Sent some pictures of my cat to a few friends and they are saying he needs a vet..

[ijwdc]

First time cat owner.. My cat is male and is almost 3, Apart from this he seems totally normal, is eating and drinking, playing etc

I sent a few pics to a few friends and they all said I need to take him to the vet because of the way he sleeps. They all said it's 'head pressing' being honest I had no idea about this and just thought that was how he slept so now I'm worried.

I have just been through all my pictures of him and it's almost every time he sleeps..

Does this look like head pressing or is it just how he sleeps? Will get him to the vet to check but now I'm sitting here worried about him.

If you’re worried it’s good to put your mind at rest by speaking to a vet at some point. I can’t see the photo though. Sounds reassuring if he’s acting totally normally and this isn’t a new behaviour for him.

By all means get him checked but unless it's accompanied by poor coordination, loss of appetite, being wobbly on his feet etc its likely just a type of bunting that some cats do for comfort.

I had to google what head pressing is, but it sounds more like the cat would do this while it was awake rather than asleep? Google has other things that go along with it behaviour-wise. Unless he’s doing these things I wouldn’t be worried if he’d otherwise normal. (And I am an anxious person!)

Our cat mainly sleeps in various donut beds around the house, and his head is often tucked up against the side. The second photo he’s in a chair, again with his head tucked against the side.

Some cats do it as a comfort thing. Get him checked but don’t panic.

I think he's perfectly fine. He just likes sleeping like that. Very handsome cat by the way. My cat liked sleeping on top of the kitchen cupboards.......

I have a cat that loves to sleep with her face planted downwards or tucked into a nook. She’s been doing it for the whole 9 years that we’ve had her with no ill effects. I think face pressing is something you’d see while awake. This just looks like fairly normal cat sleeping to me.

I would have thought head pressing is only a concern if it is a new behaviour as it can be connected with poisoning or the onset of a serious illness such as a neurological condition. If he's always slept like that and behaves normally the rest of the time, then it's just how he feels comfy. Cats do have their weird ways.

He does look comfy though ! 😺

He looks pretty happy! Is this a new way of sleeping? If not id assume it’s normal for him.

I would get him checked for peace of mind but it may simply be the way he sleeps , his safe position , or blocking out the light

many years ago I had an elderly dog that started to head press , she did this as she walked up to a solid object and stood pressing rather than just laying sleeping , although I do think I can recall her some times sleeping in a tight corner with her head in that position , I also seem to remember she pressed more on her forehead than her face but maybe because of the shape of her head

My cat sleeps like that, always has, especially during the day, I just thought he was trying to keep his eyes covered 😕. Yours is lovely btw, so fluffy.

Mine sleeps in the most bizarre of ways. I think if your cat has healthy coat, eyes and is energetic, eating/drinking well, litter tray in use I’m not sure I’d even give it a second thought!!

Presumably you get him MoT'd at least once a year & jabs, if you're concerned mention it to the vet then.

I've found a number of references that say it's not uncommon for cats to sleep with their heads pressed, and it just shows they find comfort and stability in that position, so don't panic!

Those photos are really concerning. I would absolutely be taking him to a vet, with those photos, for an exam and blood work.

Cats have a huge capacity to mask pain. They can have bright eyes, a glossy coat, be eating well - and still be in pain. He may well be fine, and I hope he is, but he’s showing some very visible symptoms of not being fine.

If he’s always slept like that then it wouldn’t remotely bother me - if it was a new behaviour, then I’d absolutely be getting him checked.

Ime dcats don't read dcat manuals about what they should be doing....
Ime dcats choose strange ways to sleep..
Obviously not strange to them..
There is a dcat under the top dcat..

My grey boy always slept like that, for 15 years. I didn’t realise it was a thing.

Both of my cats sleep like this from time to time - I really wouldn’t start worrying at this stage.

My cat sleeps like that when he sleeps in his favourite chair. He doesn't do it anywhere else. I'm not worried about him.

@ijwdc your cat is gorgeous! Is he by any chance a British Shorthair? They sleep in ridiculously weird positions!! It never does any harm having a vet exam if you’re concerned though.

What symptoms do you think he is showing? I've owned cats all my life and am not seeing anything unusual, although cats are good at masking pain.