Getting a Cat Out of Your Bed

And even when people finally make the hard decision to eject their pet from the bed, most find it's not an easy task.

Ingrid Johnson, a veterinary technician and consultant on feline behavior at a clinic in Marietta, Ga., says she advises clients to never let their cat in their bedroom if they don't want to sleep with the cat. 

 
She says for cats it's all or nothing, so the door must always be open to them, or never open to them.
"If you suddenly shut a cat out of the bedroom, they can get very frustrated and start displaying destructive behavior," Johnson says. "Cats don't react well if you take away territory."

But if a cat that sleeps with its owner must suddenly be banned, Johnson recommends giving the cat something else to do at night. Try giving kitty foraging toys to play with that feed her kibble, or put a cat condo by a window with a light outside.

"All the moths and bugs flying around the light right outside that window is like reality TV for cats," she says.