How much do Cats Sleep? Learn all about Cat’s Sleeping Habits

by Margejane | Uncategorized

Have you ever looked at your peacefully sleeping cat and wished you could sleep as they do?. Today you are going to discover the truth about how much a cat sleeps. 

Tamale, a fun-loving cat, spends around 12-15 hours a day sleeping, preferably in my office when I am working.

You may have wondered why your cat sleeps so much.  I’m here to tell you all about a cat’s sleeping habits. There are factors that influence a cat’s sleeping habits such as the environment or time of year and age. And don’t forget that cats are nocturnal animals with an intense nightlife and are most active when it’s your turn to sleep.

Read on and find out how much a cat sleeps.

Why does a cat sleep so much?

There are a number of reasons why cats spend most of the day sleeping. The most widespread motive is feline instinct. It’s considered that cats need to sleep many hours to be efficient hunters.

They are predators and hunting prey requires considerable energy expenditure, produced by the high levels of adrenaline that are produced and caloric waste. With all this work, it’s natural that cats need a lot of rest to recharge.

This is one of the most common answers about how much a cat sleeps, and although it’s clear that domestic indoor cats have no need to hunt (in most cases), they don’t lose that instinct.  Cat owners who allow their cat to roam outdoors will often be “gifted” with a dead mouse or bird; a cat’s hunting instinct is part of his nature, and that nature will make him carry a sleep cycle similar to what he would have if he lived in the wild.

Apart from the feline nature, read on and I will tell you the reasons that explain how much a cat sleeps.

6 reasons that determine the dream of a feline

1. It is a key aspect that explains why your feline spends so many hours sleeping. In colder times of the year, they sleep more to keep warm and save energy. In addition, going to sleep under sunlight helps them regulate their body temperature.
2. Physical activity. Boredom also influences the number of hours a cat sleeps. A cat who gets bored because has no toys, or anyone to play with will surely sleep much more. A cat needs stimulation and fun toys or another cat to play with will provide that. Playing with your cat will help provide that needed stimulation and also build a stronger bond with him.
3. Age. Newborn cats sleep more, adults sleep a lot but they combine it with some activity and as they get older, they begin to sleep even more. Age is a determining factor and sleeping habits vary greatly depending on the life stage of your furry friend.
4. Hunger. It is an important reason that determines how much a cat sleeps. Don’t forget that cats are by nature hunters and this fact will inevitably affect sleep hours. Felines who are not domestic and must hunt for food sleep fewer hours to spend time searching for prey.
5. Survival. Newborn kittens sleep many hours, as they need to stay safe in spaces hidden from predators while the mother goes hunting. Also, growth hormone is released while they sleep. I advise you to read this post about weaning cats, a crucial life stage in the life of kittens. And this one about when to separate kittens from their mother to do it correctly.
6. Cats in heat. When cats are in heat, they sleep less. At this time, they spend part of the day marking their territory and looking to mate. This is why it is so important to have your cat fixed; they will no longer go into heat and will be much healthier as well.

range of sleep hours, since it is a very active cat, always looking for company and hallucinating spending time on the balcony since we install protection net.

Newborn cats and the elderly can sleep up to 20 hours. The hours of sleep can be altered with the level of activity and stimulation, that is, the more bored you are and the fewer distractions you have, and the longer you will sleep.

The space within a flat is limited and for many cats, it may be insufficient. Remember that those who go out can explore new places on a daily basis, hunt prey, and remain more alert for dangers. This makes cats more active and sleeps less.

How much does a newborn kitten sleep?

Wondering why a baby kitten sleeps so much more than an adult? As mentioned in the section on the reasons that determine a cat’s sleep habits, newborns can sleep up to 20 hours a day, so it should not surprise you that 90% of the time they spend at rest.

Kittens sleep most of the day because their neural connections are not developed during the first days of life. By not being able to interact, it is normal that they spend so many hours sleeping. When they reach a month or a month and a half, they begin to sleep less and interact more with all the stimuli in the environment, until they match their sleep habits to those of an adult cat.

Kittens grow and develop while they sleep. Growth hormone reaches its highest segregation peak during deep sleep. Hence, those 20 hours of sleep are essential. 

How much does an elderly cat sleep?

Cats in this phase of their life sleep more or less the same as newborns, more hours than adults. This is because as a feline age, it becomes more sedentary and this causes a loss of muscle mass, which will limit its ability to run or jump as it did when young.

In addition, elderly cats can suffer from wear and tear on the joints and loss of mobility. This, together with the reduction in the level of interaction and games, leads to more hours of sleep.

That said, I want you to keep in mind that even if your cat gets older,  you can still continue playing with him, adapt the routines to his needs, find a way to stimulate him, create attractive challenges to encourage physical activity, and continue working on your bond with your cat.

Is it negative that a cat sleeps so much?

It doesn’t have to be bad for a feline to sleep many hours, as long as it needs them. The worrying thing can be when they sleep a lot and have little physical activity, which can lead to being overweight.

An overweight cat loses agility, has less desire to move, and, in general, generates a certain predisposition to suffer certain diseases. Older cats especially may suffer from cystitis, urinary infections, diabetes, kidney failure, etc.  There are a wide variety of interactive toys to test your cat’s physical and mental abilities. Games to awaken their nature as hunters, hiding prizes, or simulating prey. There are also feeders that turn food into a stimulating exercise for cats.

It is essential that your cat get the sleep necessary for it to replenish energy, stay healthy, have a good mood, and for the proper functioning of its body.

How and where does a feline sleep?

Cats often find one particular place to sleep that they prefer. For example, one of m;y cats sleeps in a little house we built for him and keep outside our room, another sleeps at my head, and yet another always sleeps on top of my legs. There are ways of sleeping that are pure contortionism. Sometimes they sleep sitting up, belly up, bent over like a donut, stretched out, etc.  Even if your cat spends many hours a day sleeping, they don’t do it all the time. They are always in vigilant mode, I do not know if you have noticed. The cat’s sleep is usually made up of short naps of a few minutes.

Felines most of the time maintain a light sleep and alternate it with deep dreams in which they can even move their whiskers, their paws, etc. They are said to maintain some brain activity while they sleep, similar to the way people sleep.

Unless absolutely necessary, it’s best not to bother your cat when he is sleeping, because his instinctive reaction is immediate and can be very annoying.

The place chosen for your feline to sleep is very important. Quiet, comfortable, cool in summer, and warm in winter.

If you have come this far, I leave you with several articles that will surely interest you:

• What is feline heart disease? – causes, symptoms and treatment
• Hypertension in Cats: What it is, Causes and Treatment
• Alzheimer In Cats
• Common eye diseases in cats
• Six Top Recommended Cat Foods for your pet today
• How to Care for your Sphynx Cat
• Ringworm in cats: what it is and how it is spread
• Vaccination Schedule for your Cat & Kitten

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