If you've been around cats a lot, you've probably noticed that they spend a good amount of their time sleeping. So, what's the deal with all that sleep? Why do domestic cats sleep so much?
First off, just how long do domestic cats sleep? According to sleepfoundation.org more than half of cats sleep between 12 and 18 hours a day, and almost 40% sleep more than 18 hours a day! That's a lot of sleep - more than twice what an average human sleeps, so no wonder it seems like our cats are sleeping all the time! Of course, the number of hours a cat sleeps during the day depends on the individual cat. PetMD says kittens need a lot of sleep while still growing, and that they could sleep more like 20 hours a day, while adult cats might sleep closer to 15 hours a day, and then cats increase their sleeping time as they grow older.
Cats and sleep seem to go hand in hand, and one theory as to why our feline friends sleep so much is because of their predatory nature. TheSprucePets.com notes that hunting takes a lot of energy, and that the amounts of sleep needed go up when the amount of energy needed goes up, therefore cats need a lot of sleep. And, cats are crepuscular, which means they are most active during the dawn and dusk. The sleep foundation says this pattern of early morning and late night activity allows cats to be up early to catch the early birds and then active again when nocturnal rodents start to stir. 2 peaks of activity leaves most of the day and night open for snoozing!
Rover.com agrees that cats are most active and dawn and dusk and notes that in outdoor or feral cats, the most common pattern is for them to sleep during the day and conserve energy for those late night and early morning hunting sessions. However, house cats adapt their sleep schedule to be a little more in line with their human's day - they get up early, rest during the day while you're out, then get up again in the evening and reserve their deeper sleep for night - maybe with some cuddles included! In fact, rover.com breaks down the house cat sleeping cycle into 4 stages.
Number 1 is the early morning zoomies, (maybe a little earlier than you'd like, especially on the weekend!).
Then number 2 is a pattern of rest during the day. Like humans, cats have phases of sleep, including non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and rapid eye movement (REM) . The sleep foundation notes that during NREM sleep, your cat may be more lightly asleep. TheSprucePets adds those NREM sessions last around 12-15 minutes - the classic cat nap! During NREM sleep, your cat may lay with their paws tucked under them in the classic cat loaf shape, resting but ready for action if need be! This is what rover.com calls loafing the day away! During this period, a house cat might slip into a more deep sleep - the REM phase of sleep. According to the spruce pets, the REM phase usually only lasts 2 - 10 minutes in cats before shifting back to NREM sleep.
The 3rd stage of a house cat's sleep cycle is the evening zoomies! Rover.com suggests that this is a good time to play with your cat and let them practice their hunting skills with maybe a mouse toy that they can "kill". After the successful "hunt", feeding your cat can complete the cycle and help them relax for even more sleep.
The 4th stage of sleep for house cats is a deep sleep at night when we're sleeping. Cats in REM sleep are more relaxed then when in NREM and may sprawl out or lay on their side. In humans, REM sleep is when we dream, and so many believe that cats also dream while in REM sleep. If your sprawled out, sleeping cat starts twiching their paws, they might be chasing a dream mouse!
Since you spend the most time with your own cat, you are the best judge of how much sleep is normal for your cat. If you find your cat sleeping more than normal, especially if there are other signs like changes in weight and activity, it's time for a visit to the vet to see if there is an underlying condition! The same could be true if your cat seems to be sleeping less than usual. If your cat can't get comfortable, or gets up a lot to drink or pee, that could also indicate an underlying condition that would require a visit to the vet!
When it comes to cats and sleeping, they are the champs! How much do your cats sleep?
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