Our 18 1/2 year old cat Millie has recently been changing her sleeping places and some of the new places she chooses are weird. Last night we found her sleeping under one of our end tables. This is very strange for her. Should I be worried? Well I worry about everything anyway but other than her weird sleeping places, she seems normal so I will say I’m not really worried but I am keeping a close eye on her. Sometimes when a cat sleeps in strange places, it could signal illness.

Cuteness.com explains some history on why cats my change their sleeping place.

Cats seek different places to sleep out of instinct. In the wild, cats would sleep in different places as a way of varying their routine and protecting themselves from predators. This is the same instinct that prompts mother cats to periodically move their kittens to new locations in an effort to keep them safe. Rotating sleeping spaces in the wild had the added benefit of minimizing fleas and other parasites, keeping the cats healthier.

In the wild, hierarchy among cats came into play, and that instinct continues in today’s domesticated cats. Dominant cats claimed their sleeping spots first and would then allow more submissive cats to share those spots with them. A change in the hierarchy would prompt a change in the sleeping spots, so if you bring a new cat into the home, you’re likely to see your current cat sleep in different locations.

So if your cat is suddenly sleeping in strange places, take note but do not panic. There could be a very logical reason for these changes.

Remember, pets are family!

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