Last updated September 11th, 2019
Most cat owners know all too well the daily struggle of making a bed with cats lurking about. There you are removing the bedding, shaking out the sheets and cats come from all corners of the house to make a mad dash for the bed to pounce and ‘tent’ under flying sheets. Cats have a built-in radar for hearing the rustle of sheets and bedding no matter where they are in the house.
“Someone’s making the bed, let’s go pawticipate!”
The more you shake out the sheet, the more excited your cat becomes, thinking this game is most definitely ten times better than that silly wriggly new toy you had bought last week. On a cat’s list of things to do, only ‘boxing’ or sitting in a box, tops ‘helping the human make bed’, which comes in at a close second.
These are the 5 things I learned about making the bed with the help of cats
1. Making a bed with cats takes on average 45 minutes or longer
You’ve decided to make the bed before your first morning coffee, it will only take about 5 minutes tops. Think again. Your cat has made it his mission to make you throw up the sheets multiple times before he pounces on top and burrows underneath, jabbing his paws under his ‘tent’ at imaginary prey. This might take all morning. But, if you’re smart you can get around this by….
2. Multitasking – it’s not overrated when you have a cat
I’m not a big fan of multitasking, but in situations like these, the practicality of it all makes so much sense. Instead of getting flustered or furious with kitty, walk away and do something else. Continue the bed-making for later. Have your coffee, do a batch of laundry, brush your teeth. By the time you come back, you can now tackle the top sheet and tuck in the bottom and sides. Remember, do not disturb the cat, who has by now fallen asleep under the sheets.
Ollie takes delight in getting tangled in the sheets. What a fun game!
3. Be patient with your teammates, especially when they are putting in the effort
As you are tucking in the sheets, you will have awoken the mischievous fuzzball who is now animatedly jabbing at your sheets from under his tent. Be patient; this is your cat trying to help you spread the sheet evenly across the bed. Unlike you, your furry teammate lacks the arm length and opposable thumbs to fling the sheet in the air and tuck in the sides. He is doing his best.
4. It doesn’t matter if it’s not pure
When involving your cat in the bed making activities, throw your perfectionist neat freak into the litter box. I know, I have been there, but now I know better. These days, after the bed is made, the pillows just get tossed on top, no more placing neatly side by side to look just rightthere is no right with a cat!
Toss out thoughts such as:
This is not done right, I know there are sheet creases under the duvet.
The sheet is longer on the one side of the bed than the other
If the Queen comes to visit will she notice?
Instead, think of the quality playtime you spent with your cat and how he just helped to lower your blood pressure by making you laugh with his antics.
Tenting is the best thing about helping to make the bed.
5. There will always be a lump (or two) in your bed
Once the bed has been made, expect to see a lump hiding underneath. The bed lump might stay there for a while, especially if vacuuming soon follows bed making. Bed lumps seem to attract other bed lumps to eventually merge into one big purring bed lump. This mostly happens on a rainy day and it only disintegrates at feeding time.
So next time you make the bed and kitty wants some fun, just play along, indulge him. Cats love nothing more than interactive play and making the bed happens to be a game that involves his human. In fact, if you want to up your cat game you might want to combine the bed making with that wriggly toy he was ignoring for twice the interactive fun!
Check out Ollie and Mr. Jack helping out with making the bed in the video below
What have you learned about making the bed with kitty? How long does it take you and how have you tried to outsmart kitty?
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