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Hey Guys! Do you like cats and kittens? If yes, then you would have probably often wondered ‘why do cats sleep so much?’. While sleeping, they look so adorable that you can’t help yourself from clicking their pictures and sharing them with other cat lovers.
They may seem undeniably cute while sleeping for you to fill your photo gallery. But because of their sleeping habits, they are often categorized as lazy creatures. Cat owners would have often found their cats slouching down or napping on their lap, couch, or in front of the door. Doesn’t it make you curious? What is the reason behind it?
So, in this article, we will discuss why do cats sleep so much? how much sleep is too much, and how you can monitor your cat’s sleep patterns1?
How Much Do Cats Normally Sleep?
Cats do sleep a lot! But how much is ‘a lot’? Like humans, cats also grow and have a certain life cycle. In different phases of their cycle, some of their behavior, tendencies, and habits can change.
There are 4 phases in their life cycle. Let’s look at why do cats sleep so much ??, how much the sleeping pattern and amount of sleep change over all these phases.
Phase 1: Kittenhood
Kittenhood is the earliest stage of a cat’s life. If your kitty is less than nine months old, it lies in this phase. It is the best time at which you can introduce them to little habits and make them comfortable with you and your children.
As you must have noticed, kittens typically sleep almost the whole day in this phase. So, the reason why do cats sleep so much is that they are fragile and need proper care. So, you should avoid waking up your kitty except during their mealtime.
Phase 2: Young Adult
Your feline is a young adult if it is between 10 months to 6 years old. Younger cats are quite playful and active. The sleep patterns may frequently change in this phase.
House cats tend to sleep a little less than wild cats, as wild cats consume more energy for chasing their prey. They may sleep all day long or as little as 13 hours a day.
Phase 3: Mature Adult
A mature adult cat is between 7 and 12 years old. At this phase, they become less active and playful. As you can guess, they are too lazy to play around.
They would be more likely to nap around. Thus, their sleep time is often more than that of younger cats. Their sleep patterns are also quite constant.
Phase 4: Older Cats
Senior cats are more than 11 years of age and need regular checkups and care. As cats grow old, they have less energy, and to conserve more energy, they sleep more and more. Thus, they sleep more hours a day than younger cats.
Why Do Cats Sleep So Much?
Cats do not sleep just for resting; there are quite good reasons “why do cats sleep so much.” Let’s look at some major reasons why do cats sleep so much:
1. To Survive
Like any human, cats also need to eat and sleep to survive. Sleep is important for your feline’s overall wellbeing. If your cat is always awake or has trouble sleeping, it may signify any illness or pain. It may also signal that your cat is uncomfortable with the new environment.
Lack of sleep may weaken the immune system, cause weight loss despite proper intake, or even irregulate body temperature. One should consult a veterinarian immediately in such cases.
2. To Conserve Energy
You may have thought that your pet cats do nothing other than playing, sleeping, and eating, so why conserve energy? That may be true, but the cat is a species that is both a predator and prey.
Like any other predator, it needs to save energy by sleeping to hunt its prey. They need the energy to carry out hunting activities like stalking, pouncing, climbing, or chasing. As prey, they need to stay alert and run off when any predator tries to hunt them. That makes it an important reason why do cats sleep so much2.
Though domesticated cats do not need to hunt, they still have the instinct to hunt. Despite all meals, they are ever ready to chase down their next meal at home.
3. They are Bored or Depressed
Yes, even your feline can feel bored or depressed. So, what do they do when feeling bored or depressed? They sleep.
Boredom is something even we humans find hard to cope with. So, when cats feel bored, they sleep instead of wasting time on what they should do. To cut down their boredom, you can buy them some cat toys, build a catio, or, the best, play with them.
Cats can feel stressed out or depressed. Your cat may feel depressed because of your absence, major changes in its surroundings, or changes in its physical health. How can you cheer your feline in such cases?
It would help if you tried spending more time with your cat, buying it new food or toys, playing calming music, or letting it make some new friends. If things do not work out, consider visiting a pet expert.3
4. Are They in a Deep Sleep
You might have noticed how your cat’s responses are quick even though it was sleeping a while ago. This doesn’t mean they sleep all the time lightly. But the majority of their sleep time, they sleep lightly. This is one reason why do cats sleep so much, as deep sleep is more fulfilling than napping.
Cat sleeps lightly to watch out for its predators and prey. Although house cats do not need to be on the lookout, they still follow their instincts. It is difficult for cat owners to tell whether their feline takes a cat nap or sleeps deeply.
Cats do sleep deeply and can even dream. Adult cats may not need much deep sleep, but kittens and senior cats need more sleep. Your kittens or cats’ deep sleep cycle lasts for about five minutes, and then they get back to their catnapping.
5. Cat is a Crepuscular Animal
Cats are often misunderstood to be nocturnal creatures4; they are crepuscular animals. This means your cat is most active during twilight hours. Some may even be active during the night.
This also has something why do cats sleep so much since they tend to be awake or lay low between dusk and dawn hours. At the same time, you would like to sleep in the late mornings or the afternoon.
Your feline friends are highly adaptable creatures; they can adapt to your sleeping schedule to some extent.
6. To Regulate their Body Temperature
An important reason ‘why do cats sleep so much?’ is to regulate their temperature. They are affected by a sudden change in weather. Be it your pet cat or outdoor cats; they are likely to sleep more during the winter and rainy season.
Your cat can also show some behavioral changes during the weather change. If your cat is not taking their meal or is shivering, it may sign hypothermia. Take your cat to a veterinarian immediately in such a case.
How to Stop My Cat from Waking Me Up At Night?
Most cats do not sleep at night. In turn, they want you to do the same. Your beauty sleep is not only important for your skin but health too. The reason why they aren’t asleep is that they were asleep during the day.
Cat wakes you up to pet them, feed them, or play with them. As we mentioned before, cats are adaptable creatures. You can use some techniques and train them, to refrain them from waking you up. Let’s look at some of these ways:
- Set a schedule for your cat – If you follow a fixed schedule for your cat, it will likely follow it thoroughly. Setting time for its meals, playtime, exercise, grooming, petting, and cuddling will help you keep your cat from waking you up.
- Turn off lights while sleeping – You would have noticed your cat hiding under the bed, in a box, or your closet. They love hiding in dark places. When sleeping, darkening the room can prevent your cat from pouncing or biting your toes at night.
- Use an automatic feeder – Your cat may try to wake you up because they are hungry. Set the automatic feeder to dispense cat food at the time when your cat usually wakes you up.
- Toys or food puzzles – Buying some toys or food puzzles for your cat can engage them in playing with the toys and puzzles and prevent them from waking you up.
Note: If your cat is continuously meowing or trying to wake you up, it may be because they are experiencing pain or feeling uncomfortable. Please don’t ignore it and try visiting a veterinarian as soon as possible.
Ending Note
Though cats are lazy beings, they are incredibly fun and cute. Try to spend more time with them; they won’t cease to surprise you. You wouldn’t even realize when this four-legged animal will become your important friend and part of your family.
I hope this post on ‘Why do cats sleep so much?’ was helpful. Please try to pay more attention to this fragile creature. Comment on your feline’s cute acts and habits.
Click here to know about the down syndrome in cats5.
- Ruckebusch, Y., and M. Gaujoux. “Sleep patterns of the laboratory cat.” Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology 41.5 (1976): 483-490. ↩︎
- Hess Jr, R., W. P. Koella, and K. Akert. “Cortical and subcortical recordings in natural and artificially induced sleep in cats.” Electroencephalography and clinical neurophysiology 5.1 (1953): 75-90. ↩︎
- Shore, Elise R., Charles Burdsal, and Deanna K. Douglas. “Pet owners’ views of pet behavior problems and willingness to consult experts for assistance.” Journal of applied animal welfare science 11.1 (2008): 63-73. ↩︎
- Bellelo, Rebecca. “Nocturnal Creatures.” The American Music Teacher 71.4 (2022): 61-62. ↩︎
- Kim, Ockjean, et al. “Cat, rat, and rugrats: Narrative comprehension in young children with Down syndrome.” Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities 20 (2008): 337-351. ↩︎
Last Updated on by Sathi Chakraborty, MSc Biology
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