Sleeping with your cat or dog in the same bed

  • Thread starter Thread starter blaskoman
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
I have a little dog, a min pin, who sleeps on my bed. I have a queen size bed and he sleeps at the foot of the bed in the opposite corner.
 
Wondered why I wasn’t being advised of new posts on this thread - have just found them in my spam box. Will make sure I continue to look there for them.
 
lizaanne said:
Not like THAT!!! Sheesh!! I don’t love them THAT much!!! :rolleyes:

They just want to snooze on the bed at the most inconvenient times. 😉

~Liza
Click to expand...
Or like, “Hey, what are you guys up to?”

On a somewhat DIFFERENT note, the heaviest of them would sit on us early in the morning and yell for her breakfast.

“How can we FEED you if you won’t get off us?” :rotfl:
 
marthagreys said:
My daughter solved the whole question of whether or not the kitten should be allowed to sleep with her by pointing out the first three letters in “Catholic.” This was after she had taken the scrawny stray kitten to the priest and gotten it blessed BEFORE bringing it home, figuring that once it was blessed I couldn’t say “no.” For obvious reasons, the highly amused priest is STRICTLY forbidden from blessing any more living creatures for my daughter without my express consent.
Click to expand...
This is classic! I love this kid! I’m going to have to tell my god-children to have any stray cats they find blessed before taking them home now :rotfl:
 
Allowing a dog to sleep with you can become an issue if you do not train it properly. My little mini- poodle is male and is always top dog with other dogs who enter our home but he knows his place in the human household. If he gets on the bed he knows he can be told to get down and all it takes is a pointing finger with small motion pointing from bed to floor. He knows when to stop begging because of hand motions. He knows when to “sit-stay” because of hand motions.

The cats on the other hand are a totally different thing. They will move or be allowed to be moved if someone wants to lay down on the bed and they are in the middles, they will give you a sleepy eyed “what are you doing” look and then just fall back to sleep. We have three cats right now, two are siblings and all three will lie together in a puddle in the few places we get any sun in the house. Now that it is summer and warm out, only the siblings will lie together but not on top of each other, the other one will be somewhere near but not touching. The siblings (Siamese mixes) if you lie down will want to touch you, again, in the winter they want full body contact for the warmth, now that it is summer they will either just put their head on some part of your body or reach up with a paw to do the same. It is rather interesting because these are the first cats we have ever owned who want that much contact with their humans and since I am the one home the most I am the one they look for the most.

Having said all that, they make great companions when everyone else is gone for 8+ hours a day and I only go out for a maximum of 4 any given day. So, yes, if I am gone for longer than that all of them (not just the dog) will act like I have disappeared for good and will greet me with glee when I come home. I can be gone for less than an hour and the dog will think I had abandoned him :D.

So I do feel sorry for those who have never had the love of a pet, they don’t know what they are missing and the joy they can bring into your life (hence some people spend exorbitant amounts to save Fifi.)

As someone who struggles with depression my pets are a natural drug to help me.

Brenda V.
 
blaskoman said:
I know many people who are HUGE animal lovers. I don’t begrudge them for their emmotional attachments to their pets. However I do find offense when their love crosses the line (in my view). I particularly find it disturbing that many people actually share their beds with their pets. I do know of many cases in which people actually hug their pets while they sleep (whether it be for warmth or affection)…I find this wrong for a number of reasons: firstly, it is unhygenic to do so, and secondly, the act of sleeping with an animal elevates the animal to human level in a sense (which I feel God did not intend)…Wondering what your take is on this?
Click to expand...
:rotfl: Of all the things to get worked up about!

I had a beloved little dog named Snoopy growing up, and she slept in either my bed or my brother’s bed just about every night of our childhood. It’s the most natural, healthy thing in the world, having pet companionship. I believe God gave them to us to help us through life and teach us things about ourselves.

Now … sleeping with an inflatable person … that’s where I’d be worried! :ehh:
 
Oh boy! The OP and similar minded posters must think I am quite disgusting… I have 4 cats, 3 of which sleep with me and my husband (I am sure the other would but he can’t make the jump onto the bed). In the winter I love it, because they keep me warm. In the summer, not so much. But I push them over if they are in the way, and sometimes they even fall off of the bed, but they always come back up. When we first had our daughter, we kept the bedroom door shut to keep them out because everyone told us they might jump into her bassinet. It didn’t work. We ended up letting them in after a few hours because they were crying and pawing at the door (and we couldn’t sleep with all that noise). None of them have ever tried to jump into her bassinet.

And while I do share the bed with them, I would never share food with them!! I do think that is disgusting!
 
kind_bean said:
(I am sure the other would but he can’t make the jump onto the bed).
Click to expand...
They do make steps for those jumming challenged pets!!! 😃 😃 😃

Good thing our cat does not know exactly what we are saying. DH is always telling her when she can no longer jump on the bed she is going on ONE LAST visit to the vet!!! :eek:
 
JustAnotherThou said:
They do make steps for those jumming challenged pets!!! 😃 😃 😃
Click to expand...
I know. 🙂 I just don’t want all four in there with me, especially because they usually only sleep on my side of the bed. And the older doesn’t get along too well with one of the other ones, so I think they would wake us up fighting… :rolleyes:
 
Of course my cat does not share my bed - I share HER bed, as everything in this house belongs to her:p Just ask her - she will back me up. Her name is MISS KITTY and she rules this roost;)

Annie
 
The Catechism of the Catholic Church with regard to animals (in part):
**Respect for the integrity of creation **

…2418 It is contrary to human dignity to cause animals to suffer or die needlessly. It is likewise unworthy to spend money on them that should as a priority go to the relief of human misery. One can love animals; one should not direct to them the affection due only to persons.

The fact that U.S. expenditures for pets in 2008 is estimated at $ billion, perhaps a portion of that could have easily been diverted to helping our neighbor in need, wherever he may be. Maybe in this sense, given the statistics appma.org/press_industrytrends.asp, some pet owners may cross the line in their care for animals, when more of their attention should be focused elsewhere.

Since the Catechism does not adequately define what type of affection it is referring to, I admit that sleeping with your dog is unlikely to remotely be considered sinful behavior (and I never implied that)…It’s just one activity that doesnt float my boat.
 
blaskoman said:
The Catechism of the Catholic Church with regard to animals (in part):
**Respect for the integrity of creation **

…2418 It is contrary to human dignity to cause animals to suffer or die needlessly. It is likewise unworthy to spend money on them that should as a priority go to the relief of human misery. One can love animals; one should not direct to them the affection due only to persons.

The fact that U.S. expenditures for pets in 2008 is estimated at $ billion, perhaps a portion of that could have easily been diverted to helping our neighbor in need, wherever he may be. Maybe in this sense, given the statistics appma.org/press_industrytrends.asp, some pet owners may cross the line in their care for animals, when more of their attention should be focused elsewhere. Some do. Those diamond studded collars do go too far, IMO! Pet spas and doggie daycare and such might get a little carried away.

Since the Catechism does not adequately define what type of affection it is referring to, I admit that sleeping with your dog is unlikely to remotely be considered sinful behavior (and I never implied that)…It’s just one activity that doesnt float my boat.
Click to expand...
Don’t forget this little part at the bottom of the website:
  • Pets Help to Lower Blood Pressure A recent study at the State University of New York at Buffalo found that people with hypertension who adopted a cat or dog had lower blood pressure readings in stressful situations than did those who did not own a pet. (Dr. Karen Allen, State University of New York at Buffalo)
  • Pets Help to Reduce Stress Walking with a pet helps to sooth nerves and offers instant relaxation. Studies conducted worldwide have shown that the impact of a stressful situation is lesser on pet owners, especially males, than on those who do not own a pet. (Josephine M. Wills, Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition, United Kingdom)
  • Pets Help to Prevent Heart Disease Because pets provide people with faithful companionship, research shows they may also provide their owners with greater psychological stability, thus a measure of protection from heart disease. (National Institute of Health Technology Assessment Workshop: Health Benefits of Pets)
  • Pets Help to Lower Health Care Costs People with pets actually make fewer doctor visits, especially for non-serious medical conditions. (National Institute of Health Technology Assessment Workshop: Health Benefits of Pets)
  • Pets Help to Fight Depression Pets help fight depression and loneliness, promoting an interest in life. When seniors face adversity or trauma, affection from pets takes on great meaning. Their bonding behavior can foster a sense of security. (Between Pets and People: The Importance of Animal Companionship)
    So how much money do pet owners SAVE on their own healthcare costs by having a pet??
Today, my kids gave our golden a nice bath in the yard- all suds up and well rinsed and shiny. Guess where his first stop was after rolling in the grass? …right into our muddy pond next to our house. Yep, he came out covered in green algae and mud and looking sooooo proud of himself.:cool:
 
What an individual chooses to spend money on is no one else’s business, unless you lean toward socialism.
 
Sailor_Kenshin said:
What an individual chooses to spend money on is no one else’s business, unless you lean toward socialism.
Click to expand...
Bravo!!! Well said!!! I have two cats – one of whom is 16 years old. I’m already preparing myself for tough decisions in the foreseeable future. Due to her age, I’ve decided no extraordinary measures.

I have a dog who’s five – my Dixie. I had a poodle that when she was 12 was diagnosed with diabetes. I will admit that I spent almost $2,000 over a period of six months before I had to put her down when she went into heart failure. I was very blessed that I was in a position to spend that money. I’m single, no kids so she could be my financial priority. My heart breaks for those who are forced to choose between medical care for their pets and their family – family, of course, having to take precedence. When I got Dixie, I bought pet insurance. It’s $145/year. I didn’t want to have to choose between a medical test and what my bank account looks like at the time. In the future, depending on what God brings into my life, my priorities might change; but for right now, my animals are my “kids” and I enjoy all that they bring to my life.

Paula
 
blaskoman said:
The Catechism of the Catholic Church with regard to animals (in part):
**Respect for the integrity of creation **

…2418 It is contrary to human dignity to cause animals to suffer or die needlessly. It is likewise unworthy to spend money on them that should as a priority go to the relief of human misery. One can love animals; one should not direct to them the affection due only to persons.

The fact that U.S. expenditures for pets in 2008 is estimated at $ billion, perhaps a portion of that could have easily been diverted to helping our neighbor in need, wherever he may be. Maybe in this sense, given the statistics appma.org/press_industrytrends.asp, some pet owners may cross the line in their care for animals, when more of their attention should be focused elsewhere.

Since the Catechism does not adequately define what type of affection it is referring to, I admit that sleeping with your dog is unlikely to remotely be considered sinful behavior (and I never implied that)…It’s just one activity that doesnt float my boat.
Click to expand...
That’s all fine and dandy, but Catholics only make up about 25% of the US population, so the Catechism doesn’t really apply to the other 75%.
 
I believe that humans should be a priority, all things being equal. If a stray kitten and little orphaned human child came to my door on the same night I would definitely spend twice as long finding a home for the human. But I would hardly ignore the kitten. Both would need and get some help. Likewise, if a dying cat and a dying relative needed an operation and there was only enough money for one, of course the relative would get the surgery done and the poor little cat would get some painkillers and a long sobbing goodbye. I don’t know what the affection due to a human is. There are really very few humans I feel OK being what I’d call affectionate to, exactly, and few cats I wouldn’t. There are two main reasons: One, humans can be befriended in different ways, and I like to make intellectual connections with humans, which is something our species is suited to. Two, humans react to affection in inappropriate or uncomprehending and unpredictable ways.
 
Sailor_Kenshin said:
What an individual chooses to spend money on is no one else’s business, unless you lean toward socialism.
Click to expand...
Excellent point! I quite honestly don’t care how much money someone spends on their pets. It is THEIR money and THEIR pets. It is NONE OF MY BUSINESS HOW THEY SPEND IT! I may not agree with it or maybe that is not what I would do, but guess what?! It’s not my place to say! Likewise, I would never tolerate someone telling me how much to spend or not spend on my pets or anything else I choose to do!
 
sarita said:
I have three cats and I’m just happy they let me sleep in the bed! 🙂

Of course, the “boys” are all Maine Coon mixes and are huge, so I’m happy they let me have any room at all.
Click to expand...
OOOOH I have 2 male MC’s too Jaxson (brown) is 26 lbs & his brother Sailor is around 15 lbs. And you know it when they jump into bed too. 😃
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top