In this article, I’m going to explain a few ways and methods on how to keep your cat off the bed at night or during the day.
A friend of mine needed help stopping her cat sleeping on her bed recently and we were able to do it without too much difficulty. Even though her cat had been sleeping in with her on and off for some time.
With a combination of making an appealing bed for her cat in a spare bedroom, some treats, and a couple of other tips I cover in this post – my friend now gets a wonderful night’s sleep without her cat disturbing her!
So, whether your cat is disrupting your sleep by jumping on your bed during the night, fluffing up your bed during the day, or there are other reasons behind why you want to keep them off your bed.
Here are 7 ways you can also change your cat’s habit of sleeping on your bed:
7 Ways to Keep Your Cat Off the Bed
No two cats are the same and there are no guarantees in regard to what will work for you. But I’m sure one or more of the things on this list will do the trick. Feel free to let me know how you get on!
Close Your Bedroom Door
This sounds obvious, and it is. A lot of people don’t want their bedroom doors closed though, so it’s not always an option. Plus, my friend tried this but her cat started ripping at the carpet outside her door to get in so it wasn’t an option for her.
It’s worth trying, even if it’s not the best solution for you. You’re going to have to make a compromise somewhere down the line, so as long as your cat doesn’t try to dig their way in or meow all night I’d try this.
Use a Cat Repellant Spray Designed to Keep Cats off Beds
There are sprays designed to keep cats off of furniture, beds, away from certain areas in the home, etc.
Sometimes they’re called training sprays or deterrent sprays as they can be used to change a cat’s behavior, so this is a quick and easy solution for some people.
If you want to know where to buy cat training/deterrent sprays, here are a couple of the best training sprays available on Amazon;
Nature’s Miracle No-Scratch Cat Deterrent Spray
The manufacturer says this is safe to spray on most furniture and surfaces to keep cats away. It’s always a good idea to check it on a small area first though to check for color-fastness and other unexpected reactions.
The ingredients include an interesting mix of scents cats are known to hate. There’s some cinnamon oil, lemongrass oil, and rosemary oil with a few other elements.
Cat Guard Pro Pet Safe Furniture Cat Repellent
This spray from Cat Guard also focuses on some of the scents cats hate to keep them away from the areas you spray around.
It’s available in “Original” scent, (not sure exactly what that smells like), and lemon, lavender, and eucalyptus scents.
It’s non-toxic, so it’s totally safe around children and pets. It just has a scent that annoys most cats enough to make them think twice about jumping on your bed if you spray it there.
Use Scents Cats Dislike
Repellant sprays work by using scents that cats hate. It can be just as effective using a scent your cat dislikes yourself. I’ve personally done this to stop my cats damaging plants in my garden, and when I had an issue with a cat peeing on furniture. So I know it can work wonders.
The only question is what you do, or don’t want your bedroom smelling of while your training your cat not to come in there at night. Some of the smells that are pleasant to us that cats hate are:
- Lavender
- Mint
- Eucalyptus
- Citrus
- Strong spices
If you’re ok with your room smelling of any of these scents use a few drops of essential oil or make a water-based spray and use it around your bed before you turn in for the night.
Train Them Not to Go on Your Bed with Treats
Not many cat owners actually train their cats to do anything, but cats are generally very receptive to training when there are treats on the line.
Whenever you see them climb or jump on your bed or if you find them on there, get a treat and encourage them to jump off on their own to get one. If you have some kitty furniture or a bed where you want them to go, hide treats in there.
Place a treat or two in there each day for them to find too. They’ll soon associate spending time on their own furniture with finding treats and spend less time lounging on your bed.
Say No and Be Firm with Them
No one enjoys the discipline part of being a pet owner, but it’s part of the role. No matter how cute your kitty looks at you, or how stubbornly they keep coming back, remove them from your bed and tell them ‘no’.
Cats respond to being told no, at least it’s always worked for me. It can take a while, and consistency is the key. Combined with some of the other tips in this post it’s some extra reinforcement.
Make It Uncomfortable or Difficult for Them
If your cat is spending time on your bed all day when you’re out they’re going to expect to go on there when they please. There are a few things you can do to put a stop to this;
Use pet training mats – These are mats that give a little shock or feel really uncomfortable when cats step on them. There’s no way a cat would stay on one of these, so it’s a reliable way to keep them off the bed.
Use aluminum foil or sticky tape – The less expensive way is to put something on your bed that cats hate the feel of. Two of the classic materials are sticky tape and aluminum foil. It’s not ideal having this lined across your bed, but it’ll do the trick.
Block their access – Figure out where and how your cat is getting on to your bed and block them. At the very least make it difficult. This might mean moving some furniture or putting a box in the way, see what comes to mind.
Give Them a Better Bed Than You Have
Ok, I don’t mean literally give your cat a better bed than you have. I mean give them a bed that’s more appealing and more comfortable than sleeping on your bed. After all, they’re on your bed because it’s a comfy place to sleep. (and they want to be near you at night, but that’s a different topic).
It’s hard to get a cat to sleep in their own bed, but without getting or making them one you’ll never know. You can either buy a cat bed or make a bedding area from blankets. If they’ve been sleeping on a blanket you have on your bed, even better if you’re willing to give that up to them.
In Summary
I’ve detailed a few ways you can train or deter your cat from sleeping, lounging, and hanging out on your bed. Doing one or more of these things will certainly work, it’s really just a matter of being persistent.
The same applies if you’re looking for ways how to keep your cat off the headboard, your pillows, bedside stand, or any other item of furniture in your bedroom. Cats are smart animals and can be trained, don’t be fooled when they play dumb.
