Cruel to let kitten sleep on bed only sometimes?

[Kiroro]

Is is cruel to let the kitten sleep on my bed at the weekends only?

Like I mean is it mixed messages if I have him downstairs in the week but on my bed at weekends?

I've been really consistent with having the kitten downstairs at night... except last weekend I got in late and felt bad because I had been out all day and let him sleep on my bed. It was lovely. He curled up around my head/neck and purred a lot, but it was a little disturbing having him there.

He also got very active about 6.30 and started ruining riot on the bed so I had to get up and feed him and shut him downstairs with his toys so I could have a bit of a lie in.

T I let him stay on Saturday night as well. He was much more active in the night and I really didn't get great sleep but I do like having a purring fur ball in my face. Big wake up and biting toes/elbow at 6.30am again.

During the working week he has been back downstairs.

So - can I have him back on my bed this weekend or is that just going to confuse him?

[ohfourfoxache]

Aw, let the snuggly fluffball on the bed permanently!

Dh and I regularly share our pillows with FoxCat

[Wishiwasmoiradingle2017]

Nothing short of cruelty tbh!! My 2 have a bunk each with dd x2 every night!! Cats like rituals though and am sure he will settle quicker the more he is attached to your head so just admit defeat. . It is your duty to bow down to your cats requests. .
Did you not realise this when you entered into dcat ownership??

[Fluffycloudland77]

I like my sleep so dcat sleeps in the utility room every night unless he's ill & then he sleeps on our bed.

If he recovers enough during the night to poke me in the face he is swiftly returned to the utility.

[UnbornMortificado]

My old man (dog mind you) used to sleep under the duvet with me

I imagine cats smell better but I miss the bugger.

[ohfourfoxache]

There is nothing quite like spooning with something fluffy

[DumbledoresApprentice]

Mine gets locked out most nights but sometimes at the weekend sleeps with me. I need my sleep during the week. She doesn't seem to mind being shut out and just goes to sleep in her room if I shut my door on her.

[scaryteacher]

One of mine sleeps with me if he deigns to, and the other sleeps on a cushion on the floor in my room. He then hops into dh's warm spot in the bed n the mornings when dh is downstairs making my tea.

[Toddlerteaplease]

Why wouldn't you want to sleep with a large furry hat on. Especially one that purrs very loudly!

[GRW]

The only time I shut mine out is when I'm sleeping during the day after a night shift. He usually wakes me up scratching the carpet to be let in.

[Mumtobe12]

I do the same with my 2 usually wake me up between 4 and 5 so bring them down for a feed and prior to that can be restless but I love having my purry fur balls around.
So have restricted it to weekends only especially since being pregnant as sleep pattern not brilliant any way

[ElizaDontlittle]

Mine comes in the bed if I have a lie in, otherwise she spends the night in the kitchen. She doesn't really sleep very well at night but tomorrow we will have our respective breakfasts about 7:30 and then snuggle up together for a couple of hours. Purry furry bliss! - it's not that consistent though as some weeks it doesn't happen at all and sometimes 2-3 days, and she just takes it as it comes, so no problem with inconsistency here.

[Meowstro]

Inconsistency can be confusing, you either have to leaving the choice there for your fur baby or stay firm. My fluff ball gets shut out now he's started to need small feeds and attention every 3 hours through the night and will by all means make sure you're aware of that. Thank goodness for cat feeder bowls!

[LynetteScavo]

If it's cruel to your cat they will let you know by meowing extensively in the nights you lock them out.

[Purplebluebird]

Oh I adore having my cat in the bed! Mmmmm

[kelper]

I miss having a cat on my head at night :(
Fortunately the dog doesnt, but she does have an irritating habit of sleeping behind my knees and then I can't turn over!
Although she does spend a large part of the day (When not shadowing me) sleeping on my pillow :-/

[Kiroro]

Aw thanks for all the replies, but I think I am more confused as to if this will upset him to just let him in at the weekend!

I do very much like having kitten in bed with me, but sleep quality is significantly reduced which is an issue during the week. Weekend kitten snuggles are delicious.

Routine is already pretty lacking and I don't want to confuse him more. Sometimes I have to work v long hours, sometimes I work from home, sometimes come back in the afternoon then go out for the night. Sometimes have to work all night then will be in bed the next day.

hey will let you know by meowing extensively
I don't think I would really know if he was - I am a deep sleeper. I know if I wake up and go to the toilet at night he is not meowing, but when I get up at getting up time in the morning he starts as soon as he hears me flush the toilet and is waiting pressed up against the kitchen door.

Anyway, here is a kitten-hat photo from last weekend for you :-)

[cozietoesie]

I didn't know one had a choice!

[Kiroro]

Mine comes in the bed if I have a lie in, otherwise she spends the night in the kitchen.

That is what I did the weekends before and it worked well except kitten needs a big play in the morning so I was waving Da Bird around with one hand and one eye half open making him leap across the bed before he settled down for a good 3 hour nap.

I don't always have time for a mega-lie in with the kitten tho unfortunately.

[Weedsnseeds1]

Mine sleeps full stretch, back to back with me. He reaches from the back of my neck to the back of my knees! It never occurred to me to shut him out. He's rather un-cat like though, in which he tailors his sleep habits to mine, rather than sleeping all day and prowling all night!

[Trustyourself2]

He is absolutely gorgeous.

I've always had my cats on the bed at nighttime. I close my bedroom door & have food, water & litter tray in the room in case they need them during the night. One of mine does get up in the middle of the night, so I let her out of the room, so that she can go and do whatever it is she does.

My other cat sleeps in the utility on her bed because she's a bully and picks on my cat who gets up in the middle of the night.

I'd day let him sleep on your bed all the time. He'll settle down as he gets older.

[Kiroro]

He reaches from the back of my neck to the back of my knees!

Wow, do you have a main coon or just a v long cat?

I've always had my cats on the bed at nighttime.

So far I think the weight of opinion is on the 'let him up all the time' - but potentially my sample could be biased seeing as this is the litter tray!

Will let him up tonight and see if he settles well.

[HemanOrSheRa]

Oh he is gorgeous! I love my cats sleeping in bed with me. I generally find they are much more settled than my dog who also sleeps in bed with me. She jumps down and faffs around all blinking night long. She's a small JRT so can't get back on the bed either.

Anyway you do realise that the bed is the kittens now - he is just allowing you to sleep in it, for now !

[GreyStars]

Learn your place, it is you who should not be sleeping on the bed if the kitten disturbs you

Can't you sleep in the bath or the sofa - assuming the kitten isn't using either

[cozietoesie]

When I acquired Twoago, I decided to strike a blow for freedom and put a cardboard box with fleece inside, just by the bed. I put him in, he jumped out, I put him in, he jumped out and so on.....and so on....

He thought it was a great game. Until he sort of shook his head and you could see him thinking 'Enough of this jollity - time for B.E.D. ' Upon which, he jumped up, went under the duvet and went to sleep.

(My Siamese have always slept through the night in the same bed with me.)

Last time I tried to prepare a bed for one. I'd learned my lesson.

[Weedsnseeds1]

Paw to paw, not the length of his back, but he's a big boy ( moggie). If they get comfortable with the idea they are allowed on the bed, they get less restless eventually. I couldn't shut him out ( he can open doors anyway)!