Why Do Cats Watch You Sleep – Staring Habit Explained!

Most cat owners are familiar with this slightly gut-wrenching feeling of being watched. Cats tend to watch their owners at night, at least when they aren’t asleep themselves. This is one behavior many cat owners could do without, but why do cats watch you sleep?

Cats watch you sleep to stay connected to you emotionally. Staring is a form of non-verbal communication in cats. Cats also watch you sleep to listen to your breathing, to gain your attention, or to protect you while you are asleep.

Regardless of the reason, your cat isn’t plotting against you or trying to freak you out.

Reasons Cats Watch You Sleep

Your cat likely doesn’t know that you can’t see as well at night as they can, and they think that what they’re doing is perfectly normal. Maybe understanding what your cat is doing will make it seem a little more normal for you too!

Your Cat Feels Very Close to You

Most experts think your cat stares at you while you sleep because that is a significant activity for them.

Even if you aren’t looking back at your cat, making eye contact with you helps reaffirm your cat’s connection with you. Looking at you can help them feel safe, loved, and less lonely overnight.

They Are Trying To Watch Over You And Keep You Safe

Your cat might also think that you’re vulnerable during your sleep. Cats often watch over one another when they are in vulnerable positions, like when they eat or sleep or even when they are raising kittens.

Keeping an eye on your while, you sleep might be your cat’s way of saying that they want to make sure you’re safe and that you’re protected when you need it.

Your Cat Can Tell That You’re Starting To Wake Up

Your cat might also start staring at you because you did something that tells them you’re starting to wake up. Maybe you start to roll over more or talk in your sleep just before you wake up, and your cat is paying attention because they know that you’re almost ready to get up.

Cats often change their natural schedules to match their owners more closely, so it can be exciting when you get up in the morning. It’s a sign that they can start their day and get into their morning routine with you.

Your Sleeping Behavior Irritates Your Cat

Silly as this sounds, you might be doing something in your sleep that irritates your cat. They might be glaring at you or trying to figure out why you make so much noise in your sleep.

This can also explain part of why some cats will meow or try to wake you up overnight. They’re telling you to stop whatever you’re doing.

Your Cat Is Hungry

Your cat is also more likely to stare at you because they are hungry and want you to feed them. Fortunately, your cat will usually lose interest and wait until you wake up, but you might want to feed them closer to bedtime if you notice that your cat seems hungry overnight a lot.

Your Cat Gets Anxious At Night

Your cat might also be seeking comfort and connection. Some cats will get anxious overnight since they don’t have as much interaction with you while you sleep.

Even windows and some other sources of comfort and stimulation for your cat might not be available overnight since their senses are a little more limited overnight.

If your cat gets anxious, it might try to get close to you. Staring at you is a way of maintaining that connection and potentially calming themselves down a little overnight.

What Does It Mean When A Cat Watches You

A cat watching you can mean many things, but it’s usually a sign of affection. For instance, your cat might be watching you to figure out what you’re doing, but they wouldn’t bother if they didn’t care about you.

Your cat might also be trying to look out for you or get your attention, but the reason they think it’s essential to protect you or interact with you is simply that they care about you.

There are, of course, a few exceptions. Your cat might look at you because they are irritated if you just stepped on their tail, for instance. Those negative reasons are usually a lot less common than more positive reasons.

Why Do Cats Bother You When You Sleep

Cats can bother you during your sleep for a lot of reasons. Your cat might want your attention or be feeling lonely or left out, for instance. Or your cat might want to curl up with you and didn’t realize that stepping on you would wake you up.

Sometimes your cat is doing something completely different and only noticed you when they did something that woke you on accident. Some of our cats do this a lot when they’re playing with toys or chasing each other through the bedroom.

Your cat might also decide to wake you up if something scares them, like if there is something right outside the window or they hear a strange noise. Some cats will even wake their owners if they smell smoke overnight!

Another common reason for your cat to intentionally wake you up is to ask for some food. While most cats will wait until their standard feeding time, some cats will decide to wake you up to demand food right away.

Why Does My Cat Stare At Me At Night

Your cat likely stares at you at night because they care about you. Looking at you is a great way for your cat to reaffirm their bond with you while also reassuring themselves that you’re safe and everything is normal.

It’s comforting for your cat to be able to look at you while you sleep, especially since you probably sleep longer than they do in one go. Your cat might even be reminding themselves that it’s normal for you to sleep so long!

Why Do Cats Stand On Your Chest When You Sleep

If you wake up with your cat standing on your chest and staring at you, it’s pretty normal to be concerned or even irritated. We have good news and bad news; the good news is that you probably don’t need to be irritated.

The bad news is that your cat was probably very confused or even upset if you were irritated when you woke up.

Standing on your chest or even curling up on your chest while you sleep is a sign that your cat is trying to deepen your relationship and feel closer to you.

Standing on you, or curling up on top of you, is one way to share warmth and spread scents and do all kinds of things that make your cat feel loved and close to you.

So the next time your cat wakes you up standing on your chest, maybe consider encouraging them to lay down instead of getting irritated.

Final Thoughts

A lot of pet owners forget that cats naturally spend a lot of the night awake. Cats sleep a lot through the day, and they sleep a lot at night too, but there are periods where your cats will be awake and active without you.

Giving your cats something to do during those times is a great way to help avoid your cat staring at you if it bothers you.

It’s also totally fine if you need to lock your cat out of your bedroom at night. As long as your cat has access to all their basic needs and has a few toys to keep them occupied, they won’t get too bored or upset if they can’t be in the same room with you.

Giving your cat a separate bed or another comfortable place can also help minimize your cat staring at you while you sleep. That’s because having their bed and place to be comfortable can help them feel safe and feel like you’re safe as well.

Cats are adorable pets and far more loving than most people give them credit for. But there is no denying one thing… cats can get a little creepy sometimes, especially when you wake up in the middle of the night and see two big bright eyes reflecting light while they stare at you.