Sleep Advice from Morris The Cat & 9Lives

Dear Morris,

I’ve been experiencing difficulties with falling asleep, tossing and turning once my head hits the pillow. I don’t get it because I feel tired all day at work; then I come home, brush my teeth, flip on the TV, and just… lie there. I’m hoping I can learn from the expert. Morris, what am I doing wrong?

Sincerely,

Sleepless in San Fur-nando

Dear Sleepless in San Fur-nando,

 

Your case, unfortunately, is not at all uncommon. When you’re going all day long at the speed of a cheetah, it’s no wonder your mind darts around like a red laser dot at bedtime. Luckily, as a cat, I spend up to 140 hours per week sleeping and I can tell you there is hope! For starters, I notice you mentioned turning on the TV before bed. Cats don’t watch TV – this is partly because the majority of us can’t speak English that well, but mostly because it interferes with our snooze time. Scientifically speaking, the ‘glow’ emitted by an electronic screen enters the brain and slows the release of melatonin, the hormone that helps us sleep. So next time you want to turn on the tube before bed, try counting sheep instead – or better yet, mice!

 

Kitty hugs,

Morris

Dear Hyper Harry,

 

Sadly, this is a case you may not win. Humans need their sleep at night. You get to spend all day snoozing and they only get a few precious hours when the sun goes down. Your humans can, however, make sure that they understand why it is you’re pouncing about and provide things to make nighttime more fun. For instance, your humans could consider getting a kitty condo or put out bags or boxes for you to explore. For extra credit, they can hide treats around the house so you can go on a midnight scavenger hunt. Or, if you’re really lucky, they’ll bring home a kitty best friend for you to play with whenever you please. Other cats might be up at night because they get hungry, in which case their humans could try an automatic food dispenser to provide small meals throughout the night. Remember, the more you let your humans sleep at night, the more energy they’ll have to play with you during the day!

 

Kitty hugs,

Morris

Dear Morris,

My cat and I are BFFs. We do everything together – play, eat, snuggle – we make a purrfect team. But in the bedroom, I prefer to have my space. My cat, on the other hand, thinks there’s no better place to sleep than right on my head! Why does she do this? I’m not all that fun when I’m sleeping.

Warmly, 

Tired Tails

Dear Tired Tails,

 

You have been bestowed a great honor. As cats, we don’t always wear our hearts on our paws, but one tell-tail sign we love and trust you is when we choose to make YOU our bed. Plus, you’re warm. And getting our warmth from you helps us to conserve our own energy for more important things like eating. The rhythm of your breath also creates a calming effect and the curve of your face, stomach, or legs perfectly forms to our bodies. Basically, you’re like a waterbed, heated blanket, and memory foam all in one! So the next time your cat goes to curl up on you, think of it as a compliment and drift off to sleep knowing you are loved… and you’re very comfortable.