Why Do Cats Sleep So Much?

Cats come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and purrrsonalities. However, our feline pals share one thing in common: they love sleeping. In fact, kitties can sleep an average of around 15 hours per day, and can even sleep up to 20 hours in a single 24-hour period. That’s a lot of shuteye for a little furball! You might wonder why Fluffy rests so much. Read on to find out more about your cat’s sleeping habits.

Why Cats Sleep So Much

Your furry pal’s ph ysiology has evolved from the great feline predators of the wild, like lions and panthers. This means that those stalking and hunting instincts are hardwired into your domesticated feline. It’s these instincts that are really the root cause of your cat’s excessive sleep needs.

The act of hunting takes a tremendous amount of energy for cats. There’s stalking, running, pouncing, and jumping, and then the attack itself. Fluffy sleeps a lot in order to conserve energy for the hunt. Both domesticated house cats and giant cats in the wild snooze a lot, especially during the day. It doesn’t matter whether they’re chasing antelope or just stalking a cat toy under the dining room table.

Fluffy’s Sleeping Cycle

Our feline pal s go back and forth between a dozing state and a deep sleep state. The dozing period lasts anywhere from a few minutes to a half hour. Fluffy 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, however, only lasts only about five minutes before your cat re-enters the dozing period. This back-and-forth continues the entire time your cat is resting.

Your Cat’s Schedule

Cats are crepuscular, meaning that they are the most active between dusk and dawn. This explains why Fluffy tends to get super frisk y in the evening hours and in the early morning hours. Yes, it’s annoying to have your pet’s antics wake you up at five in the morning, but it’s simply built into your kitty’s biology! Throughout the middle part of the day, of course, you’ll usually find your cat napping 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.