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How to STOP Your Cat From Sleeping in the Laundry

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Are you finding it irritating to clean your laundry now and then due to the mess caused by your cat? Cats are the best pet you can have at home but can mess you up if proper care is not done. For instance, cats can peep anywhere, even on your sofa.

Therefore, you should understand that you like to sleep on dirty laundry due to the distinct smell. They can detect your unique body smell as your clothes smell like you. This gives your cat comfort while sleeping. Then, the only best way to prevent your cat from sleeping in your laundry is by cat-proofing it well.

Why Cats Love Laundry

It’s no surprise that cats, like people, prefer to spend their time in warm and pleasant environments. It’s a means of surviving, especially on those days when the air becomes crisper, and the wind is particularly biting. On the other hand, you can always find our kitten, Kalista, lurking in our laundry and laundry baskets on cold nights.

On the other hand, cats may be hanging in your delicate area because of the warmth. You may not realize it, but the laundry room is one of the ideal places for your child to sleep, especially if they want to feel close to you.

Let’s look at some of the most common reasons cats love laundry, beginning with the most obvious!

Warmth

This is especially true of freshly dried laundry baskets, while all laundry, whether dirty or clean, will give your cat great comfort and warmth.

Cats are prone to becoming cold, which is why they spend so much time in the sun (even in the summer) or sleep at your feet at night for extra warmth.

Many cats may dig beneath the layers of clothing in a basket for comfort and warmth, especially.

The clothes smell like you.

Have you ever given a hearty embrace to a buddy and then caught a whiff of their perfume halfway through? You undoubtedly felt more comfortable after smelling your friend, unless it was a horrible “you definitely should have showered today” perfume. This can also happen when specific meals are made or if someone wears the same perfume as someone you know and love.

The same may be said for cats. However, they have a far stronger sense of smell than we do. Cats have an instinctive desire to make their house and its objects scent like them. Kneading, head butting, and bunting objects around the house are the most frequent ways cats do this.

On the other hand, a laundry basket is a hotspot for warmth or a designated safe location for a cat with the strongest aromas its people can supply. So, while you think your underwear stinks, your cat might prefer to be called cuddly instead.

I also wrote an article on how to preserve nice smell clothes that may interest you.

The cat sees your basket as a toy.

Have you ever played with your cat with a feather toy and found your cat hiding behind furniture or couch? Your cat’s instincts to pounce, conceal, and the hunt is at blame.

Even if they have spent their whole lives indoors, cats know that they are not at the top of the food chain. Cats prefer small, restricted spaces where they can still see out, making empty laundry baskets an ideal sleeping spot.

You might even detect your cat pawing through the holes or darting their stare at you as you pass by.

They love the texture of your clothes.

I’m sure you have some favorite outfits you wear just because they make you feel good, and your cat is no exception!

Cats, like humans, have preferences, and now and then, they come across a blanket, comforter, sweater, shirt, or even a pair of jeans that they can’t get enough of. Assume that if their favorite item of clothing is in the washing basket, that’s where they’ll be spending the rest of the day!

Cats love the versatility of your clothes.

Do dogs move around in circles before sleeping in their beds? Cats, too, have “rituals” that they complete before entering their sleeping area.

Many cats will “muffin” on a blanket before finally resting. Some cats will move items around to acquire that extra warmth or tuck themselves in. So, what better location to shuffle stuff about than in a laundry basket?

I also wrote an article on if you should wash your laundry hamper that may interest you.

How to Stop Cats From Sleeping in Your Laundry

Clean The Litter Box

Cleaning your cat’s litter box is the first step in preventing them from sleeping in the laundry hamper.

It’s as simple as emptying the box once a week. After that, wash it with baking soda. You can also use unscented soap because some cats are intolerant to particular scents. Consider using a self-cleaning litter box alternative if this is a significant issue.

Move the Litter Box

Consider relocating your cat’s litter box if it is too close to your laundry. You should also consider having many litter boxes, especially if you have several cats. These boxes should be large enough to accommodate your cats.

Keep Your Cat Away From the Laundry Hamper

Finally, keep your cat away from the laundry hamper. You can spray deterrents or repellents around the room to keep the cat away. You can also use two-sided tape to make it tough for your cat to navigate about the laundry basket.

Why Cats Love the Laundry Room

Cats, for whatever reason, think baskets are just plain amazing for a variety of reasons. Here are 4 reasons:

1. Peepholes: Cats are cunning, and the holes that generally line the edges of laundry baskets make ideal little windows for kittens to keep an eye on what’s happening inside. They know we’ve left dishes and glasses of water unattended.

2. You can’t see them: Cats believe that large baskets make them appear invisible. The odd thing is that they don’t understand the entire basket is usually covered in holes, so they aren’t concealing much. But we’re not going to tell them.

3. Close quarters: Laundry baskets provide excellent hiding places for secret cuddles. Cats adore confined places, and a comfy plastic love nest begs to be used for intimate feline-to-feline fondling, bathing, and catnaps

4. Expandable lounge area: Cats enjoy the confined quarters that a laundry basket affords, but they also need to stretch now and then. Thank you, Lord, for the holes! There are numerous little apertures throughout most of these baskets, allowing the cat to enlarge her lounging area.

Conclusion

While it may not be our first impulse to curl up in the laundry, cats appear to think it’s one of the finest places to rest.

When your cat sleeps in your laundry, it’s a tremendous compliment because it implies your cat trusts you enough to want to spend time in the location that smells the most like you. While you may believe you stink, your cat thinks you smell great and wants to ensure they do as well.

Next, you can learn how to make blankets smell like you.

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