Do you have a cat who always seems to be snuggling up on the sweatshirt you threw on the bed? Or maybe when you lay out your outfit for work the night before, you make sure to have a lint roller ready to go too (just in case kitty decides this is their bed for the evening). It is extremely common for cat owners to find their cat laying on their clothes. This strange feline behavior is attributed to a few different reasons. Some of these reasons are instinctual, while some are born out of the need to bond with their owners. Read on to find out why it is so common for your cat to lay on your clothes!
Note: Caitycat is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Please see my full disclosure for further information.
Quick Summary
| ✔️ Cats may lay on your clothes because they smell like you and are soft and warm ✔️ The instinctual cat traits of curiosity and marking their territory may also contribute to this quirk ✔️ You can train your cat to find a new place to sleep with clicker training ✔️ If you don’t want to train your kitty to stop laying on your clothes, you will need a quality lint roller to remove fur from your clothes! |
Why Do Cats Lay On Their Owner’s Clothes?
I don’t have enough fingers to count how many times I’ve found my cats Luna and Hazel laying on my clothes. It could be on the bed, the couch, the floor – really anywhere they can find a stray piece of clothing! I have to admit that this warms my heart, since I understand the reasons behind this behavior. However, this doesn’t solve the problem of all the hair on my clothes!
Let me break down the 5 reasons why your feline friend seems to find your old t-shirt to be the most comfortable spot in your house (despite the 20 cat beds you have for them).
Reason #1: Cats Find Their Human’s Scent Comforting
The title says it all…your cat loves your scent!
Cats are notoriously reliant on their sense of smell. According to the Enviroliteracy Team, cats live in an olfactory world, relying on their sense of smell to familiarize themselves with their environment. Scent also allows them to acclimate to other cats and even their owners. Scent glands are present all over a cat’s body, including on the sides of their face, on the base of their tail, and on their paws. In fact, scent is so important to cats that scent swapping is a crucial part of the introduction process between two cats.
Your clothes more than likely carry your scent, which your kitty finds comforting! Cats form extremely close bonds with their owners, and while you are out of the house for work or vacation, your scent can comfort them. Interestingly, though, a study done at Oregon State University found that objects with their owner’s scents didn’t significantly calm a cat under stress. The cats displayed less stress behavior when in the physical presence of their owner.
So while a cat actively under stress might benefit more from actually being with their owner, a cat may find their owner’s scent on clothes comforting when they are feeling calm and relaxed already.
Reason #2: Cats Find Clothes Soft and Warm
According to Catster, domestic cats descended from wild Egyptian desert cats where temperatures were obviously quite warm (and dry…). This explains why cats seem to find warm temperatures comforting. Ever catch your cat sunbathing with a margarita in hand and reggae music playing? Yeah, same. This is because they love warmth just like their Egyptian ancestors!
Clothes tend to be warm if they are made out of certain textures, but they can also be warm if you just finished wearing them. This is why sometimes you might find your cat laying on your shirt within milliseconds of you throwing it on the floor. In addition, cats like soft textures since they mimic their mother’s fur. Warm and soft – sounds like the purrfect recipe for a cozy slumber!
Reason #3: Cats Are Curious Creatures
We all know cats are curious to a fault. I’m talking turning on faucets, climbing into boxes, and eating off of your plate. Laying on your clothes may simply be a result of their curious nature.
According to PangoVet, curiosity is an instinctual trait of cats. Cats are descendants of wild hunters who had to always be on alert for predators and prey. This explains why cats are always so investigative, like when you go to open a package or when you bring home groceries (I’m lookin’ at you, Luna and Hazel).
Your cat may just be very curious about the clothes you threw on the bed and want to investigate further!
Reason #4: Cats Are Territorial
If you live in a multi-cat household, odds are that you’ve witnessed some territorial behavior amongst your cats. This behavior can include hissing, swatting, or even urine marking in extreme cases.
Cats mark their territory by rubbing their scent on objects and even their owners. Your cat may simply be trying to get their scent on your clothes in order to claim it as ‘theirs’ and to keep your other kitty away from their space. As long as your cat doesn’t start peeing on your clothes, this behavior is generally harmless and is just another instinctual trait!
Reason #5: Cats Are Drawn to Different Shapes and Contrasts
Lastly, an important reason for your cat’s quirky behavior is that cats notice shapes and contrasts more than colors. According to Noble Veterinary Clinics, cats are experts at noticing objects and spaces, even if colors are muted. They are also very good at detecting contrast differences, like light and dark.
Your clothes might stand out to your cat, as they have clear boundaries in shape and may even differ from the background in respect to contrast. For this reason, your cat may find your clothes an appealing place to lay down.
How to Keep Cat Fur at a Minimum With a Clothes-Loving Kitty
There are ways you can train your cat to find a better place to sleep, such as clicker-training. However, you might choose to just let kitty snuggle up with your laundry if it seems to comfort them. In this case, you’re going to need a plan for all the cat fur that will inevitably stick to your clothes.
Handling cat hair starts with a quality lint roller. My go-to over the years has always been the Scotch-Brite Pet Hair Pickup lint roller. It’s super heavy-duty and comes with 95 sheets, so you won’t need to run out to the store every other day to replace it. This is the only roller I’ve found that has successfully removed cat fur from my clothes, the couch, dining room chairs, and cat beds.
You can find the Scotch-Brite Pet Hair Pickup lint roller on Amazon by following this link: https://amzn.to/3RUFeSV.
In Conclusion
Cats are very strange creatures with a lot of quirks, most of which are rooted in their ancestry. While it can be frustrating to deal with fur all over, if you have a cat that likes to lay on your clothes, it most likely just means they are content and feel bonded to you. In some cases, it can be indicative of territorial behavior if you live in a multi-cat household. Regardless of the reason, you have to admit it’s super cute to find your kitty snuggled up with your clothes!
Did you find this article helpful? Let me know in the comments!
Share this post:
See also…
Aww this explains so much! I always wondered why cats chose their loved ones clothes over anything else. Turns out it’s part love, part “this is mine now” energy
Hi Domii,
Thank you for reading! Our furry friends are so complex. 🙂