Why do cats sleep so much?

 How long does a cat sleep? Our cats can sleep 17 hours a day, which is equivalent to 70% of the day. These hours are divided into several cycles throughout the day and the total number of daily hours will depend on several factors, such as the cat's age (up to 20 hours a day in kittens and older cats), activity level, diseases and environmental disturbances.

In this article from The Pretty Pets, we talk about the cat's sleep, its phases, what is normal, what is not and how sleep varies depending on your cat's internal and external conditions. Keep reading and you'll better understand your feline companion's need for rest and, in short, why cats sleep so much!

1-Is it normal for cats to sleep so much?

Yes it is normal. Cats are predators, they behave in the same way as wild felines, that is to say, they are designed in a similar anatomical and physiological way for hunting; it doesn't matter if they live on the street or if they live in a house with the guarantee of being fed daily. Feral cats sleep after hunting their prey because of the large amount of energy calories expended in the process. Our domestic felines do the same, but instead of hunting prey, they usually spend this energy playing with their guardians, running, jumping, stalking small animals and keeping their bodies taut, which causes an adrenaline rush that exhausts them and requires hours of rest. This is the explanation for the cat's sleeping time.

"Cats are nocturnal animals, they sleep during the day and are awake at night," is a much repeated phrase, but not entirely true. The highest peak of feline activity coincides with dawn and dusk, which means that they are twilight animals and not nocturnal. This also has to do with the hunting time of their wild relatives, as this is when the prey is most active and visible. In the deepest hours of the night, your cat will in many cases sleep as deeply as you do, as it takes little time for it to develop its predatory instincts.

2-Why do kittens sleep so much?

Many kitten guardians fear that their cat sleeps a lot and does not play. During their first weeks of life, kittens need to sleep longer than adult cats, sleeping up to 20 hours a day. This is due, in part, to the release of growth hormone secreted by the pituitary gland during the cat's sleep, occurring within twenty minutes of the deep sleep cycle. It is therefore during sleep that kittens grow and develop, as the information learned while awake becomes fixed. A sleeping cat must always be respected and should not be awake, this is even more important for a sleeping kitten. Because of the information we have just cited, respect for the kitten's sleep is essential.

When they reach four or five weeks of life, the time cats spend sleeping decreases until they reach the sleeping hours of an adult, since their curiosity increases, they start to investigate their environment, their desire to play begins, they are already running, their senses of sight and hearing are well developed, some milk teeth are out and weaning begins.

3-What does the cat's sleep cycle look like?

A sleeping cat alternates phases of light and deep sleep. Most of the cat's sleep is light, about 70% of the time. The cat takes naps for a few minutes, called "cat naps", and may take them while half asleep. Its ears are usually kept elevated to respond and wake up easily to external stimuli. The explanation is simple: in addition to being predators, felines are also the prey of other animals, their nature makes them attentive to possible dangers, they carry it in their genes.

After about 30 minutes of light sleep, cats enter the deep sleep phase called the REM phase, which occupies the remaining percentage of total sleep and, despite the fact that their bodies are totally relaxed, cats have semi-conscious sleep like humans. This is because they maintain alert senses and brain activity similar to when they are awake, so they can move their eyes, legs, ears, and even vocalize and change their posture quickly.

In this way, an adult cat's day can be divided into 7 hours of wakefulness and 17 hours of sleep, including 12 hours of light sleep and 5 hours of deep sleep.

4-Sleep disturbances in cats - Causes and Prevention

Several factors can modify the cat's sleeping time. Here are the most frequent ones:

Temperature

Extreme temperatures, both hot and cold, alter your cat's sleep, considerably increasing the amount of time he spends on this activity. It is recommended that if cats live indoors, an adequate ambient temperature be maintained so as not to disturb your cat's sleep. If it is very cold, provide him with blankets or put him in warmer places, as this will also help him avoid respiratory diseases. This is especially important for hairless cats, such as the sphynx breed.

Diseases

Cats are experts at hiding their ailments, so it is very important to pay attention to changes in the cat's sleep, as this can indicate that something is wrong. If your cat is sleeping more than usual or is lethargic, it is best to go to the veterinarian to rule out any health problems, such as a diet low in protein and essential amino acids, neurological diseases that affect the central nervous system, sensory deficits, abdominal diseases (intestinal, liver or kidney), cardiovascular diseases or hematological disorders such as anemia and pain. Sometimes an increase in sleep is accompanied by anorexia and reduced grooming.

On the other hand, if the cat sleeps less and has more energy, hunger and thirst, this may be due to an endocrine problem typical of older cats, hyperthyroidism.

Boredom

When cats spend most of the day alone and do not have the company of other animals, or when the guardians do not play with them or do not spend enough time with them, they get bored or even depressed for most of the day, and when they do not find a better activity, they sleep. This is why it is very important to spend time with your feline, it will improve his mood and health.

Heat

At this time, cats are more active due to the action of hormones and sleep less because they spend a large part of the day attracting the attention of potential males, even when they are at home. Males in search of females tend to sleep less for this same reason and because they devote themselves to marking their territory or fighting with other cats.

Here we leave you more information on heat in cats - Male and female.

Stress

Stress affects cats a lot. It can cause health problems (such as anorexia or feline idiopathic cystitis), behavioural disorders and changes in sleeping habits, showing an increase or decrease in sleeping hours and the search for an isolated place to sleep.

Many of these situations can be avoided or improved, so it is important to listen to your cat, i.e. to watch for possible changes in sleeping behaviour, grooming, if he is meowing more or less and if he is hiding or has increased his aggressiveness. By noticing small changes in our cat's behaviour, we can sense that something is wrong and be able to deal with it in time. In these cases, it is preferable to take him to the veterinarian if a change is detected, only a professional will be able to make a correct diagnosis and apply the appropriate treatment according to the cause.

5-Why do cats sleep with us?

Why does my cat sleep on me? There are many reasons why cats sleep with their human companions. As mentioned above, a sleeping cat has to lower its guard. He is always alert to the slightest sound and is at the mercy of his predators. Why do cats sleep on us? Well it may be to feel safer.

Another reason why cats sleep on us is simply that they miss you and your cat wants to spend more time with you.