Owning a pet can be one of the most rewarding and entertaining parts of life. Being able to provide an animal with a home, food, and loving people all around it can be one of the greatest things that you’ll ever do, and no matter if you have a cat, dog, or something else, changing an animal’s life for the better is something that you should truly be proud of.

In return for all of this love that you give to your pet, your best friend will return the favor with years of fun, love, and care for you as well. Although they might not be able to speak or communicate in the way that other humans do, your pet does a number of things on a daily basis to express their care and love for you.

One of the ways that some do this is by sleeping in the bed with their owner. Some people out there are rather big fans of this, but others aren’t so keen about sharing their bed with their pet. This topic is quite heavily debated as to whether or not this is something you should do with your pet, so we’ve decided to clearly break down all of the pros and cons that are related to this subject. Letting your pet sleep in the same bed with you can definitely have some strong benefits, but there are also some factors to it that might make you want to reconsider this altogether.

Let’s take a closer look.

Pro – Comfort and Bonding

One of the most easily recognizable pros is the fact that letting your pet sleep in the same bed with you can be one of the coziest and comfy things out there. Imagine this. It’s a colder winter night, and you’re in your bed cuddled up with as many blankets as you can possibly find. Would you rather be in that bed by yourself, or with your fluffy and warm cat or dog?

In addition to being extremely comfy, this is also a great way to bond with your pet. Allowing them to sleep in the same bed with you will show them that you trust them, and this can do wonders in developing the relationship that you share with your furry friend.

Con – Lack or Lesser Quality of Sleep

With another member in your bed, this shouldn’t come as too much surprise. If you’ve got a cat or dog that’s a bit on the playful side, allowing them to sleep in your bed could result in your getting not enough or as high-quality of a slumber as you once got. When you don’t let your pet sleep with you at night, they don’t have an audience to entertain at the time of the day. However, if they’re suddenly allowed to share the same bed with you, they’re going to have fun with it and be active. Many pets stay quite active during the night – especially cats – so allowing them to sleep with you can create for a bit of a problem here.

Pro – Mental Benefits

Scientific studies have shown that, if you have a close relationship with your pet, you and your pet’s brain can interact on a subconscious level. This can take place on an even stronger level when you and your pet sleep in the same bed, and this can allow both of your brains to receive warm and pleasant thoughts and brain signals. This might sound like a bit of a stretch, but there’s been enough studies and research to show that this is a very real benefit for owners who allow their pet to sleep with them at night.

Con – Health Risks

If you’ve got an outdoor pet, you might want to take some serious consideration into allowing them to sleep in your bed with you. As clean as you try to keep your cat or dog, there’s no getting around the fact that they can have a tendency to pick up dirt and diseases while out and about in your backyard. Between a simple matter of getting your sheets dirty with their paws, or them doing something more serious like bringing fleas or ticks into your bed, this can create for some rather serious problems that are going to cause for a major headache if they incur. Indoor pets won’t prove to be that much of an issue in these regards, but if your pet is a frequent adventurer of the outdoors, this is definitely something you’ll want to seriously think about.