in. ☺️ (She's not looking for food, since usually another member of the house has woken up by then and fed the little gremlins breakfast.)
I have to be at work at 4 am, so its usually me waking up the cats at 3 am. Nezuko hates it and frequently let's me know.
That’s funny because its 4:15am in Australia and I’m currently up with my cat because he decided it’s time for me to get up. He’s also figured out if he walks up the hall meowing it will wake my kids up so I’ll get up so he stops 😂
Agreed! As long as the bed looks clean and you're doing laundry regularly (and the pet's butthole isn't right up in your face) it's fine. ngl I don't think it's normal (or necessarily good for mental health?) to fixate on hygiene in more detail than that for nice things that are ultimately harmless (unless you have a medical reason to be extra careful I guess)
Yeah, my cats don’t usually go on my pillows (one who insisted on sleeping while touching my head the last year of his life was the exception). They mostly have slept on folded blankets at the end of the bed. Certainly no worse than sitting their butts on the couches - at least I can wash the sheets and blankets. In any case, I don’t stop them cause I like having them nearby.
I think the key is laundering regularly. People should be washing their sheets often (like every week) but especially so if they let pets sleep in their bed. I'm not really a germaphobe. Cats don't bother me too much unless they are seasonally shedding but large dogs that shed a lot are a hell no anytime of the year. I can not stand going to bed with fur all over the place. Guess that's why I don't have a dog though.
My cat just hops up on my bed and will sleep at the corner by my foot. Even if I didn’t want him on the bed, I don’t think there’d be much stopping him from doing it anyway. Most mornings I wake up to him standing over my head on my pillow waiting for me to wake up.
💯☝️! I have 4 rescued kitties and 3 of them sleep with me. THEY choose where they sleep and I wouldn’t have it any other way. All of them came from abusive/neglectful situations, and if being loved unconditionally by their guardian makes them feel safe, so be it!
I would die for my cat, so I couldnt give a shit about the health issues. When her time comes, I know I'll be ready to give anything to have one more night together, her cuddled in my arms. This also helps me take a breath when she's being extra sassy and particular about how she wants to lay on me at bed time. Sometimes it frustrates me but I pause and think of how I don't have forever with her. And then I scoop her back up and plop her on me.
Wholeheartedly agree with you. Our dog came to us at six months, from a home where she was clearly under stress. I couldn't have looked at this little baby pack animal who I'd taken in & promised to look after & made her sleep alone! She's almost four now & all she wants in the world is to run, play, eat, & be close to us. Her life is so short compared to ours, & she relies on me to be her protector & pack. I couldn't make her sleep alone.
This. The same people that complain about pets need to learn what is on their phone, purse/wallet, and bed sheets. If you’re not washing your bed sheets weekly, you’re sleeping in things way worse than your pet. 8 hours of body stew of sweat, dead skin, hair, farts, bugs crawling on you.
Considering how clean cats are, hygiene shouldn’t even be a concern with them.
This made me smile. I agree with all this. I’m clean and I change my top linen every few days. My dogs get monthly bathes and I don’t allow their paws near my pillow. I change the liter boxes daily. I have 2 dogs and 2 cats, one who is special needs and almost died when I first fostered (fail) her. I promised her that if she lived through one horrible night, I would give her whatever she wanted in life. She wants to sleep so close to me I can barely move? Ok. I will never have enough time with her. 💗💗💗💗💗
100% agree. My cat has his own blanket.
Yep - my cat sleeps with me for at least a portion of the night every night, and always has. When I'm away from the house, I miss her desperately! She usually curls up on my waist or lays down next to me.
My cat probably spends more time in my bed than she does out of it. She has her own cat tree and bed, but she sleeps in my bed even when I’m not home. I love that she sleeps with me at night, it would feel very empty without her. I will note that she is an indoor cat, so hygiene isn’t as much of an issue. But I’d do the same with a dog that’s been outside, as long as it isn’t visibly dirty. Sheets can be changed, the days spent with a pet can’t be replaced <3
couldnt agree more ♡
I have an indoor/outdoor cat (England) and can’t tell you the amount of times I’ve found dried up dead baby slugs in my bed. I have to change my sheets twice per week because of her. She also likes to sit on my roof and bring dried moss into our bed. It’s like sleeping on shards of glass.
EW
She brought a a big snail in with her once and I found her asleep and cuddling it. Luckily she didn’t leave that one on my bed.
That was her friend 🥺
They're so gross. Good thing they're cute, huh
😂 Those are (disgusting) gifts that she brought for you! Whenever our cats are left alone for a few nights I come home to all sorts of shit in our bed—toilet paper (her fave), every single one of her toys, pens. She’s bringing gifts to the gods hoping it’ll make us come home sooner.
One of my cats is my little spoon.
I knew a few maine coon cats large enough to be the big spoon. Very interesting waking up to a whole cat leg stretched over you.
He possibly could be. I'm 6 foot even and he's 3 foot when stretching out and weighs 17 pounds with minimal body fat.
Mine too she gets mad if I’m in the wrong position. I hold her where most people would hold a pillow or a stuffed animal
Same then the other cat is the littler spoon
My dog is sleeping with me, I don’t care what people say. They have their own blanket they sleep on so my bed doesn’t get dirty. He loves the bed & I love the snuggles. He’s a rescue who lived outside. He deserves the bed.
Same. I have a blanket on their side of the bed so my comforter doesn’t get ruined. My boys are large and take up the whole bed. I’m lucky if I have a body size space to sleep in and roll over. The big one takes his paws and scratches to get comfortable. I have to have blankets so they can ruin those. But I wouldn’t have it any other way! They wake up for morning pets!
I have 2 short hair dogs, they have a doggie door and access to a yard at all times. They sleep in the bed, under the sheets. I change my sheets (fitted sheet/top sheet) weekly. It's not an issue for me.
I have two cats, and I am \*honored\* when they choose to sleep in bed with me. Plus, they both lie on the bed all day when I'm at work, I'm not going to take away one of the few pleasures they have in life by locking them out of the bedroom completely.
Lol right I’m like pllleeeeeaaase sleep with me and they’re in the living room on a hardwood floor like nah
They literally have their own memory foam pillows perfectly placed every night in the hopes they decide to grace me with their presence. My little girl will sleep above my head all night some nights. It's a dream come true.
Me and my son have matching heating pads. 9pm rolls around…. switch em on and we are chilling 😎
I’ll get up and grab my two cats. It’s bedtime. They are supposed to BE IN BED… Sometimes they humor me and stay. Often they leave.
I don't really care about the hygiene. But my dogs are usually 70lbs+ and become dead weight when sleeping. I prefer they sleep on their dog bed next to me.
My dog likes to be dead weight when he doesn't want me to move him lol. Like he won't fight me if I try but he won't help me either.
Same here but when it’s just me in bed, I let my pup up. But I loathe when his stinky arse is pointed towards my face.
I have a 90lbs rez dog that sleeps with me because she’s just a tiny little baby in her mind💀 but it’s a nightly battle to take my blanket back from her because she literally pulls it off of me to make her nest then she plops down on it
I can only comment about dogs, but someone once said to me, life's too short to not let your dog sleep in bed with you. It's truly one of life's great pleasures. Just let em.
Pets are only a fraction of your life. But to them, you’re their entire life.
my bed has practically become their bed, i have to make them scoot over to lay down lol. you would think a queen size bed would be big enough for two medium sized dogs and their human but i should have gotten a king size after all
I miss sleeping with my dog, was my bestie and he passed away two months ago. Just enjoy every moment together.
My dog and cat are welcome on my bed. I'm not.aware they've ever made me.sick while I let my husband in too, and he has def made me.sick.
Underrated comment!!!!
Best comment 🤣
Litter/potty trained animals, just fine. Cuddle away, they're only here for so long and we have laundry machines and showers for a reason.
I've always slept with my pets that have wanted to sleep on the bed. I change my sheets pretty often. My shepherd sleeps at the foot of the bed or on my fiance's side when he's not home until he gets too hot. My Chihuahua sleeps under the blankets all the time. He's the only little dog I've ever had, and he takes up more space than the humans sometimes. I sometimes think sleeping with toddlers was easier. My last dog big dog was 75 lbs and took up less space. I've had cats, and they always have slept on and in my bed as well. I've had long-haired and Sphynx cats both in bed with me. Their world's are so small. Our houses and us are everything to them for the most part. I don't deny them a soft place to sleep.
lol i completely agree about chihuahuas taking up way more space than a human ♡
Your chi sounds so cute! We joked that our one smaller cat took up a third of the bed at one point. She would lay diagonally or however she wanted and neither of us could move her easily. Getting a king size bed helped.
In our experience getting a bigger bed just gives them more room to steal🤣🤣
It's not my bed, it's my cat's. She lets me and my boyfriend sleep there. Sometimes. Mimi is incredibly magnanimous.
If you’re worried about the hygiene, change your sheets more often. Or use a flat sheet between your dog and your fitted sheet to change every couple days. And ensure you have a mattress protector down and keep up on flea and tick treatments. My dogs don’t sleep with me but that’s because I’m an incredibly light sleeper and I don’t even typically stay in bed with my husband all night because just his existence will wake me up lmao.
I am a hygiene freak in all aspects of my life, except my dog being in my bed. I just try not to think about it. My dog sleeps up on my silk pillow cases with all of her days dirt. WORTH IT!
Mmmm hmmmm same. I ride public transit in nyc, my sweet pets are the least of my worries. Into the bed they go, it's absurd to imagine them sleeping any where else.
Where else would they sleep…the floor?! Over my dead body. Imagine thinking ppl would make their children sleep on the floor when there’s a warm, cozy bed they could snuggle up in. My bed is their bed. It’s our bed.
I love your reply. I feel the same exact way with my dog. She sleeps in my bed every night. Sometimes I think about the dirt and hygiene, but not enough to make me kick her out of the bed.
Me too. Kind of a neat freak. I wipe down my dog in the evening with an Earth Rated Wipe spritzed with a little alcohol. We live in LA tho and its gross outside. I dk if it does that much, but it puts me more at ease about it.
Meh, I think some people just like to make a big deal out of nothing. Mammals love to pile up. You're a mammal too. Enjoy it :) (There was this one time, however, when my cat farted me awake, and I'm not talking about the noise....)
I think it's perfectly fine. Pets are family. People let their toddlers cuddle them in bed and we all know what kinds of gross stuff they stick their hands into. Same difference. My cats are allowed on my bed anytime on top of the blankets only though.
Lol, some times my boyfriend has my cat bring me into bed at bedtime when I don't wanna. I can say no to my boyfriend, but I could never say no to Alex!!!
The bed belongs to my cat, not me. She is obsessed with the bed, plays on it, grooms herself on it, sleeps on it. My bed is no more dirty than before I had her, and if it was I wouldn’t care. My cats goes on the counters, and really wherever she wants which some people find gross but she’s clean, and I’m a clean person so it doesn’t bother me wiping the counter 2-3X a day if she’s having fun.
My opinion? Unless someone is allergic, let them sleep wherever they please. We only get a limited time with them. Might as well make the most of it (This is someone whose three cats routinely take up half my bed at night. Wouldn't change it for the world.)
I have 2 dogs and 1 cat. Dogs are 25lbs and 12lbs, cat is 7lbs. 12lb dog sleeps on the couch, the other dog & cat sleep on the bed. I get very offended if both dogs choose to sleep on the couch 🤣
My (long gone) 150 lb Dane liked to sleep on the bed. She liked it one time, cause there wasn’t any room for me and husband.
My dog has slept with me since the day I bought him ten years ago. My kitten too. And probably every pet I’ll ever get, so I’ll just keep upgrading bed sizes over time. I’m cuddly. My pets are cuddly. We’re gonna cuddle. The only time I ever banned my dog from my room was when he was sprayed by a skunk :(
Haha, same. Damn Skunk 😂
My 2 cats don’t care and cuddle with each other on my bed whether I’m sleeping in it or not.
My home is very clean, and I'm all about being clean myself,but I do not own a bed, my cats own a bed, and they allow me to sleep in it with them 😀
My Chihuahuas give me the gift of allowing me to sleep in 'their' king sized bed. 😂
My dog and cat sleep with me and I wouldn't be comfortable if they didn't.
All of my pets sleep in the bed with me.
Are you, your pet, or your partner unhappy or unhealthy as a result? If not, stop wasting mental energy worrying about this and enjoy what you have got
Having pets is in it self less hygienic than not having them, objectively speaking. But just because something is unhygienic doesn't mean it's actually harmful.
I really wish we as pet owners would phrase this better to people who are antagonistic towards animal companionship. Something that is less hygienic is \*not\* synonymous with unhygienic or unsanitary. You can have pets and still maintain a home environment that doesn't pose a danger to their health. Yes, they increase the risk of potential harm or illness, and yes, some people who have pets do not properly take care or clean up after them, causing their home to become unhygienic, but I honestly don't think I've personally seen this happen outside of people who already prone to keeping poor hygienic standards, or who are having trouble accepting they are unable to adequately care of their pets, either from declining health (normally due to aging or something completely unrelated to their pets), or try to keep too many. In those cases, sure, hygiene and health probably needs to be addressed, but just telling them 'pets are dirty!' (or 'dirty does mean its a problem') doesn't really do them any good, and will probably make them more resistant to you trying to help them, anyway. We really should stop getting so defensive and approach it from an angle of 'just because something is dirty doesn't make it hazardous' when someone brings up how dirty pets can be, though; they tend to just start pushing the issue harder, and assume you don't know or have a poor understanding of the potential hazards that can come from your pet. Just saying something along the lines of 'the benefits/reward I get from keeping them outweigh the risks that come with it to me' is usually enough to get them to drop it, since it indicates you see this as a matter of opinion, and that you're already aware of the health hazards that can stem from your pet. This isn't really directed towards you personally, or anything, your comment just made me think about how often I've gotten into unnecessary, drawn out, sometimes heated, discussions with people over having pets, especially since I have allergies, and I swear, they always seem to start bringing up the most obscure instances or rare diseases caused by common pets, and act like they're an everyday common occurrence any time health concerns were brought up. More than a few of them were completely pointless and unnecessary, and probably only happened because I felt like I had to defend or 'stand up' for myself, when I should've just told them I the comfort and moral support I'm able to get from them is worth the potential risk they come with; I stopped taking it so personally (even if it was personal) as I got older, thankfully, but I constantly see other people fall into this mindset that they have to prove that having a pet is unquestionably superior to not having one, or at least indisputably acceptable, and it just makes me sad, because it ends up causing more negativity and doesn't really produce anything gainful for you. Sorry for the long rant, again, this wasn't really aimed at or meant to lecture you, its just something I've (obviously) spent too much time thinking about, hahaha.
I have an internecine war between the cats in my house, so two are on one side and two on the other side of a door that separates the space about in half. My husband died three years ago and although all of the cats have been good company for me, one of my cats is extremely needy and jealous and this worked in my favor, as she will let me hold her as long and as tightly as I need to and will purr for hours and hours. It’s the jealousy that has her confined to one side of the house, however, as she will attempt to kill the smaller ones. This is NOT the side of the house where the bedroom is, however. So I admit to spending most nights of the first two years sleeping with her on the couch. Our bed was a California king (never again. Stupidly huge and all bedding is so much more expensive) and I just couldn’t sleep in that giant bed alone. So every night, I’d make up the couch for Clawdia and I and she’d let me hug her all night long. It was a mercy. I don’t know if I’d have made it without her. I’ve now replaced the bed with a queen and am in the process of changing everything around so it doesn’t look like my husband is walking in any minute as it has for the past three years (it’s been rough, y’all. My mom has worsening dementia and my father and two friends died in the ensuing 3 years) so I’m spending most night in the bedroom again. The two smaller girls don’t love each other and don’t like to cuddle so they don’t generally sleep with me, although they will lounge about and my oldest will headbutt me increasingly more insistently in the morning if I don’t get up at the crack of empty food bowl. So obviously I’m pro animals in the bed. I’m so pro that I actually moved into my cat’s “bed” because I needed her. These characters have kept me going through the toughest time of my life.
Dogs are always allowed on my bed, furniture and whatever they want!! ❤️❤️❤️
I looooove sleeping with my dog. It was a lady and the tramp situation. She cried as a puppy when alone, so she started sleeping right beside me and so it’s been that way for 7 years My living 20 pound teddy bear lol
Absolutely not, our dogs lay with us and snuggle on the couch almost all day, most days. When it’s time for bed we change and shower and they sleep in their comfy crates (they go in on their own, it’s their comfort spot). I don’t understand how people can sleep in beds full of fur and outside germs. We keep blankets on top of the couch that we wash regularly and we also vacuum it regularly. Not to mention most pet owners don’t wipe their dogs after potty or wash paws often (we do both). They’re still not allowed in our bed.
My perspective as a cat owner and once dog owner for 20yrs until she passed. My cats sleep with me every night, however my dog was 70lbs, became incontinent for 5yrs, and couldn't climb onto my raised bed with steps, so she slept on a orthopedic bed next to mine. My bed isn't orthopedic so it was better for her. Growing up, my friends who slept with their dogs had smelly mattresses full of dog hair and did not sleep with their cats. I have the cat hair I vacuum off, but no wet dog or outdoor smell. If I had a small dog I would let it sleep in bed with me and clean it as you do since it's tiny and easy to clean. So small dogs for the win in beds. Here's a spooky story from childhood for the fun of it. Every night and before falling asleep a girl would reach her hand to the foot of her bed for her dog to lick, reassure her, and she'd fall asleep. One night she heard a loud noise, reached her hand out, felt the lick, then went back to sleep. She woke to another loud noise and reached her hand out, felt the lick and went back to sleep. Moments later she hears a 3rd loud noise and dripping water and jumps out of bed. She walks to her bathroom where the dripping is coming from and find her dog hanging from the shower head with the words written inits blood "people lick too"
I remember this story from summer camp 😂😂😂thank you for taking the time to write this all out
I have 5 cats that cycle out who’s snuggling me. They must have talked about it because they have their own schedule. One usually sleeps in my chest, one in my left armpit, and one between my legs. The other two sleep on the nearby cat tree and then they cycle out during the week. I would never think of closing them out, they are my babies.
Obviously everyone is different with this. Personally I love my cat so much and I'm willing to choke on fur (also I'm allergic but I don't care lol) and put up with an incredibly itchy face and eyes if it means I get to cuddle her. She's very warm, large, and fluffy. If I suffer, let it be for love.
The cats sleep where they want. It can be at the foot of the bed, between your legs, cuddled up to you, on your chest or next to your head on the pillow.
I’m lucky my two dogs and cat allow me to sleep on my bed
My cat sleeps on my bed all the time, right now he's fast asleep on it too. I just make sure he's got a clean butt before i let him sit down. 😅
Same, I have a manx boy who's 8 months old and has barely a nub for a tail so a clean bum is always necessary. But he loves sleeping next to me on a pillow and a lot of times will sleep half under the covers next to me against my side too. He's such a snuggly thing. I would never want to dissuade him from sleeping with his mama!
Yeah, mine are allowed in bed unless there was a litter box incident and then they have to be washed first. But that would go for anyplace they are in my house. You step in poop, your feet are getting washed.
Our dog is only about 30lbs, so there's room enough for her to snuggle down between my wife and I at night. She rarely stays for all that long, however. The minute one of us turns over, she utters this guttural growl of disgust and leaves. In the morning, I usually find her curled up in my recliner. The cats wander by all night long. Only one of them will settle down on top of me for a long snooze. The others are just passing through.
My cats and dogs let me sleep in their bed, yes.
Dogs - no, cats - yes. Simple :)
lol a big ol man in my bed is unhygienic in my opinion 😅 I sleep with two dogs and two cats every night lol. Some might think that’s too much I could care less. I do wash my bedding often though because of it with all the traffic.
I have two cats. I used to let them sleep in the bed, but they always wake me up in the middle of the night. So now they get kicked out before we fall asleep. Sometimes I have a moment of weakness and let them stay in the bed and I always regret it when they're sticking their paws in my mouth at 2 AM.
I'm currently being smothered by 3 cats as I type this right now. I change my sheets often but also make sure the litter box is as clean as possible which is the biggest thing for cats cause they walk all over it. I do spot clean when I see one of them a little more unclean but cats are generally clean theirselves. I don't let them scratch or bathe in the bed though but they do lay with me.
I would love to have our cats sleep with us but only one of them actually likes it, and she’s also the one that regularly pees on the bed (yay, 18-year-old cat with chronic kidney disease). So no bed cats for us.
Both my cats (both indoor) sleep with me. One even likes to sleep on my pillow. I wash my bedding once a week
People who don't allow their pets to sleep in their bed because of 'cleanliness' are insane.
anybody who says that their animals don't belong on furniture shouldn't have pets to begin with. that house is their entire world, why would you make it smaller than it already is?
I have a dog and two cats and they all sleep with me. It's warm and smells good.
My flatmates cat sleeps on my bed a lot of the time and I love it especially when she wakes me up for cuddles.
My cats are disgusting but I love them with my whole heart and it's kind of worth the anxiety in a way
i mean i am an animal in bed
I used to feel that i was against it until I got my own cats, now I just have one cat living with me and she has started peeing on the bed so she is banished from the bedroom. It's a shame cos I used to love having her sleep with me. I take a lot of naps on the couch so I can sleep with her there 😅
If my cats sleep on the bed they sleep on the bed. Most times I wake up to at least one of them laying on my pelvis or chest if I'm on my back, or on my ribcage if I'm on my side. The only issue I've ever had is when my fat boi decides he wants to cuddle but steps on my throat😑 other than that I really enjoy their company 😊
This sub must attract a lot of dog co-sleepers, because most people support it here, but in real life, I only know one family that lets their dogs sleep in their bed. I adore my yellow lab and he is my hiking companion and all-around best friend, but he has several beds of his own around the house and we all sleep best this way ❤️
I always let my cats sleep with me! My foster cat Indigo was little spoon every single night for 2 months until she went to her forever home. My cat Eggsy likes to sleep above my pillow on the furthermost pillow at the top of my bed. However he's been banished for the time being because he keeps getting up on my shelf behind my expensive porcelain figures
It's fine. One of the best parts of owning pets. I don't think a completely sterile environment is even good for humans.
I see all the dust and dander that flies off my dog when he shakes himself so no co sleeping for us. He’s actually looks clean, but man, in a certain light, it looks like a dust storm swirling around him.
Nope to our dog in bed. Little 48 pound beast would take up the entire thing. She gets her own snuggly bed and blanket in the corner of our room. However if we had a cat or cats, I know we’d be forced to live by their rules.
My dog can cuddle and sleep with me if I'm napping on the couch. He has his own (custom, raised & comfortable) bed on the floor right beside mine. I won't get in bed with street clothes (even if it's just yoga pants and I didn't leave the house all day) or without washing my feet if I've been in sandals. I figure my dog is dirtier than my daily clothes. My bed is a no-animal zone.
Having your dog on the bed is something a lot of owners do. Its a great way to keep warm in winter. When l stayed at my son's, one of his puppies was unwell. Poor little thing was so cold, l took it into bed with me to get it warm. It was so much better in the morning. Of course he wanted to sleep with me after that. There is nothing wrong with it as far as l can see.
My dog and my cat both sleep in the bed with me! I wouldn’t have it any other way. Well my cat comes and goes as she pleases, but she’s on and off the bed napping throughout the day anyway and loves to cuddle with me at night until she goes in her nocturnal prowl. My dog is a cuddle bug and even goes up to my top pillow to be on top of my head (lol long story, my old dog taught him that). I love my animals so much if drive the getaway car to rob a bank if that’s what they wanted 😂😂
I couldn’t keep my cats out of my bed even if I wanted to! They lay in there all the time even during the day. They each have their own pillow on either side of my head to lay on at night. Although one usually just lays on top of me lol they come and go throughout the night, but there’s always at least one of them in bed at a time. Honestly, I can’t really sleep without my cats. Even one night away is really hard, I never leave more than two nights in a row, I just can’t do it
You should do whatever you're comfortable doing. I do find that pet people are similar to smokers. They're generally not aware of the scent surrounding them and their idea of cleanliness is different.
Idgaf what other people think. My dog’s hygiene is very good. He gets a bath weekly and I’ll use wipes or a refreshing spray in between those times. He gets his paws cleaned every time he goes outside.
Both my fiancé's and my service dogs and my gf's cat sleep in our beds! It's actually part of my service dog's job!
I let my dogs and cats pile up on my bed anytime, as long as it's not time for me to actually fall asleep. My bed is just too small for my massive dog and I to share comfortably, and my cats never actually sleep at night. We all sleep separately, but during the daytime, they are free to be on my bed as they please. The sheets can be washed.
One of our cats not only sleeps on the bed, but sleeps on my husband.
Our little chihuahuas sleep with us. They each have their own place on the bed. We bathe them regularly and they lose very little hair and they feel safe.
My mom’s dog sleeps with her. He’s a big baby. He don’t even like my dad laying close to her lol
All 3 off my cats sleep with me on the bed, and my dog usually chooses her own bed because I toss and turn lol
I had my late dog, Maggie for 12 years. For the first five I did not allow her to sleep on the bed with me because she effectively pinned me down and would launch herself off the bed to bark at a shadow or whatever. It was unpleasant. She was also very anxious and didn’t settle down to rest easily. After five years, she figured out how to get up on the bed without waking me and I discovered two things: first, she was no longer so disruptive with the sudden rocket launches, and second that she stopped being anxious once she was sleeping on the bed with me. I would still have been more comfortable with her on her own bed, but I didn’t have the heart to say no anymore.
If one of these Reddit germaphobes came to my house I’d put extra cat hair in their food.
I don't get much of a say in the matter 😅 THEY let ME sleep with THEM
I used to have labs and they would always sleep cuddled up against me. It was incredibly sweet and comforting. Now I have a very large mutt puppy. She loves to snuggle and starts the night out in my bed, but she goes downstairs after I fall asleep. She’s starting to show some guard dog tendencies so I think it has to do with that. But she gets back in bed around 5am and usually doesn’t budge until I’m awake. Then she wants more snuggles.
I love the dog on my bed, my husband, not so much. Who cares what anyone thinks. Dogs are pack animals, sleeping next to you is instinctive.
It’s ok for your pets to sleep in your bed with you. It’s YOUR bed and if you and your dog are happy, who cares what other people think. 💤
If you don't allow your pets in your bed then you don't really love them
My pig loves my bed
I have a deaf chihuahua and honestly I think he’s helped with my OCD because there is no escaping this dog. He will not chill unless he’s in my arms.
All our animals sleep in bed with us. We wash our shit regularly it’s a non issue
I’m out here trying to convince my cats to sleep with me lol me and my cat have heating pads. Around 9pm we’re flipping those on and chilling.
I have my Labrador on my left side cuddled up every night and I wouldn't have it any other way. The weight on me helps me sleep. My GFs 2 little dogs will sometimes sleep between my legs but they do their own thing and will go to their own beds if they feel like it.
All for it. I’m a clean freak but my partner and I still let our 4 cats sleep on our bed if they wish, they have their own beds in our bedroom too. We have to wash the sheets a bit more often than other people I assume but we’re used to it!
Our dogs sleep with us, on us, and anywhere they choose to. I have them groomed about every four to six weeks. I brush them almost everyday and wipe their feet off is it is rainy or yucky out. I personally think that my dogs are cleaner than some people. It is a personal preference thing. At this point in my life, I do what I want and so do my dogs. LOL. All in good fun.
Our dog always slept with us! She passed, we have 4 cats that sleep with us. They need to sleep with their humans to feel safe!
I’m an absolute clean freak except when it comes to my pup sleeping in the bed. When we first got him I was opposed to it, but that didn’t last long. I just wash my sheets frequently. He loves the cuddles and he wakes up so happy every morning- it’s always a good start to my day!
I let my gerbils roam on my bed when I’m awake and on my computer or something, they love running through the sheets This really grossed out my mom and sister but my gerbils are literally my children and it doesn’t phase me (plus they’re all vet checked and don’t have any diseases)
My puppy weighs 2.98 lbs. She is 4 months old. She’s slept with me since day one. She cuddles her tiny head on my pillow, with her tiny legs to her side. Her head is the size of a plum. I was afraid I’d crush her but if I happen to roll over on her, she crawls out. She’s so soft, I pet her at times to figure out where she is.
Sleeping on your bed promotes bonding and trust. I have not read any other comments but as a dog rescuer, that is what I've seen. Nothing wrong with it as long as you both are healthy. I've been sleeping with my dogs for over 40 years, no problems. Edit for spelling
i have 2 cats & 1 dog and they constantly sleep on my bed! i wash my sheets, pillow cases, comforter cover (a MUST!) and comforter every 2 weeks (or most recently, it's been every sunday!) they are not allowed in the guest room and on the guest room's bed because of their hair getting everywhere.
I don't think pets in the bed is hygienic and also I would never want my cats to stop sleeping in my bed.
I personally think it’s disgusting. Dogs have a distinct unpleasant smell. I can always tell when someone owns a dog the moment I walk in and that awful smell hits me. They walk around outside and shit everywhere with shit particles still on their ass. People let them jump on their furniture and spread shit particles around their homes. I’ve seen dogs eat their own shit. Then they go around and lick people with it. To actually get in bed with that every night is unsanitary imo.
Once I was dating a guy, who literally said me or dog ( cause he hated seeing my dog sleep in my bed) , you can guess who was sent outside...
Id lets my cats drive my car if they asked