Why Do Cats Sleep So Much? – 7 Reasons

If you already own a cat, you’re all too familiar with their sleeping habits. Cats love to sleep, and it is the main activity on their agenda, except chasing, hunting, and eating.

Cats look cute when lost in their dreams, oblivious to the world, and sleeping for hours. But, as a cat parent, it may also concern you, and you may wonder why cats sleep so much. On average, cats sleep around 15 to 20 hours a day.

Their sleep time may change as per their age. For instance, older cats sleep longer as compared to younger ones. And although this is their usual behavior, there are several other reasons why they sleep so long. This article summarized our research and gave seven reasons cats sleep so much.

How much do cats sleep?

Cats are sleepy animals; chances are, your family member is curled up cat-napping right now. It might appear that your furry buddy sleeps all day, but how much do cats sleep?

As for the exact amount of hours a cat sleeps, that hinges on factors such as:

Age

Old cats have less energy and tend to sleep more than younger cats. This is because kittens, like babies, need lots of sleep to grow.

Health condition

If your cat is suffering from an illness like cat dementia, their sleeping cycle may be affected.

Activity level

Cats tend to need to nap more after a high-action daytime.

How many hours a day do cats sleep?

According to veterinary experts, cats usually sleep anywhere from 12 – 20 hours a day. The standard time is 15 hours a day, with 40% of all cats sleeping 18 hours a day. That’s right; your cat sleeps about 2-3 times as long as you. In addition, cats tend to sleep more hours per day as they grow older.

Reasons Why Cats Sleep a Lot

1. Genes

Genes play a substantial role in why cats sleep so much. Cats in the wild are wolves by nature. They are night hunters who hunt during the twilight hours of light and dusk. They sleep the rest of the time to gain all the energy they use up at hunting time.

Moreover, they don’t need to go hunt, as they get their favorite food served by their loving parents, and their hereditary makeup might rule them.

2. Boredom

Stressed or bored cats may sleep even more than 12-16 hours. If your cat is alone at home when you go to work, the cat feels lazy all day. Try to facilitate a more stimulating environment at the house to prevent your cat from being bored.

For example, you can set up scratch posts and give toys for him to play with. Spend at least 10 minutes playing with your cat whenever you have time.

3. Energy conservation

It is another reason why cats sleep so much. They enjoy short naps or catnaps lasting up to thirty minutes when they are well aware of their surroundings, the smells, and the sounds.

In fact, at such times, they are awake and poised to move, ready to seize on a stray rat that may dare to enter their territory.

4. Lack of vitamins / Obesity

Obesity is a possible reason why your cat sleeps so much. Apart from overfeeding, obesity in cats may also be caused by a lack of exercise and an imbalanced diet. An average cat must be fed three small meals daily. Feed your cats a lean, protein-rich diet.

Some cats alone for most of the day with all the meals they can eat are more likely to become overweight. Find ways to give your cat plenty of exercises if your pet is an indoor cat. For example, they might need leash training or giving them interactive toys.

Read Also: Why Is My Cat Losing Weight? 8 Common Causes

5. Age

As your cats grow older, they become more likely to get more sleep. For example, a senior cat sleeps 18-20 hours daily. But they would adhere to the same habit in their waking hours, whether that involves stalking, examining food, or seeking attention before getting another nap. Moreover, your cat appears lethargic all the time, there might be an underlying medical illness, and it would be time for a visit to the vet.

6. Depression

If oversleeping is accompanied by other symptoms like avoidance, loss of appetite, and other unusual behavior, your cat suffers from depression.

Cat depression is not the same as clinical depression in humans. In such cases, it’s best to take your cat to the vet, who will perform the essential tests to decide what’s ailing your pet.

7. Bacterial Infection

The most common viral and bacterial infections could be why your cat seems to be sleeping more than awake. Viruses and bacteria may be gathered from bite wounds, contaminated food, and interaction with infected cats and animals.

Common viruses infect cats: feline herpes, feline immunodeficiency virus, feline distemper, feline leukemia, feline calicivirus, etc.

Common bacterias infect cats: salmonella, helicobacter, streptococcus, clostridia, leptospirosis, etc.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Do Cats Dream?

Have you seen your cats wiggle their whiskers and paws and move their eyes in a manner that resembles seizing on smaller animals or running in their dream? Cats go through (Rapid Eye Movement) non-REM, and REM sleep stages.

During the non-REM phase, they actively repair themselves and allow their body to grow further. So, in other terms, your cat does dream. While it’s doubtful that it would ever tell you what it is dreaming about.

Why is my Cat Crazy at Night?

For many cat owners, the sleep process of their cat buddy doesn’t make any special sense. The cat would rest throughout the day and bounce off walls, unexpectedly going nuts throughout the night, pawing at your face early in the morning.

Read Also: Diseases That Are Common Among Cats

When to talk to your vet

Speak to your vet if your cat sleeps more than 20 hours a day or less than 12 hours a day and if their sleeping habits suddenly change.

You must also confer with a vet if your cat doesn’t wake up easily or shows any other symptoms of illness. Regarding your cat’s health, it’s better to be safe than apologetic.

Conclusion

It won’t usually be of immediate concern if a cat sleeps more than usual. But, as the owner, you should look for signs or changes in sleeping routines that may mean that your cat suffers from stress, pain, or an infectious disease.

Alright, these were seven reasons why our cats tend to sleep way more than we do. We hope we cleared things up, and if you liked the post, please share it within your cat community and adhere around for other posts.