Neither puppies nor kittens should sleep alone during their first nights. They come straight from their mother and littermates, accustomed to sleeping close together for warmth and security. They should not be placed in a new and unfamiliar home only to sleep alone in a separate room or a crate.
Good, uninterrupted sleep is especially important for young furry companions. Remember not to disturb them while they sleep, no matter how tempting it may be.
If you want your kitten to have a designated sleeping area, you can introduce it early – but stay with them. The first weeks are crucial for building trust and security, which cannot be achieved by forcing a kitten to sleep alone in an unfamiliar place. There will be plenty of time later to get them used to sleeping alone, but only after they feel completely safe in their new home.
For an anxious cat, it may feel safer to approach you at night when you are calm and resting.
The plan was for me to sleep on the base with Jonatan on his first night, but he quickly settled in, so it wasn’t necessary. By the evening, he had already found his way to the bed and made himself comfortable.
During the night, it was just Odin and us in the room. Odin sleeps through the night, but cats can wake up quite early. Our goal is to establish a good sleep routine for Jonatan from day one—active during the day and sleeping at night.
Jonatan was happiest when sleeping as close as possible. He spent the entire night curled up in my arm or near my neck, only switching sides around five in the morning. Other than that, he was completely quiet and peaceful.
Kasper, on the other hand, was the complete opposite. He was restless all night, pacing around and meowing repeatedly. He was searching for his family and missed them the most during the night.
Jonatan reminded me a lot of Odin on his first night—calm, confident, and sleeping soundly as if he took everything in stride. And when the kitten sleeps well, we also get a good night's sleep and are ready to enjoy day two with our new little furball.
If you are getting a kitten or a puppy, it's best to take time off for the first few days, preferably weeks, to spend as much time as possible with them—both day and night. This is a critical period for building trust and security in their new home.
When you remove a young animal from its mother, siblings, and everything familiar, you shouldn’t also deprive it of closeness and comfort. These are essential for developing a strong bond. When introducing them to a new environment, they lose many important resources. It is our responsibility to find ways to replace them and help them adjust.
