Your Cat Sleeps Too Much? Don’t Worry. Here Is The Reasons

For a new owner, cat’s sleep would be a raising problem. But no worry, many people have the same concerns like you. The fact is that, cats tend to sleep in some form or another for anywhere from 16 to 20 hours a day. A lot depends on your cat’s age and health. But, how can you tell if your cat is sleeping too much?

The best way to determine this is to learn a little more about a cat’s sleep and rest patterns in conjunction with your own cat’s behavior. Then, watching your cat’s catnaps, deep sleeping patterns and night sleep will help you get a better handle on if your cat’s sleeping patterns may be off, indicating there is something wrong.

Catnap

The first thing you should realize is that cats are most active between dusk and dawn, which means that they sleep mostly during the day and become active around twilight. This can come as quite a shock if you’re bringing a new kitty home for the first time. Your cat will waste no time investigating and getting into trouble — usually while you’re fast asleep!

The key thing to remember is that when they are taking their little catnaps, they are resting but not really asleep with their minds on standby mode. That means that it may appear that your cat is asleep, but if something triggers your cat – prey, food or danger of any sort – your cat could be awake and ready to move within seconds. When napping, cats will sleep in a position that makes it easier for them to be ready to pounce at a moment notice. Catnaps tend to last about 15 to 30 minutes.

Energy conservation

Cats have the physiology of a predator, meaning that they’re hardwired to give chase and hunt — mainly at night. Large cats such as lions have a similar pattern of sleeping during the day and hunting at night. Although they have been domesticated for the most part, housecats still retain that wild streak.

Even cats at play will display the feline primal instincts of creeping about in the shadows and, without a whisper of warning, pouncing on their target prey. And hunting prey takes an amazing amount of energy. Whether your kitty is hunting for outdoor prey or tackling a catnip toy, all that sleep he gets is reserve energy for running, pouncing, climbing and stalking.

Deep Sleep

Cats may sleep deeply any time of day. Just like with people, their deepest sleep is rapid-eye movement (REM) sleep when brain waves are more irregular and dreaming occurs. During REM, you may see your cat’s whiskers and tail twitch and there may be other slight movements.

REM sleep is vital for your cat because it’s the time when your kitty recharges her batteries so to speak. Just like with people, getting enough REM or deep sleep is vital for good health, longevity and mood. If your cat is more restless at night and not sleeping as much or sleeping more than normal, you should talk to your vet to see if there are changes in your cat’s health.

Sleeping with one eye

Like people, cats either doze in a light sleep or sleep very deeply. When your cat dozes (which lasts about fifteen minutes to a half hour), he will position his body so that he can spring up and into action at a moment’s notice. During deep sleep, cats experience rapid (or quick) brain movement. Deep sleep tends to last about five minutes, after which the cat goes back to dozing. This dozing-deep sleep pattern goes on until the cat wakes up.

Kittens and older cats tend to sleep more than the average-aged adult cat.

Weather – rainy day

It should come as no surprise that felines are affected by the weather. Of course, we are not the only ones affected by the weather. Cat behavior can vary greatly, depending on their breed, age, temperament and overall health. But, whatever your kitty’s usual disposition, it has been observed that cats sleep more when the weather calls for it. 

Cats may sleep more during those dark, stormy days or when it’s cold. Changes in daylight also will affect their sleep patterns just like with people. Yes, even if your kitty is an exclusive indoor-dweller, a rainy or cold day will have him (and probably you) yawning and looking for some shut-eye.

Boring environment

Your cat may also be sleeping because he is bored. If there’s nothing terribly exciting happening in your house, who can blame your cat for dozing off? To see your pet on her feet more often, enrich the environment through interactive toy-sand grooming activities. Try making his environment more interesting by providing more scratch posts and toys. Interact with your cat during the day by initiating games, cuddling or even leash walks in the neighborhood.

Read more:

• Top 15 Best Cat Water Fountains for Happy Pets – Buying Guide 2018
• What is the Best Cat Scratching Post Today?
• The Best Cat Rugs For Your Money
• Top 5 Cat Trees For Your Meow – Beginners Guide
• Five Best Cat Houses to Choose From

Increased activity can benefit your cat’s muscles and heart. Another plus is less weight gain versus a more sedentary lifestyle. You might want to install a window perch. Cats love gazing out at things that are happening outside.

Now you know whether your kittens sleep less or more than 20 hours is bad or not. You’ve heard the expression “Let sleeping dogs lie.” I believe it’s equally important to “Let sleeping kitties lie.” They love to nap, and it’s perfectly natural. So, to sum this up: If there are no signs of illness, distress or extreme disinterest in play, I doubt you should worry a whole lot about whether your cat sleeps too much.