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In order to find out just why some cats prefer napping with fellow animal companions, and what it is about their flexibility that makes them twist in the most unusual shapes, we spoke to Celia Haddon, a feline behaviorist who explained that such behavior is a sign of feline friendship. “Cats keep their friends close and their enemies at a distance. They naturally socially distance strangers.”
While many cats live happily in the same house with other cats, they often keep social distance “because they are acquaintances, not true friends.” Moreover, “cats that dislike each other will not sleep touching.”
Meanwhile, clinical feline behaviorist Trudi Atkinson also assured us that cats which are part of the same social group will often sleep and rest "cuddled up" together. Trudi warned that “not all cats that live together do consider themselves to be in the same social group as their feline housemates.” So if you come to witness two or more cats sharing the bed, it’s likely a sign you’ve got some BFFs in the house.
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The other incredible thing about felines is just how flexible they are, which allows them to arrange in what we’d consider very extreme resting positions. “Their spine rotates far more than ours does, and they have special cushioned discs between the vertebrae.”
Plus, “They also don’t have a collar bone attached to their shoulder blade. Instead, their shoulder blade is attached to the rest of the body with muscles, not bone.” Celia explained that these two unique features allow felines to get immense flexibility.
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Another explanation for cats napping like twisted balloons has to do with temperature. If it’s hot, cats get relaxed and often sleep with their belly exposed. When it’s cold, they curl up tight to keep the heat in. “If it is cold, cats that are friends probably sleep with more of their bodies touching,” Celia added.
The animal behaviorist also said that if humans twisted their bodies like their furry companions do, “we would feel uncomfortable or even in pain, so we couldn’t sleep in these positions.” Don’t try it at home!
She also said that cats often get more cautious about where they sleep as they get older: “That is often because, like us, they get arthritis so they need more comfort.”
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When it comes to humans sleeping with their feline friends in the same bed, Celia said it's totally fine as long as you both feel comfortable. “Cats enjoy it because we give off heat, so we are like electric blankets for them,” she explained.
They often have a sixth sense about moving around so we won't squash each other while asleep. Plus, a little purr is said to help us to relax before falling asleep.
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