Why Cats Sleep So Much

Kitties come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and personalities. However, they share one thing in common: they love sleeping. In fact, Fluffy sleeps about 15 hours per day, on average, and can even sleep up to 20 hours in a single 24-hour period. That’s a lot of slumber for a furball that basically spends her time looking cute! You might wonder why your cat rests so much—read on to find out more about your cat’s sleeping habits.

Why Cats Sleep So Much

Your tiny lion’s physiology has evolved from the great feline predators of the wild, like lions, tigers, and panthers. That means that those vicious stalking and hunting instincts are hardwired into your adorable little pet. It’s these instincts that are the root cause of your cat’s excessive sleep needs.

Hunting takes a tremendous amount of energy for cats. Fluffy sleeps so much in order to conserve energy for the hunt and to recuperate after it. Domesticated house cats and giant cats in the wild both tend to sleep a lot, especially during the day. They’re saving up their energy for the coming hunt, whether they’re chasing an antelope or just stalking a catnip toy under the dining room table.

Fluffy’s Sleeping Cycle

It turns out that kitties cycle back and forth between a dozing state and a deep sleep while they’re sleeping. The dozing period lasts anywhere from a few minutes to a half hour. Your feline pal remains semi-alert during this time and tends to position herself so that she can easily hop up and move quickly if necessary. The deep sleep portion of the cycle, on the other hand, lasts only about five minutes or so before your furry friend re-enters the dozing period. This back-and-forth continues the entire time Fluffy is resting.

Your Cat’s Schedule

Like many other predators, cats are officially classified as crepuscular, which is a term in zoology referring to animals (or insects) that are most active between dusk and dawn. This explains why your kitty gets more active in the evening hours and in the early morning hours. Yes, it’s annoying to have Fluffy’s antics wake you up at five in the morning, but those early morning zoomies are built into your pet’s biology! Throughout the middle part of the day, of course, you’ll usually find your cat snoozing peacefully.

Do you want to learn more about your cat’s sleeping habits? Do you think Fluffy’s sleep schedule seems off? Contact us to learn more.