Cat Positioning on Humans

Greetings all--

I've lived with five cats, two of which (alas) passed on, and two of which decided they didn't like me much. (Don't blame me, I was always very good to them, all of them. I've never abused cats or been mean to them at all--or any other animals for that matter. You know cats, though...)

I'm curious about an observation I've noted, though, and would be interested in your responses.

When I had three cats and decided I needed a nap on the couch, eventually I would wake up with the three of them positioned on me. But...they were always in the same location. (Neck, chest, stomach.)

My curiosity comes from the sense that perhaps, these cats were positioning themselves on me in the same way they might have positioned themselves on their nursing mothers. I've heard that kittens latch on to a particular nipple when they're nursing, and obviously these nipples cover a large area of the cat--from stomach to neck, in fact. Way more than humans, if you'll pardon.

The lone cat who decided she likes me still positions herself on my stomach, despite the fact that all areas, so to speak, are open. There are no other cats to move her to another area. Other cats I've lived with were also consistent with where they wanted to rest.

Has anyone else noticed this? Do cats decide to lie on us based on their nursing positions? I know this would require rather a lot of observation, but nonetheless I'm curious.

Thanks for your indulgence, and apologies if I've been indelicate.

/Null

my dearly departed Kitty Montego would lay on me at night but he had several different locations to choose from. Sometimes my legs, sometimes my chest, occasionally on my pillow cradling my head. But then again he was the only cat and was free to scout new locations.

Well, if that's true, then my Boo always slept on his mother's leg or head because that's where he likes to sleep on me. :p

hmm, that's interesting....mojo likes to sleep on my breastbone or above my head on the pillow when i'm lying flat. squirty and magic (mojos son), who rarely sleep on me, but do on occasion, sleep on my bladder (squirty is 7#, magic is 13#). RB cats TJ and Fish liked the breastbone, Janice and Isis(TJs daughters) were a behind the humans knee sleepers....and i do not recall which nipple they used. magic liked the upper chest area on mojo as i recall. thanks for the interesting idea, and i'm sure when i'm at the party at wayne&stephanies house(major cat lovers) tonight, i'll use this question as a conversation point......;

Taz was an only cat for 13 years so he slept any where he wanted. And that means every part of my body. He particularly like sleeping on my side. I tend to sleep or lay on my side so he'd get right up on my hip and sleep. This was a problem when he weighed over 20 lbs. Within the last few weeks with Taz he would either sleep ON me or beside me, but no matter what he had to be touching me. Even if it was just a paw touching my leg.

Paizly either sleeps curled up by my tummy, if I'm on my side, or between (or draped over) my legs.

Sometimes they have both laid right on my chest if I was on my back.

Alison likes to sleep on one or both of my ankles and keep my feet warm.

Seraph likes to be on your chest, as high up as possible. Either practically laying on your face, or tucked up under your chin. And if he doesn't feel like he's high enough, he will push himself up further lol.

Sparkle, my "momma's girl," insists on sitting on me when I am sitting in the recliner. She drapes herself across my chest, practically removing my head from my neck. :eek: Her head is up on my shoulder, looking away from me and, due to the positioning of the recliner, she is staring at the wall. :rolleyes: She must be on my LEFT shoulder. I have tried moving her to my right shoulder: no way!

In bed, she likes to snuggle up next to me, back to back, (or her back to my side when I am on my stomach) both our heads on the pillow, she stretched out to have as much contact with me as possible.

Cuddles likes to sit on my back in bed (I sleep on my stomach most of the time).

Bobby prefers to be snuggled up under my chin when I am in bed. So he is on the bed, not me. Still, I can't possibly move without him knowing.

Tommy (and RB Vita) always prefer being on my face, and both get irritated when I shift position almost as soon as they get settled; breathing on my part, HUH, silly human thing. :p

Chestnut ( and RB Amber, my 2 orangies) want to be in easy touching distance. Amber always had to have one foot in contact with me (through the covers, of course) and would sleep in the strangest stretch and twist positions, to keep one back foot touching. Chestnut doesn't get as acrobatic, but that could be due to the bed being more crowded now, what with the 4 dogs now up there as well.

Most of our cats have always positioned on my wife. I guess she was the cat person in our family. Kallie our calico positions in various places on my wife but if allowed to it would be on her head. Hobo our RB kitty was always on the back of her neck. Since Rascal has come into our home he has adopted me and Koko. He will try to position on or near Koko, but most of the time she is not in the mood. I wake up most nights with Rascal curled up on or next to my feet. If i am sitting he will curl up in my lap. He will not have anything to do with my wife.

Yeah, I think they do. MooShoo sleeps next to me, under the covers with his head HIS pillow. Maya Linn has taken RB Mollie Rose's spot on the other side of me. Shortie, the Munchkin, sleeps right next to MooShoo. The rest of the cats find their own spots.

Im curious to hear from cat owners who live in highrise units with balconies or terraces. Have any of you felt the need to catproof your balcony guardrails?

Interesting insights from everyone, and I thank you all for your responses. It seems like an interesting question for cat-behavior-researchers. Leela, who has lived with (and...sigh...dominated) me for over nine years seems to prefer lying on my chest, tail pointing toward my head and claws (ow) kneeding me just above the crotch.

The more I learn about cats, the more I need to learn seems to expand. I love dogs, too, but they are much more obvious creatures.