I'm curious as to whether the CDC has done a study on the health effects of sleeping with another human being. After all, I'd guess I'm a lot more likely to catch a pathogen from my significant other than my cat. And yes...the cat sleeps in the bed. Often evicting me from my own pillow.

My eighty pound Golden Retriever usually gets more covers than I do, while our second pup curls up at the foot of the bed. Sure, I get disturbed sometimes when they're readjusting in the middle of the night, but there is nothing like waking up to those big brown eyes or watching them snooze with all four legs in the air. I wouldn't have it any other way.

We have two cats - one sleeps on our heads, the other likes to spoon with us. We have no choice over this!

Our two 40lb dogs sleep on the bed. "My" dog curls up against my stomach (and then usually pushes me across the bed-oops), and "my husband's" dog curls up at the foot of the bed.

And I agree with tracylynn, I think I'm more likely to get sick from whatever is going around my work or my husband's work than from our dogs.

I actually read an article a long time ago that spoke less of the "health concerns for humans" (which i feel is crap).. and more for the health concerns of the dogs/cats... the article pointed out that dogs and cats need to be able to get good restful sleep as well and therefor should have their own beds so as not to be disturbed by human twisting and turnings. My family dog slept in my parents beds all her life and seemed perfectly happy.. however we've trained our new puppy finley for a crate.. as i am a very thrashy sleeper and our bed is small as it is... I figure.. whatever works for you works for you. Health concerns? unlikely!

My 45 lb F1 labradoodle sleeps between my husband and I, near our feet, and she alternates whose legs serve as her pillow. When i get tired of it, a bit of a push prods her to seek more peaceful accommodations. I like the security of having my sentry posed so close.

My kitties all sleep with me, and I wouldn't have it any other way. My day starts off perfectly when I wake up to find them all cuddled up with me.

I once went on a blind date with a perfectly lovely gentleman who smelled like he slept with his cats. That's pretty much all I remember from that one and only date. ;)

our two small (& small-ish - 10 & 25 lbs) dogs sleep in their own beds when my husband is home, but he travels for work much of the year and i'm happy to have the company of one or both of them when he's gone. it makes the bed a little less cold and lonely, and they don't take up enough space that i can't still stretch out more than when he's there!

One cat (Amber) sleeps on my bent elbow, the other cat sleeps at the foot of the bed. Considering that Amber spends pretty much all of her time in my bed (she especially likes the winter comforter), it should technically be her bed and not mine.

I got an almost-grown puppy a couple months ago and tried to crate train him at night. Although he's fine during the day, it wouldn't work at night. So he sleeps in his own bed next to mine. I tried to have him sleep in my own bed one night - he was having seizures and I was worried - but he woke up before me and CHEWED THE BOOK I HAD BEEN READING. Yeah, he got banished from the bed, and he's a basset/dachshund mix so he can't jump up on the bed. The cats appreciate taunting him from their perch.

The one thing I will say about health is that if you do have a respiratory illness, keep the cats away from your face. It is possible to pass URIs back and forth from cat to person. The only time I had this problem was when I had a cat who loved to sleep RIGHT IN MY FACE, and she would get sick whenever I got sick.

Well, there ARE health concerns when it means possible transmission of disease from animals to humans (the Bubonic Plague probably being the most memorable). I think that probably the risks are quite a bit higher with livestock rather than house pets, though. If my cats were allowed outdoors, I wouldn't let them sleep in my bed. And if I had a dog, same thing.

Aside from that, it's pretty hard to keep my cats out of my bed, but during the summer I have to shut my bedroom door because the fur explosions are intolerable!

Not for me, no thanks. I find the mere thought of it to be disgusting.... Of course, no offense to those that share their beds!

A dog that goes outside (particularly on the sidewalks of New York), and a cat that does not, are two separate issues.

I have 3 miniature poodles, and when I was single one of them would always jump into the bed with me.

Since I got married this year, my husband won't let her on the bed. Now 2 of the dogs sleep under the bed and 1 sleeps on the floor beside me.

My husband and I often wake up with all three of our pets—two medium-sized dogs and a cat—sleeping in bed with us. It's very cozy, although sometimes annoying, because they lay on top of me and it's hard to move (I'm a sprawler).

The only hazard I can see is the dogs soiling our handmade quilt. It tends to go from a crisp white to a dull tan after a while. It's a pain to wash because it's enormous, and must be dragged to the laundromat.

My 2 Whippets sleep with me. They prefer to be under the duvet. A queen size bed is required to acomodate everyone in comfort.As long as your pet is healthy (regular check ups and vacs up to date) there shouldn't be any health concerns. No kissing and wash your hands before food prep. I was a vet tech and have never gotten any thing from pets.

We currently have four cats and three of them sleep with us (the fourth is a semi-feral rescue and while she tolerates us in her house, she does not like to be in the bed when we are--of course she is in there in a heartbeat once we are out of bed). It was never really an issue for us--we've had cats as long as we have been married (30 years). We both love having them sleep with us (even if sometimes three cats can seem to take up 4/5 of the bed!) and put in the extra work to keep bedding clean and the bedroom tidy.

I can't really speak for dogs, but when I catsit, if I don't leave the door open (thereby encouraging bed sharing) I hear about it in the morning. Literally. The sit outside the door and howl.

We have three cats, and if they want to sleep with us, they will. There's literally no way to stop them. We tried closing the door once, and didn't get ANY sleep that night, as the whined and pulled at the bottom of the door...

I prefer to have them with us, anyway. They're all spooners, and I love to fall asleep to their purring....

If you want my cat to sleep anywhere else other than my bed, it'd be like killing him... Good Morning America did a segment about the same topic, and the doctor they had on that show said most of the time is perfectly fine and would not wish the pet owners to change the pattern. This, of course only applies when your pets are in good health order.

My 13 year old, 50 lb yellow lab sleeps at the foot of our bed. I am a no animals on the furniture person, but the dog and his habits were part of the package with my husband. The bed is the only furniture he is allowed on. I love this dog to pieces and he is the only dog that will ever sleep on my bed.

Id rather it not happen but inevitably I wake up to one or both of the dogs curled up somewhere on the bed..... the joys of living in open concept spaces with limited doors and walls.

When I first get into bed, I take my cat with me - it's a bit of quiet time for me to pet and snuggle with him, and his purring soothes me. Unless it's VERY cold, he doesn't stay long; he heads for his chosen spot at the foot of the bed.

The dogs I inherited when my husband passed away had been trained by him to not get on any furniture, so they've always slept on the floor; in our current living situation they're sleeping in an enclosed porch area. I have to admit that I sleep better now - the older one pants like a steam engine due to various health factors.

My 14 pound terrier mix sleeps with me every night and he is the best cuddler ever. My boyfriend gets jealous, but Ernie (my dog) is just so precious. I couldn't stand the thought of making him sleep elsewhere.

My 65 lb Eskimo mix only gets on the bed during the winter - he can't stand to be that warm during the summer months, so he's a seasonal "guest". The cats lay on me whenever they want, but the one with the annoying habit of laying on my ankles gets booted if she heads that way, because it will inevitably end with me having a horrible charlie horse. They all get thrown out of the room if they start wandering onto other furniture, like the nightstand or dresser.

Of course the cat sleeps with us. He comes and goes in the middle of the night, but he's at the foot of the bed or draped across my neck about 50% of the time when I wake up.

I never let my greyhounds sleep with me but that is only because I am a very light sleeper and everything wakes me. They like to fluff up the covers and it can go on and on. Also, my bedroom is the coldest room by the house (the most remote from the furnace) and I like to close the heat vent for the night. In winter, that's a bit too cold for greyhounds.
Personally, I do not worry about any health hazards. When I had my previous 3 ghs, they would often join me on the bed for an afternoon nap on the weekends, and that was fine.

Our 65 lb Australian Shepherd sleeps half the night at the foot of the bed and the other half on his bed on the floor. Our 25 lb Pug mix sleeps next to me and burrows under the covers. We wouldn't have it any other way! Our cats don't sleep with us because they like to crawl all over the bigger dog to try to get him to groom them and then they crawl all over our heads. They are just too crazy at night to sleep with us!

I don't care about any studies that came out or come out in the future. Our 2 Jack Russells sleep with us in bed usually under the covers or right next to us with their heads on the pillows every single night - we wouldn't have it any other way :)

My dog starts her night in her bed next to my bed. Once she hears my husband snoring, she knows its ok to sneak in under the covers on my side. If she gets in before the snoring starts, my husband shoos her away. But after he is asleep, he doesn't care. My dog is super cozy to sleep with.

Our cats never start the night on the bed, but they've usually snuck in by morning- one at the foot, the other curled up against whichever of us has left the most space available towards the edge of the bed.
I kind of wish they wouldn't though, the comforter seems to get dirty much faster now than before we had pets:/ I always had non-furniture dogs growing up, so it's been an adjustment.

I was so thrilled to read your post this morning...as I lay in my bed with my dog Pax at my feet.

I felt so compelled to offer my 2 cents to this cause that I wrote a blog post of my own about it.

Check it out if you'd like: http://dssuggestion.blogspot.com/2011/02/pax-in-bed.html

YES, they all sleep with us and I love it!! And I love EclecticDS's comment, you got to watch out for they lil peg legs!

Maggie makes sure that she gets "her half of the bed" even though there will then be 3 of us in the bed. We love it when she sleeps with us, but she doesn't always grace us with her presence. She tends to sleep on her own bed for most of the night, on most nights.

My little Boston Terrier (around 18lbs) sleeps between my husband and I. She refuses to sleep on top of the covers or on either side of us. :) I'm around 8 weeks pregnant and just this week Barlow has started to want to sleep in her crate at night. Has anyone else noticed changes in sleeping arrangements with their pups while they were expecting?

Health concerns? I seriously doubt it. Allergies? Different story.

I try to keep a very clean bed/bedroom in order to cope with my allergies. Having dogs in the bed with all the stuff they pick up in their fur isn't an option for me. However, I do enjoy a good cuddle!

My 35lb whippet sleeps with me -- under the covers. I knew when I adopted him that's what he was accustomed to and I was fine with it. There might be a health risk associated, but it's a calculated one and for me the benefits outweigh the dangers.

The only thing I worry about is whether or not potential boyfriends would have an issue with it. Because of that I've nicknamed the dog "My Little Deal-Breaker."

my dogs (50 lb pit and 12 lb dachshund) used to sleep with us, but ever since i contracted ringworm (gotta love NYC) they've been sleeping on our couch or in our beds. the only way i could have caught this is from them, or the subway...so i'd rather eliminate one health hazard, and it can't be the subway.

All 3 cats on the bed. One spoons with me. One sleeps by my feet. The other sometimes sleeps on top of the spooning one. That or he sleeps on the radiator at the foot of the bed

"And I doubt that this recent study is likely to make him to change his ways…" Haha, so true. My two cats curl up behind my knees long after I've fallen asleep. I couldn't stop them if I tried.

No dogs in the bed.... As a good friend of mine once said, single girls who sleep with (insert dog breed here), only sleep with (dog breed).

My husband and I had planned to keep our two dogs out of our king bed but, when our first dog arrived a year ago, she was irresistable. We four rest better all together. We have no pathogen transmission concerns about sleeping with them or with each other.

We usually shut our cat out of the bedroom at night, just because she'll wake up at five and be bored and try to drink out of my glass of water. (Somehow she never bothers my man, though.) That said, we often nap together, and I sometimes I let her sleep with me if my bf's gone for the night.

Of course I sleep with my dog. On a three-dog night it's too cold not to. On really hot summer nights the dog prefers the bare hardwood floors.

Based on all of these comments, its clear that animals are so important to all of us. My bulldog owns my bed. In fact, he is in so much control that I finally put the mattress directly on the floor because he could not jump up and would bark at all hours of the night until I lifted him up . I love the guy and miss it when he is not in the bed. The only down side is if I bring home a lovely young lady....he still wants the bed!

if its just me, yep. if a boy is over, samson the pug sleeps on HIS bed.

The JAMA published an article indicating that children, who have two or more pets in the house during the first two years of life, actually have a LOWER chance of developing allergies:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/08/27/earlyshow/health/health_news/main519978.shtml

Unless you have a weakened immune system, a few pet germs won't kill you. The endotoxins may more likely provide a steady "work out" for your immune system, making it stronger.

Are you kidding? Our animals don't sleep with us...WE sleep with them! Sophie, our Jack Russell Terrorist, sleeps under the covers, down by our feet and in-between us. Frank (the tonkinese cat) sleeps by my partner's head and Gracie (kitty) sleeps by mine...or by my side. Best sleep ever.

Ηealth concerns aside it's not good for the dog to sleep on the bed, since it confuses their sense of placement within the "pack" hierarchy. You'll find every trainer agree that a dog that knows exactly where it belongs (usually at the bottom of the herd) is a happier dog.

Oh yes, my 45 lb Zoe, who likes to be ultra-warm, sleeps on the bed in colder weather. She sleeps on top of an easy to wash blanket (she loves the fluffiness of it!) as I don't want her fur in my sheets. She likes to lie down by my right arm, in the crook of my elbow, and stick her nose under so it gets warmed up. Then she gives a contented sigh and off to sleep! My big dog, Bear (80 lbs) with very heavy coat doesn't like to be warm, she sleeps on the linoleum floor or parquet .... but in the winter we keep the house cool enough so she'll come upstairs and lie by the side of my bed on the carpet and go to sleep. I can't even describe the pleasure it gives me to know that these 2 creatures are well taken care of, have fun and good lives, and trust and love me and my husband to pieces. We really are a family!

My cat Wangari sleeps with/on me as her will dictates. Wouldn't have it any other way.

I doubt that I've ever gotten sick from sleeping next to my cat, but I've sure gotten sick many times due to coworkers who bring their kids' colds, intestinal bugs, and whatnot with them to work. The comfort I get from my purring pal far outweighs any potential health risk.

We don't let our cats sleep with us at night because they wake us up constantly. I'm not worried about catching a disease from them sleeping with us, I'm worried about actually getting some sleep! When we take naps or just lay in bed they're more than welcome to join, just not at night when we need our beauty sleep :)

I have three dogs, a 105-pound springer/golden mix, a 55-pound boxer/cattle dog mix, and a 35-pound English shepherd. The first two sleep with me every night, although Bailey, the springer/golden, usually ends up on the floor because he gets too hot, even in winter. Pippi (the shelter named her that), the boxer/cattle dog, curls against me all night long (I think she knows how big a soft spot I have in my heart for her). Maddy, the English shepherd, sleeps with my daughter.

But, and it's a big but, once in awhile either my daughter or I go out of town. Then all three have to (meaning they wouldn't accept anything else) sleep in the same bed with the person left at home. What a crowd. I don't sleep nearly as well as when there are only two, because one of them usually ends up lying across my legs or in a place that doesn't allow me to stretch out or turn over comfortably. The other two will move if I nudge them, but once Maddy picks out her spot, she's un-nudgeable.

I do have to wash my quilt and other bedding often, which is a pain, but I love my dogs.

Not only does my 85 pound beast shed like crazy, he's a big, playful guy who likes to run through the mud, roll in the grass, and eat the occasional insect. So, as much as I love him, I don't think I want him sharing my white linen sheets. (I wouldn't let my husband get into bed with dirty feet, why should I bend the rules for my dog?)

I love sleeping with my BF and my lovely cat 'Manito'.
Nothing is keeping me from this daily pleasure.

We never intended to let our dog sleep with us, but after being crate trained, it just happened. If she gets hot or wants to spread out, she goes and lays on the floor but is usually up next to us by morning. Now our bed feels lonely without her!

Just another way of super-sanitizing us and weakening our immune systems. I've slept with my pets since I was 5.

My dog is two legged wears a moustache is warm and cuddly and I let him sleep with me.

I would be really interested in seeing some decorating (especially beds!) ideas for those with dogs that sleep in the bed.

I love the idea of an ocean of white on the bed, but having a 40lb black dog just doesn't jive with my vision!!

Two out of three cats usually sleep in our bed with us. It's a full house. I never gave it a second thought until I started hearing all this...but I'm not going to do anything about it. I love the little dudes!

Our kitty curls up under the covers between us for about 10-15 minutes or so for snuggles then crawls out and moves to the end of the bed by our feet. If we owned a dog I wouldn't want them on our bed. Not sure why I feel it's ok for a cat but not a dog..

I have an idea! Spend your research money fixing cancer. People have been sleeping with their pets for quite some time, and there's no massive die off. I'll be damned if I'd kick my 70 pound babyface out of bed because he carries 'pathogens.' So does everyone I meet on the street. Jesus.

We're considering getting a second dog right now, and one factor we have to consider is if we could afford a king size bed for this very reason! I told my husband "If we get a big dog we can train him to sleep in his own bed at night" and he said "What's the point in having a big furry friend if you can't cuddle with him all night!" So, yes, our shiba inu sleeps with us, and if we get another pup they will too. When I was a kid I had a cat that slept on my pillow, right next to my head! And he was an outdoor cat who lived on a farm, and I never got sick, and I don't have a single allergy.

I had one cat that wasn't allowed to sleep in my room at night until we moved in with my boyfriend and his two cats, who get to do whatever they want. Now they all three sleep in/on the bed with us, which leaves me kicking cats off the bed when they prowl around in the middle of the night or try to come too close to my face. If they just stayed at the foot, it'd be ok, though still restricting (I am a delicate sleeper ;-) The concessions we make for relationships...

God help us when we get a dog.

I so very wish we had the option of not having our cats in bed with us, but like many other commenters, the cats cannot be kept out of our bed. If we (or houseguests) close a bedroom door, we're treated to a symphony of crying, pawing, thumping, scraping, and meowling which is far more annoying than just letting them in. One insists on sleeping between us and/or on our heads. The other goes wherever is most comfortable.

I have a cat who's a companion animal. Lately her sleeping in my bed has made the difference between whether or not I've been able to fall asleep (bouts of insomnia). I don't need meds for it, my cat has been help enough. The benefits far outnumber any possible risk of germs.

When we lived in a studio some years ago, it was impossible to keep our two cats off the bed.

Then we moved to a one bedroom which had wall heat and air in the hall, so we got a baby gate to keep the cats out while we left the bedroom door open. Even though we have central heat and a window air conditioner in the bedroom of our new place, the gate remains. Now they whine when they can't see us in the mornings. They've never tried to get over the gate...I think they're good at jumping ON stuff, but not so good at jumping OVER stuff.

Our bed is the only fabric surface in the apartment that isn't "fur-lined," and I need to keep it that way.

I have four standard poodles, ranging from 50 lbs to 80 lbs, and at least three of them sleep in my bed. Every now and then I dream that I'm stuck in quick sand or being crushed. And then I wake up, and I'm being crushed.

I have had a cat and now have a dog. Neither one would I let sleep in our bed. Cats walk through kitty litter so their feet are not the cleanest. Dogs, as well, have their own kind of dirt picked up from being outside. Nope, my bed stays clean of animal dander. When my children were little they were allowed to play a good amount in our bed but NEVER allowed to sleep there. Neither animals or kids will ruin my marital bed time. I don't believe it hurts them.

My two Pomeranians sleep in my bed with me and I wouldn't have it any other way. When I had cats, they did as well. Nothing is better than waking up to my Sonny and Ruby's sweet, happy faces in the morning.

My whippets are noisy, destructive, messy, smelly, time-consuming, expensive, and a lot of work. While the happiness they add to my life is worth all that to me, there are many good reasons NOT to get a dog. Just sayin'...

My cat sleeps at the foot of my bed. I love it and I wouldn't have it any other way. Sometimes she makes her way up towards the pillows if I'm sleeping past her breakfast- god forbid I feed her after 7am!

When I have dogsat my friends dog in the past, he always manages to end up in my bed. I dont mind one bit :)

We have two dogs- a 13 yo Flat Coated Retriever, and a 2 yo Choco Lab. The Flat coat likes her peace and quiet, and sleeps on a cushion in the corner, or in bed with our 3 yr old daughter. The Choco Lab (Tootsie) sleeps in bed with me EVERY. NIGHT. My hubby works 10 mos a year overseas, and it's actually great having the dog in bed- she's a snuggler and helps me feel a bit less lonely at night. Also, its nice having her there because if she hears something and gets up, it wakes me up- which is essential for when the kids get up at night and I don't hear them but she does.
When my husband is home (2 weeks every 4 months or so), it's a bit harder- Tootsie still feels entitled to her spot on the bed, but we only have a double bed- hubby is 6'4", the dog is 85lbs... it doesn't work. Then Tootsie sleeps beside the bed and whimpers allllll night. Oy.
Usually when it's just me, it's Tootsie, and then all three of our cats. There's plenty of room for them without hubby home! Must be why I have yet to turn the heat on in my bedroom- northern Canada. ;)

The cat definitely sleeps with us. Well he sleeps anywhere he wants. Sometimes its on the foot of the bed- typically on my feet because the boyfriend will move him to my side of the bed. We tried shutting the bedroom door at night (boyfriend has allergies) and the cat scratched and pawed half the night. Its not worth trying to keep him out.

Yes! The pup is a champion snuggler and sleeps in the bed with us. We love waking up to his sweet, sleepy face and happy, wagging tail in the mornings. He's invited to occupy his favourite spot on the couch, however, if there's any funny business going on in the bedroom. ;)

The cat definitely sleeps in the bed: snuggling for warmth in the winter, and her own little place at the head of the bed during warm weather.

We have two superhero cats that have the power to change their gravitational fields at will. During the day, these mild mannered kittens can be picked up easily. But in the middle of the night when they crank up their purring generators it is impossible to move them (or remove them) from the spot that they have chosen on the top of the bed (which is usually very, very close to one of us). Some nights my bf has to wake me up and have me move so that he can get out of the bed on my side because the cats have planted themselves on the covers on his end of the bed, have dug in with their claws and will not let go.

I guess I'm the only one who doesn't sleep with animals. We have a cat but I don't like having an extra being in our bed. Even if she is cute when I do allow her to nap with us.

@iampeas, agreed! i get to sleep with my little 8lb wonder. whenever i get on her side of the bed she gives me this look like "what do you think you're doing? this is my side." haha. i wouldn't have it any other way, animals are such a joy in life - especially when you're single.

I often wake up hemmed to the bed by a bunch of kitties. It's adorable. I much prefer sleeping with them than not!

Oh, yes, we have two cats who sleep with us. The gray cat sleeps on my husband's feet and the orange one sleeps on mine. Sometimes if we get up to feed them in the morning and go back to bed, they switch sides, but otherwise they are creatures of extreme habit. It is kind of gross, though... especially if we hear them scratching in the litterbox and then hopping back into bed with us. However, the benefits outweigh the risks in my opinion. :)

If we try to shut them out, they meow all night, knock things over, scratch the door, and jiggle the doorknob. We are pwned.

I should add... I vacuum our bed about once a week, and change at least the pillowcases. I have slight allergies, but I seem to have acclimated to my own cats because they don't set me off unless their fur reaches a critical mass. We also brush them so that they aren't shedding everywhere.

I don't have any animals, but when I sleep over at friends', they have a cat that usually makes her way into the guest room (I leave the door slightly open for her, I confess) and ends up spooning me. I love her purring. Another friend's place, when I stayed there for a few weeks, his dog wlecomed me immediately, and I woke up to her sleeping on the bed by my feet. 8^)

As much as I love animals, I'm not in a position to have one myself, now or anytime soon.

Yeah, my dog (15ish pounds) sleeps in the bed with me. Sometimes under the covers, sometimes not. Yeah, the bed occasionally gets dirtier than I would like, but that's what washing machines are for.

Honestly, unless you are immuno-compromised, or possibly know that your pet has some particular illness, I highly doubt that sleeping with your pet would get you sick. At least, not with any greater probability than just taking care of the pet in general.

The first night after I brought my two-year-old Siamese home, she hopped in my bed and under the covers. Now she follows me up the stairs when I go to bed and, contrary to her natural sleeping patterns, will not leave until I'm awake.

Considering that she lives indoors and gets a real, soapy bath once a month, I think I'm more likely to get sick from grocery shopping. >^..^<

When my husband and I finally decided to get a dog we both insisted our soon to be 90 lb lab mix stay off the bed. It didn't last long. We both grew up sleeping with our dogs and he was so happy to be on the bed with us. Add another almost 90 lb shepherd mix and a rather robust cat, plus we are now 7 months pregnant and we have a very full bed. Even with my growing belly I love throwing my arm around our lab (who insists on cuddling with me) and my husband moves our shepherd around (who sleeps like a log). The cat has claimed her spot beside my pillow and wont move for anyone.

We have 3 cats and a dog and none of them sleep with us. We're meanies. They're all too annoying at the bewitching hour and I can't handle the grab-ass games they play all night. I wouldn't sleep at all if they were in bed with us.

My cat and dog both lay with me, and they race each other to the bedroom at night hoping to get the good spot- right behind my knees.
Sometimes my cat sleeps at the foot of my bed, which causes me to kick him everytime I have a bad dream.

Yes, he sleeps with me and no, he doesn't have a problem with knowing where he belongs in the pack hierarchy. He waits for me to go through doors and up stairs first, he heels off leash and obeys commands. He knows at night part of his "job" is to snuggle with me, share body warmth on cold nights and to growl quietly if he hears any unusual noises. I get exposed to way more health risks in my job than I do with my fur-kid!

Had 2 girlfriends whose cats sneaked in the bed in the middle of the night. Those were our last nights together...

My pug has been sleeping in the bed for about 6 years. I haven't noticed any health problems. Occasionally one of the cats will curl up at the foot of the bed and our doberman pup will also try to sneak up in the middle of the night. If anything, it makes my husband and I feel very loved!

Hear, hear! I do sleep with both of my dogs and my husband! They do offer a sense of comfort and love. I know plenty of ppl who disagree with our arrangements, but so far it hasn't caused a problem, health or otherwise. A small Beagle and a Beagle mix, both of which have been adopted and have come from less then loving conditions, I know it makes me feel good. I doubt they would care as long as they are loved and looked after. Although they do tend to "steal" pillows at night. I will allow them to do so until it is not appropriate.

Growing up my dogs and cats would all try to get into bed with me and many times would get into bed with me... we have a picture of me sleeping in a single bed with the three dogs (a collie, a poodle and a maltese terrier) and one of the cats... I felt surrounded by love and was cozy and warm...

The only time I didn't enjoy sleeping with them was when my cat decided she was going to sleep on the small of my back or when the maltese would snuggle between my knees and I wasn't allowed to move...

The cat Widmerpool sleeps with us, and if we're not in bed on time (11pm) will complain until we do as we're told.
I have nasty health problems, and trouble sleeping, but find having the weight, warmth, & purring of a cat either between my feet or snuggled under the doona next to me (depending on the temperature for him) is one of the best things to help me calm down & sleep.
Indeed, on bad nights I have made my husband go & find the cat & put him on the bed so I can sleep.

I grew up with large dogs (Rhodesian Ridgebacks) that strictly slept outside or in the garage always.

Then I moved into my own place and got a cat. And the damn thing refuses to sleep anywhere but in my bed! And not just ON the bed...he somehow gets UNDER the covers!

Can't keep it out cause I don't have a bedroom door. I wake up in the middle of the night and he's basically spooning me.
Oh well. I've just gotten use it it, and now I feel weird if he's not in the bed with me!

Oh, by the way...cat's name is Calamity! Cause he is one!!!

Pets belong in their own bed. I love animals and the companionship the bring, but I draw the line at sleeping with anything that will eat it's own poo.

My partner and I sleep with our two girl chihuahuas. He was initially against the idea, but I eventually guilt-ed him into it. Now when I yell "slumber party," the dogs get all excited and start wagging their tails in anticipation of being carried up upstairs to the bedroom.

My indoor-only cat sleeps at the foot of the bed until my husband gets up for his shower. Then, she spoons with me. :)

My husband's inside/outside dog sleeps in his own bed downstairs.

My cat kept hogging my pillow so now she has her own, much to my husband’s embarrassment. I keep a sports bottle of water near the bed that I drink out of. It’s not pretty but I don’t want to share my water with her.

I have noticed that when I bring home “pathogens” (from co-workers) that she gets sick. She is an indoor cat only and the only way she can catch something is from me or my husband.

No, studies like this do not change how I feel about letting the cat sleep with us. When my children were small I caught far more from them than I ever did from my pets. Should I have stopped rocking, cuddling or holding my children? It sounds like junk science.

My "baby" comes home from daycare and usually goes straight to the bedroom. It means that when I go to bed I get a pre-warmed spot.

I could buy a heated bed pad or blanket, but don't we all need to do something for the environment? Just doing my part. :)

My dog is small and non-shedding. In the cold weather he burrows under the covers and keeps my feet warm. During the summer he sleeps under the bed where it's cool. I couldn't care less about scaring away a potential mate; I've truly given up on NYC dating. I'll refrain from the old tired rant about spoiled inconsiderate men, and just say that my doggie stays!

My late dog preferred her own bed at night. This worked out well for both of us. When I tried to dissuade her from hopping onto the bed during the daytime, she solved the problem by pulling the covers off the bed and onto the floor, and curling up.

Cuddling on the couch? I'm down with that, human or animal.

To me, cuddling with animals (human or otherwise) is the most natural thing in the world. By the number of comments here I see I'm not alone. One of my cats used to sleep on me or cuddled up with me under the blankets until I brought home a faux fur throw for the bed. Now, I've been abandoned for the faux fur throw. I hope it's temporary.

Our three cats come and go as they please, usually starting the night with a bed-top snuggle before moving to their own nests. However, there is one major health concern that I am surprised to see no one has mentioned yet: possible exposure to Lyme Disease and other tick-borne illnesses. You don't have to share a bed to share a tick with your pet, but it probably helps. When we discovered a deer tick on our bed, we kicked off an intense anti-tick campaign (FrontLine works for us). I've had Lyme before, so we take precautions - and the cats still sleep on the bed.

Really enjoyed all the comments about pros and cons of pets in bed. I'm a pro gal myself. My solution to the love of pristine white linens is doggie donut beds at the foot of the bed. The beds are a pale gray and actually look lovely in the white room. Everything gets laundered on sanitary setting weekly to keep ahead of the crud that inevitably creeps in. 15 lb havanese don't bring in too much dirt. The younger one gives a little whisper kiss if I sleep in too late, cute little worried expression on his face.

You simply can't reason with a cat. Ours sleeps when, and where he chooses.

I'm always in bed before my husband, reading or knitting, and our goldendoodle sleeps on my husband's side of the bed until he comes into the room and says, "scootch", at which point Sophie comes over to spoon with me.

But she isn't allowed on any of the furniture in the living room.

absolutely! at times there have been two humans, an 88 pound lab, a 45 pound shepherd mix and a 10 pound cat all sleeping together...tightly. i wouldn't have it any other way.

Thank you CDC. I'm still sleeping with my cat. The end.

Our cat mostly sleeps at the foot of our bed, and sometimes makes his way up to cuddle, nuzzling his nose under my chin. I love that. However, the ArmsReach Co-sleeper we just set up attached to my side of the bed in preparation for our baby's arrival? No go. I will not have him cuddling up to my newborn. I'm pretty sure he thinks we set up a cozy bedside spot just for him. He's gonna have a rude awakening when the baby comes! I'm trying to break this habit before it starts.

I have two cats and if you think they'd sleep anywhere but on my bed with me, you're dreaming! My old Siamese slept with her head resting on my pillow or against the side of my face and I still miss her. I'm also a pet sitter and two of the dogs I've taken care of have also joined "us" on the bed.

I was very allergic to cats and dogs as a child. Thank goodness I've outgrown my allergies because I'd never give up sleeping with my four legged kids!

I share my home with 4 kitties. They go wherever they want and do whatever they want - same as I do. The eldest doesn't move off the sofa day or night, the only female has her own bed, the other two sleep with me - one spooning and the other on my head.

Love me - love my cats. Actually, I would probably take waking up with kitties in bed over waking up with a person in my bed most days.

I love these comments! My kitty sleeps alone in the evenings, but joins us at 6 a.m. to purr and stare in our faces while my husband and I wake up, slowly. The amount of love and amusement that AT readers show towards their pets makes me smile :-)

When we had 2 dogs (siblings), if they were inside they were only allowed in an old suitcase that was their inside 'kennel'. Now we're down to one geriatic old lady, she sneaks in an sleeps somewhere on the floor at the end of the bed. She usually remembers to sneak back to the couch (another concession) before we wake up.
A dog who knows who's alpha dog is a happy one.

Our 12lb dog sleeps on our bed, however during the summer she will sleep on the floor. While she does have her own dog bed she seems to prefer sleeping with us, even if it did take some adjusting. In fact when she first started hopping on at night I would correct her and place her on the floor, she is smart though, she would just wait for us to fall asleep, in the morning Id wake up to find her right next to me. She took my fiance and I from being a couple to being a family so on the bed she stays.

I have laughed and laughed reading the responses. I love them!

As with one response, neither of our dogs sleeps with, us, unless my husband is away. When he is the youngest dog (a kelpie/corgi cross) comes in and sleeps with me. She takes some discouraging once my husband is back home again. They both come in for morning cuddles on the bed - a ritual which I love.
Otherwise, our two dogs sleep on the couch. I have leather couches for this reason: MUCH easier to clean.

My first two dogs ever, long-haired chihuahuas, used to sleep outside (warm climate). But the joy they would have of scratching on the back door, then racing in onto the bed for a cuddle each morning was unbounded for all of us (I suspect the health hazards of face-licking are high according to the CDC?)

My husband and I are the only ones in our full-size bed. Our 50 lb beagle mix sleeps on the carpeted floor, in his large bed, at the foot of our bed.....with a polar fleece blanket. He's happy, we're happy. I put an end to the Saturday morning "visits" when he was a full-grown puppy. 50 lbs of jumping dog on my chest hurt like hell. Plus, he sheds all the time. The bed is the only place in the house that's hair-free.

These answers partly explain the falling birth rate in North America! ;-)

I don't like pets on my bed...as someone said anything that will 'eat poo' shouldn't be in the bed. And I am not a 'clean' fanatic either, just a bit leery of cat or dog bums on my pillow.

I've always had dogs, and love them. But I never wanted one in my bed with me. (I love my bed to be clean and fresh-smelling!) Then I got my current dog, and it turned out that the only way to calm him during thunderstorms and fireworks was to have one hand on him. And the first summer, there were fireworks and thunderstorms every night. So, in order for me to get some sleep, I had to let the dog on the bed so I could touch him while I slept.

They tell me this is how kids end up sleeping in bed with their parents, too - parents just want a good night's sleep.

Buddy stays off in the thunderless summer - too hot - but he's a nice foot-warmer in the winter.

I've always let my pets sleep with me... this was slightly problematic when I was younger and 2 cats and 25lb dog would squash their way into a twin bed with me. Now I've just have 1 (large) cat who loves nothing more than to snuggle so I couldn't keep him off the bed if I tried (and he STILL manages to take up most of my full bed)

Dogs could be trained to be kept off the bed if you really felt strongly about it, but I think the only way from keeping a cat to sleep where ever it wants to sleep is to shut it out of the room and deal with enraged howling that may follow.

my yorkie sleeps in her own bed until about 6 a.m. when she comes up her tiny staircase and snuggles up next to me. best way to wake up, ever.

We have three cats, (2) mine (1) his, mine used to always sleep with me. But since the boy moved in, who is asthmatic, we no longer have kitties in the bedroom. Well, at least when he's here ;)

I have two cats with cat beds and baskets and cushions in nearly every room of the house, which they use when they feel like it.

The cats don't much like each other. Widget rules my bedroom, Mika rules the living room. Widget has a cat bed (heated, if you please!) in the corner and sleeps there most of the day. (Mika has one in the other corner which she never ever uses at all.) At night Widget has a routine: jump on bed, circle mattress stopping at the extra pillow above my head, get petted, purr, jump down. This happens several times. At some point, he stops next to me on the side of the mattress, throws his 8 pound body weight at me sideways, and waits to be cuddled. The split second I stop, he jumps down again. Around then I usually fall asleep so I don't know for sure where he goes, although I have wakened in the night to find him nestled against my legs.

Mika and I nap together on the sofa in the living room. She only enters the bedroom to harrass Widget, beg for food or playtime, or to find mischief. I cannot persuade her to be on the bed: probably considers it Widget's territory.

Much to his dismay, neither cat spends the night in my partner's room, even though they both dote on him when awake!

I think folks can be too prissy about germs. MRSA is the outcome of too much sanitation and antibiotics -- and it's much worse than ordinary germs. My cats don't make me sick, never have. (Of course they are indoor only -- I consider it irresponsible to let pet animals wander into harms way, and we have coyotes and fishercats and traffic and many other hazards around here, so protecting them from those dangers also limits their contact with fleas, ticks, rabid raccoons, or whatever else might make either of us sick.

Oh yes, absolutely. It's delightful to see that we're actually in the overwhelming majority. Though ours is among the more crowded queen-sized beds here: my husband and I share it with two 60lb dogs (one of whom often insists on sharing a pillow). It's a joy like no other, though I do find myself in some contorted positions from time to time!

My cat Charlotte sleeps on my bed but down toward the end, although when I returned from a week-long trip recently, she slept on my pillow that night, placing her head on the back of my neck. It was like she wanted to wrap herself around me. Very sweet and a nice welcome home!

I guess we're in the vast minority...my husband and I don't allow our 3 cats to sleep with us, but not for sanitary reasons. We allowed them to sleep with us until Titus appeared 3 years ago. With his arrival, a huge pecking order battle took place - the victim being our sleep. I'm not a great sleeper to begin with, but I was awakened throughout the night as they vied for the desirable piece of real estate next to my pillow. We tried again after everyone was on friendly terms, but it just didn't work out. We let them in our bedroom and they can join us for naps, but that's it. I feel bad, but I'm sure I'm a much better, more patient cat mama when I've had the sleep I need.

I really like the photo accompanying this post. The dog looks so confident and comfortable. Anyone can tell he's really a beloved companion.

I read the NY times article and right now I'm wondering what its like to sleep with a little pig. Like my cats, the pig probably thinks she is sharing her bed with a human and not the other way around.

I like the photo too. More photos of pets and the people who sleep with them are on the NY Times website.

As my significant other is slightly allergic to cats we resolved to keeping the cats outside the bedroom at night, but they have learned to open the doors whenever the one of them insists on sleeping in a human bed. The dogs tend to sty out of the bed when I don't want them in. But - in a thunderstorm the bed gets REALLY crowded with everyone taking cover in our bed! No keeping them out of it!

We let our 90lb Chesapeake Bay Retriever snuggle on the bed while we're winding down and reading before bed, then he gets kicked off during the actual time we sleep. If he's lucky we'll let him up again in the morning to spend a few minutes before we get up. Works great--snuggle time with minimum hair and maximum leg room for sleeping!

we're a no-animals-on-furniture couple. our two 50 lb lab mix dogs sleep on their own beds just outside our bedroom door. i cannot stand animals on furniture - one reason i will never have a cat/something you can't train to stay off furniture.

The CDC needs to pull their heads back to where it belongs. The real risk is when these dumb, irresponsible dog owners let their dogs run loose at the water supplies. A new study showed a bacteria in a dog's saliva can cause kidney failure in humans.

I have never in my life heard of someone getting sick from a dog / cat sleeping in bed with someone. There are risks associated with having a pet, and people have to make their own decisions. The pet sure can't make that choice, can they?

My cat tried to wake me up one time and clawed my eye (not aggressively, just because he was hungry and was pawing at my face to wake me up) but he had spent the night on his own bed. So any time you're interacting with your pet they can possibly lick your face. I think it's pretty rare it would cause problems. Much more likely that a scratch or a bite would make someone ill!

ps If people don't want pet hair on the furniture or to be licked, please don't buy a pet. They are animals and although they SHOULD be trained, they should also not be treated like doormats.

I'm with @Ash_Anne. I love my dog, but I'm quite allergic to her dander. My health and quality of sleep (I'm a really light sleeper) improved exponentially when I removed her from the bed and the bedroom.

It took her awhile to get used to it, but I knew when I was engaged to my husband that we'd want our space from the "kid" and so the bedroom is sacrosanct. I weaned her gradually from sleeping with me and now her favorite spot in the world to sleep is her crate just outside our bedroom door. She even runs up there when my husband and I have stayed up past our "bedtime" and she thinks its time to go to sleep, unlike us crazy humans.

(Note: She's not the only thing I've banished. For a truly good night's sleep with no headaches or sinus problems, I have to dust and keep our dirty clothes that have been exposed to the outside, especially in the spring, outside the bedroom as well.)

Kitters won't start the night out with me, but when she has deemed my sleep "excessive", she's right there, nuzzled against my head, willing me to feed her. She wins every time.

My German Shepherd is already over 60 ibs and shes still a pup (7.5 months). She gets into bed with me all the time, but she only stays for a little while. Usually she sleeps with my boyfriend (we sleep in separate beds due to irreconcilable sleeping issues :P). One of my cats also sleeps with him, but Cyrus, our second cat, usually sleeps with me :)

I just wash the sheets often and its fine.

I currently have one dog, 108lb malamute/shar pei mix. He sleeps on the bed by invitation only, whether I am in it alone or not...and has been for the 12 years I've had him. There are a lot of invitations in the winter ;) He prefers the floor or his bed next to mine when it's warm. When I'm working with a foster or if I watch my friend's dog it's the same thing...and my fosters do not get that privilege until they've earned it. My bedroom is almost all white...bedding included, and I keep a special "blankie" for when there's going to be pets on the bed...no under the covers. Nobody's allowed on any other furniture.

As someone who works in a hospital, I soooooooooooo don't have time to worry about what germs my dog and I might share...I'm too busy worrying about the germ-a-palooza I work in 9 hours a day, let alone what's going on in a subway or trolley - ICK.

Anyhoo, I love my dog madly, and he is (from all accounts) extremely well behaved. I was told when I let him on the bed he'd think he was "same level" as me in a "pack" - but I think that's horsepuckey. As long as YOU decide when and how they come up, you're still in charge. If I want him off, I snap and point...there is no drama about it.

Plus, it's reassuring for me to know that if someone were to be dumb enough to break into my place (living in a university section of the city we are rife with weirdos and rapists every year), and my mom spent the last few months in a tizzy because of some "strangler" business nearby...I just smile and remind her that my guy would probaby try to rip their face off if he thought I was in trouble. Having had a few incidents in our time with which to refer to, she stops freaking, breathes deep, and tells me to "give our boy a hug". I sleep much more soundly with him next to me :)

P.S. to all those that battle pet hair as I do (because I can't stand it when it sticks to me, skin or clothes, and my dog has this crazy, pointy, sticky, sharp mutant hair that WILL NOT BE REMOVED except by tweezers if it gets on certain fabrics) GET A ROOMBA. These things are no joke. I run mine every day when we go for a walk, and have been for almost 3 years. I have hardwood and area rugs, and I still vaccum and mop every week...but the Roomba is SUCH a help just keeping the dust/hair situation manageable. I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Health hazard for humans - getting less REM sleep from all the extra disturbances that each creature brings.

Cats - my mom's are nocternal. Whenever I had the misfortune of sleeping in the living room all night long it's pounce, scampper, snuggle, strech, pounce...even hissing at them doesn't keep them off the bed. (it wouldn't be quite as bad but I'm allergic and I'm utterly miserable because of them already)

NO DOGS IN THE BED!! This was preached to me from my Microbiology teacher. Dogs are much more likely to acquire pathogens and microbes and all kinds of little nasty bugs (more so than humans). of course, I don't remember any specific disease names..that was last semester after all...

We tried to keep the cat out of the bedroom, but he had other ideas. After many nights of no sleep, we gave in. Now, he usually sleeps at the foot of the bed and then crawls up for an early morning snuggle before I get up, but sometimes he decides not to come in at all. But heaven forbid we shut him out...

You know, I showed the dogs the Times article, but they were just not feelin' it, so...my husband & I continue to share what we are convinced is an undersized full bed (sheets are always too big) with two 30# Cockers.

I don't understand the whole won't sleep with somethings (honestly, pets are someones) who eats poo - our cat certainly doesn't. He has a lovely diet of tinned muck, dry muck, and any small lizards, mice, and cockroaches that he can find. He does lick his bottom, but then my husband drinks beer & whiskey...
At least one of them has mastered the apostrophe.

I've always shared a bed with a cat. Especially the one I have now-- I can't stop him from traipsing into my room, since he's figured out the doorknob (!!).

@emmi
I think that sort of thing is more the issue; maybe that is what the article meant, or maybe not (ddn't read it). Aside from ticks, you may also want to think about mrsa, if you live near a hospital and have outside cats (mostly). A study done in the UK found that a large proportion of the feral cat population near a major hospital was colonized wth mrsa (presumably the water supply intersected with hospital sewage and had lots of antibiotics in it) whereas feral cats in other areas did not. Sigh. Philly has a huge feral cat population and now must refran from petting any random cats I see. :(

I definitely share with my dogs. I have two, both about 30 lbs. They sleep on one side and I get the other. It works out really well. They never come near my pillow and sleep longer than I do.

It just wouldn't feel right without them! (:

I got married in August. They don't sleep in the bed.

Besides, it's much more fun to see them spooning with eachother in the morning than to wake up with them trying to spoon with us. We both like to sprawl out anyway.

ok, in addition to my other post, actually in general cat owners might need to think about mrsa. Your vet is more likely than normal ppl to be (nasally) colonized by mrsa, which your pet can pick up and possibly transfer to you. Or if your cat gets sick often and needs antibiotics I guess it can incubate some on it's own....

I know this sounds counter productive but I think sleeping with my dogs worked like allergy shots. I've been allergic to dogs since I was little (we had allergy testing done for foods). I always had both our dogs sleep on the bed with me but I never showed any symptoms. Which considering we had 2 lab/shepherd/? shedding machines, is rather shocking. When I went away to college I lost that buffer and would get major allergy attacks for the first two weeks I when i came home. I'll take the infinitesimal chance of my dog giving me plague over allergies any day.

I know I'm in the minority here: my husband and I close the bedroom door on our 2 indoor cats. We got them as kittens (though 2 years apart) so teaching them this was not too difficult, a few nights of meowing at the door (they do give up, people, if you just stick with it!). I didn't grow up with pets, so have no experience sleeping with them. I love cuddling with them, but the few times we tried to have them in our bedroom were frustrating. They'd wake up in the middle of the night, start playing, rummaging through stuff, running in and out, ugh! No thanks. I need my sleep and space enough to do it. They deal with it just fine now and sleep/play together in the living room.

Our 1 year old 60+ lb bulldogge sleeps with us. At first he went to his crate every night like a good puppy, didn't wimper or cry. Then my husband started taking daytime naps with him, he (my husband) enjoyed the extra snuggling. He's been sleeping on the bed every night since then. He prefers to sleep on top of the covers, beside my husband's legs. During the recent icy weather, he was especially snuggly. We call it "cuddle patrol" No worries about pathogens or bugs. He's a typical stinky bulldog and there's nothing like getting a big face full of stinky bulldog wrinkles early in the morning.

Nothing to contribute on the topic, but OMG that's my favorite linen bedspread from AREA HOME that years ago I had to give up. Sadly, mine just was too worn out. It's lovely though!

Sleep with my pets? Yes. It's one of the perks of being a cat owner: warm, furry, unconditional cuddling.

Our 3 year old Wheaten, our 2 year old Glenn of Imaal Terrier/Mutt, as well as our 1 year old kitten all share a bed with my SO and myself. Our Wheaten tends to rotate out a lot more as he prefers the much cooler wood floors -- but, he still sleeps right next to the bed. The other two take their places on our bed and rotate around the bed based on which one of us is more twitchy that night. Usually, we awake to the 2-year old pup curled up right between our heads and our kitten on top of one of our legs. We wouldn't trade it for anything. The sheets do get dirtier faster, but that's okay.

After commenting myself the other day, and returning to read the rest of the comments a moment ago, it looks like some of the comments left by the "no pets in bed" people tend to refer to their pets as "it" or a couple of people said "something that eats poo" or sound as if their pets are a nuisance, because heaven forbid they get hair on the sofa... which is an inanimate object and your dog is a living, sentient, emotional being who loves you and just wants to cuddle! I can understand why someone wouldn't want pets on their bed because it keeps them up at night, or interferes with the romance, but not because they think they're pet is dirty. You're obviously not going to let your pets walk around your house covered in mud or with poo on their bottom, any responsible pet owner knows how to keep their pet clean.
There have been times when our Shiba Inu has run in the house and immediately jumped on the white sheets with dirty paws, but that's what the washing machine is for, and doggy bath time wipes.

Definitely not. And for no other reason than it gives me the heebeejeebees. I don't have a dog, but when my ex bf and I lived together his/our rotti (who I love) was forbidden from being in the room with period. He would have loved her to be there but he had allergies to her dander, and I was just happy to have a dander, hair, dog-smell, dirt-free place to go to in the house.

I hate it when my own hair gets in my bed. I couldn't imagine rolling around in pet hair, breathing it, getting it in my sports bra and clothes. ooo I itch just thinking about it.
I live by myself now and have only birds, who like to eat off my plate (but that's a whole other story).

I sleep with two 30 lb dogs. When it's cold outside they stay curled in tight little balls, one under the covers on my left side and one on top of the covers on my right. However, when it gets warm they both stretch out on top of the covers and, by the middle of the night I wake up pinned in the middle of the bed, unable to move.

For cleanliness, I try to keep the dogs clean (invest in a "pet shower" attachment to your shower head and rinse their feet daily), and I wash the sheets often. I know I would sleep better without dogs in the bed, but I can't resist them. Might be better for my sleep, but definitely worse for my heart.

There are lots of studies that show that pets are good for people - prolong their lives, lower their blood pressure, make them less depressed etc. Looking only at the transmission of disease, without considering the proven health benefits misses part of the whole story.

My husband and I had a cat who lived to be 23 years old. The last few years she slept 23.5 hours a day, most of them on our bed. Her happiest times were when we come to bed at night. The comfort of a warm happy cat purring near you in bed is immeasurable.

She died 4 years ago and I still wake slightly at night and think she's lying near me and adjust myself accordingly.

My cat sleeps with me (when she want to). When its really cold she curls up next to me under the blankets. And when my boyfriend sleeps over, she sleeps in between our feet. I usually wake up to her staring at me, as creepy as it is I think she feels like she's being protective.
My ferrets however, prefer to sleep in my bed without me, and I'm perfectly okay with that.

I am ok risking the health issues. I am sure they are some things you can catch, but I am not going to worry about it.

The cat sleeps on my neck when it is cold - she is just a snuggle monster. The dog sleeps in the bed during the day alone. At night she might think it is a good idea, and she jumps in and curls up tight against you. But if you move at ALL, she gets indignant, grunts, and jumps down from the bed. She has a blanket on the couch that is hers - she can watch both doors to the house from that perch. She sleeps through the night when the husband is home, but when he is gone, she is hyper alert watch dog (you know - she is alone with the weak one (me), so she is pack head and responsible for the safety of our little pack of her, kitty and me).

@lepidoptery

If someone has a medical condition, a child or is pregnant, yeah, they should be extra careful. Otherwise, it's all bull.

I worked as a vet tech and I run a stray cat shelter and have taken in ferals. The first thing you do is isolate the kitty. Get them to a vet, and do not try all this unless you're properly trained.

Feral cats do not sleep in bed with people, LOL. And anyone who lets their cat outside in this day and age is a dope. I'm sorry, but it's true.

Cats are very clean animals and a healthy person has a better chance of being killed by a falling coconut than contracting a disease from a healthy indoor cat who simply shares furniture with them. Skin is a very effective protective barrier.

When to worry:

If you are bitten

If you are scratched

If you have an open wound

If your pet licks you anywhere but unbroken skin. Wash your hands if the one in a million chance of getting MRSA from a friendly cat scares you.

Indoor cats rarely get ticks; and ticks can get from a pet to a human at any time, not just in bed. I do not think it's cruel to lock the cat out at night. As one poster said, losing sleep is a serious problem and I lock my cat out if he's bugging me at night.

I just don't want the media jackals, desperate to villify cats in order to sell their sinking newspapers, to cause people to go out and have a vet kill their pets because they're too lazy to do the hard research it takes to find out the truth.

@ lepidoptery There are so many stray and feral cats out there, in Philly and my state of Massachusetts - 200+ strays in each town. It's a shame. It's good policy in general not to handle or pet strays, unless you're willing to risk it.

Aside from being a vet I worked with over 10,000 cats, some very sick. Been bitten, scratched and dozens of other coworkers and I never got sick.

Shelters should all be cage-free and for stray and ferals only. There need to be better spay / neuter laws. I hope for your sake and mine, more people get on board. :)

ps Sorry to triple comment - just fyi, I harness walk my cat and I do think outdoor enclosures can be useful so a cat can get some fresh air and exercise, but supervised.

Our pets don't sleep with us, but it's their choice, not ours. We even got a king sized bed in the hopes of inticing them with more room, but to no avail.

My question is, are you really more at risk from these diseases in bed than during other pet related activities? Currently, I have a cat curled up so close next to me on the couch that he's impeding my typing. That's got to be as "dangerous" as sleeping with him, right? What about when I cuddle with my dog on the floor, or play fetch with his drooly toys? Cleaning the litter box, vaccuuming up hair, picking up dog poop...all these, I suppose, carry some risk. I guess my question is, if you're not willing to take on these risks, why have a pet in the first place?

@emmi
oh sure, usually you're not at risk even if you pick up mrsa. One can stand to be more aware of what the ssue can be, though. I don't have pets (and am allergic to cats :( ) but my view of it is... well, cutting animals out of your life to avoid picking up diseases from them is kind of like never having sex solely to avoid stds. I will side-eye you. XD

My husband and I don't sleep with our two large and fury black rescue pups. They actually aren't allowed to come up the stairs (to where all the bedrooms are). It's not health concerns, it's just personal preference that made that decision. It does not mean we don't love our pets we just have different boundaries. When I want to snuggle with them I do so on the sofa or on the floor.

Plus the in-laws have allergies and I don't need to hear all about that anymore then I already do!!!

We have two GIANT dogs (115 & 160 pounds) who shed HEAVILY, and we all share the king sized bed. I vacuum the bed nearly every day, and wash sheets once a week. Our biggest challenge is finding bedding in fabrics that don't absorb fur. I can't tell you how much money we've wasted on sheets that dog hair clings too!!! It's a nightmare! So far, the flannel "home" brand sheets from Target have been the perfect solution!

Haha, my two dogs sleep on the bed and they both know their place in the pack hierarchy: one gets a pillow and one doesn't.

I do hope this means we can look forward to a post about durable, claw-friendly bedding?

I don't think that pathogens are the issue so much as critters - ticks, fleas, mites or any other bug that their fur collects in the course of the day.

We just got a 60-lb Shepherd-Rottweiler mix, and he doesn't sleep with us, but not because of any fear of germs. It's a logistics issue: we only have a full-size bed, my boyfriend's 6'4", and our duvet is white. Also, the dog doesn't seem that bothered. He has his dog bed, he likes it, and he sleeps just outside our door without complaint.

I have mild allergies, but vacuuming a bit more and Zyrtec are a worthwhile price to pay for unconditional dog lovin'. Germs shmerms.

My boyfriend and I have two dogs (about 15 lbs each) who are snuggle monsters and curl up between us every night once its time to settle in and go to sleep.

I wouldn't have it any other way, they weigh just enough to keep us from stealing the covers from each other! Plus he is a really light sleeper, so having them between us means he doesn't wake up when I move around in my sleep, they make a nice little barrier, lol.

He works at a vet hospital, I should probably be more worried about what comes in on him then what is on the dogs!

Yes, my dogs sleep with me. Like tracylynn, I'd be more concerned about human pathogens.

Yes, absolutely, two cats and I wouldn't have it any other way BUT I just have to rat one out... Itsy Bitsy Sh*tsy at <10 lbs is a major bed hog!!!

@madampince -- I totally agree with you about human pathogens. My ex-boyfriend was a walking germ factory, most of which he picked up from his school-age kids.

ugh no. i think its gross to let your pets sleep with you every night, at least under the covers anyway. they stink,get hair everywhere, take up room,move around during the night, track in dirt and yes germs/bugs as well. i can understand if you let your indoor pet sleep on top of your covers at the end of the bed, but thats where i would draw the line. i get pretty pissed if i get awoken during sleep so i close the door lol

We have sort of crate trained our dog. He's only a year old so we still have to close the door the crate at night. We don't want him sleeping on us and I don't know about the hubs but I am more concerned about the dirt in his fur and shedding on my nice duvet than pathogens. Now with this marking habit he has picked up the first time we went to bed to find peed on pillows he's just not allowed in the bedroom. I hope he can be broken of this because really, I think it's mean to do to him. He just wants to be with his people - he's a cocker spaniel and they do not do well being alone - or what they perceive as alone.
I love him to death but at the same time I hate his dog hair left over everything fuzzy.

Jenks sleeps where Jenks WANTS to sleep. I wouldn't have it any other way.

I have a 13 pound Jack chih-whippet and he sleeps curled up in a ball on the bed, but I don't let him sleep under the covers. That would be kind of gross. He was a stray and had a very hard life before he came to live with me, so I love spoiling him a bit.

These are great! We have two dogs that sleep with us. Even though they're only 10 pounds each, I swear they take up more space than either my husband or I do.