There are plenty of ways to show our pets how much we love them — we buy them special food and treats, bring home the newest toys and, of course, lavish them with affection. Caroline Golon, the human behind popular humor blog Romeo the Cat and cofounder of BlogPaws, will share the stories of pet owners who have gone the extra mile for their pets in this series, The Things We Do for Love. And sometimes, the extra mile is only the beginning!

dog and cat on a bed

Why do we let our pets sleep in our beds? The arrangement is rarely comfortable for the humans, yet many pet owners admit to lying awake while their dog snores or clinging to the edge of the bed to keep from disturbing their sleeping cat.

Nikki Moustaki knows the feeling. She grew tired of squabbles among her four dogs over who would sleep next to her, so she put four dog beds in the bed with her and "assigned" each dog his own. It worked, and they all got more sleep.

In No Time, They’ve Taken Over

When Joan DeMartin first brought her dog, Bocci, home from the local shelter a few years ago, he preferred to sleep under the bed. As he grew more comfortable in his new home, he slowly progressed to the foot of the bed.

Today, Joan says, Bocci has grown “exceedingly comfortable, because he now stretches the horizontal length of the bed, directly in front of the pillows!” Even Joan’s cat, Bella, is relegated to the foot of the bed. Joan says she sometimes considers moving to the comfortable-looking dog bed on the floor and wonders if she might get more sleep that way.

The Grass Is Always Greener…

Paris Permenter and John Bigley were happy sleeping in their double bed with their cats. When their 75-pound dog, Irie, decided to sleep with them, the two realized they had to upgrade to a king-sized bed. Their other dog, Tiki, still preferred the floor. But not for long.

“Once the big bed was in place, Tiki decided that she would like to sleep with us, too!” Paris says. “I woke up this morning with a dog on each side of me, two cats around my feet and a third cat curled around my head like a cap.”

Whose Bed Is It, Anyway?

Vicki Boatright sleeps with five cats. “I sleep in their bed, not vice versa,” she says. All five cats often like to sleep perched on her hip and thigh. With three of the felines weighing nearly 14 pounds each, Vicki puts up with it as long as she can and then shifts positions.

Still, if one of the cats is not in bed, Vicki says she can't sleep. “I go find the one who is missing and get them back to bed.”  

You Never Know What You’re Getting Into

When Steve and Sherie Miklas adopted a malnourished dog named Winnie, they didn't mind letting the small dog sleep in their bed. Once Winnie began to grow, they discovered she was part Great Dane! The 100-pound dog was already accustomed to their bedtime arrangement, so they simply bought a bigger bed. Sherie sees a chiropractor because of the strange positions in which she sleeps, sandwiched between Winnie and their cat, Dusty.  

Yes, sleep is precious. But many pet parents would agree that, as cat owner Ingrid King puts it, “What’s a little lost sleep, compared to spending the night with a cat or two snuggled up in bed with you?”

What do you do for love? We’re looking for the funny, sweet and special stories that will make other pet parents smile. Email us at [email protected] to share your story. Please put "The Things We Do for Love" in the subject line.