lower back pain/bad dreams

[RICHARD]

The last four days I have had a lower back pain that makes it very difficult for me to bend over or stand up after a few minutes of sitting......

I am also having dreams of not being able to run or
escape when I have to-in my dreams.

I have traced it back to sleeping with the cat.

With the colder weather here the cat starts next to my head-
always on the side I am facing.......Is it the warm breath???

By the time morning comes I have a cat sleeping between my legs.....For a second, PLEASE forego the obvious jokes and bear with me...

Being the considerate person that I am I try not to move so I won't wake the cat.

I end up getting stuck in one position for a few hours which is killing me......

I also have dreams of having my legs pinned down and not being able to run...I wake up in funky moods because of those dreams..

So here is my question....

Do I move and wake the cat up OR
do I remain in that one position and endure the dreams and painful lower back?

[Freckles]

MOVE and MAYBE the cat won't wake up.

At least, that's what I do and Freckles hasn't disowned me yet.

[kimlovescats]

LOL!!!!!!! I would say MOVE and then they will get back on top of you again in your new position! hehe

[Pam]

Richard, two out of my four furry friends ALWAYS sleep with me each night and occasionally Trevor does too so that makes three. (Andy doesn't like all of the commotion with all of us in the bed so he seldom joins in). I too have back trouble and have gone through many bouts of my back going out. That said, on those nights when I happen to be away from home and not jammed into bed sandwiched between all kinds of pets, I find it hard to enjoy a good night's sleep because I miss them.

As much as the furry ones want me to tell you to not move the cat, I feel that it is important for his well being that you remain able to go to work and stay employed so that he may continue to enjoy the life he has become accustomed to. One little warning, though, he will be rapping on that closed door at 5:00 AM most likely so you will have yet another problem to deal with then!

[jazzcat]

I literally feel your pain.

Last winter Jazz slept between my legs at the knees every night and by early March I had such bad hip pain I had to go to the doctor - to no avail. When the weather got warmer by April she quit sleeping with me and by June all my pain was gone.

Now that we have Scout she began sleeping with me a few months ago. She insist I be flat on my back and she sleeps in my right armpit with her head on my shoulder. I'm now beginning to have back pain plus I have strange dreams.

I can't take the pain so as of the last week or so I've been moving myself without disturbing her too badly and she either readjusts or leaves for a little while but always returns. Give that a try. You can't be a good cat parent if you are suffering in pain. I also put an extra throw blanket on the bed around the area Scout lays and she has gotten on it a few times and not bothered me. Thank goodness for king sized beds!

[Kirsten]

This question isn't so easy to answer. I have the same problem here, and often when I move, they stand up and sleep somewhere else because they're getting offended when they're disturbed. This always makes me feel bad!

Kirsten

[Barbara]

This thread answers all the questions that ever existed whether we are cat crazy or what.

Filou sleeps under the knees of his daddy but he follows all the turns

Tigris sleeps on top of the cover so I only have the chance to roll myself up higher than Tigris or to lie very straight and not move on about 1 ft of cover left for me.

I think in our age we MUST make sure that our spine allows us to bow down and fill the cat's food bowl. Eddie should understand that. Ok I hope he will

[sirrahbed]

I can't believe we are having this discussion! (yes, Barbara, cat-crazy) And to be sure - it is a serious one! I am ALSO having bad backaches and elbow pains because I hate to move the CATS!! Call me nuts but I will still risk the aches to keep the little warm water bottles happy I figure at my age, I would probably be aching somewhere anyway.

[jenluckenbach]

In our house, Charlie stays still for fear of waking the cats. I move figuring that they will come back again. But the REAL problem is not WHETHER to move or not, it's are you physically ABLE to move or not????? Think about it: If you are under the covers and they are on top, we could have as much as 154 pounds of cat flesh holding those covers down! (if all 14 cats, average weight 11 pound, were on the bed simultaneously)

[carole]

Richard do yourself a huge favour, Either move the cat or move yourself, back pain I have lived with for many years, its no picnic, don't put yourself through any un-necessary suffering ok mate.

I know you love your kitty an all, but love yourself too ok matey.

[catnapper]

Ha! My knees are killing me. All 17 pounds of Allen has been draped over my knees every night this week. I've slept horribly and of course won't move him! I *try* to move him and 5 minutes later, he's back on my legs.

I like it soo much better when it was my husband's legs Allen slept on.

[BastetsMum]

Bastet moves with me. I call it her *yoga* lesson. She doesnt wake up provided I do it nice and slowly. She just rolls with the legs and sometimes I hear this funny little chirp - she moves herself back into position and falls asleep again. I would definately say MOVE!

[slick]

Originally posted by RICHARD
Do I move and wake the cat up OR do I remain in that one position and endure the dreams and painful lower back?

My dear Mr. Mena: I'm shocked that you would even ask such a question. Have you learned nothing from our teachings???

It's a cat's right to cause pain and suffering on his/her human in the interest of his/her own comfort. That means that said human will endure any amount of discomfort during the night so as not to disturb kitty's sleep. It's not only the rule, but the law of the land.

And so it is written.

[Cincy'sMom]

I can't answer from a cat-person point of view, but 2 of our 3 dogs sleep withus most everynight...that alone is about 115 lbs of dog...and my husband andI both often have sore shoulders, backs, legs, something. Do we make the dogs move? Rarely...Ralph wil go sleep on the couch before he kicks the dogs out of bed

I think it makes all truely animals crazy

[shais_mom]

I must say that I usually end up moving and sometimes Kylie settles back in and sometimes it pi$$es her off and she leaves.
But she is a cat!