Why Do Cats Like to Sleep So Much?

Kitties come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and personalities. Our feline pals are all very unique! However, they do share one thing in common: they love sleeping. In fact, Fluffy sleeps 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! You might even wonder why your cat rests so much—read on to find out more about your pet’s sleeping habits.

Why Cats Sleep So Much

Your furry pal’s physiology 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. These instincts are the root cause of your cat’s excessive sleep needs.

Hunting takes a tremendous amount of energy for cats. Kitties sleep so much in order to conserve energy for the hunt. That’s why domesticated housecats and giant cats in the wild both tend to sleep quite a lot, especially during the day. They are actually saving up their energy for the coming hunt, whether they’re chasing antelope or just stalking a cat toy that’s under the dining room table.

Fluffy’s Sleeping Cycle

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

Your Cat’s Schedule

Cats are classified as crepuscular, which is a term in zoology which refers to animals (or insects) that are most active between dusk and dawn. This also explains why Fluffy tends to get the zoomies in the evening hours and in the early morning hours. Yes, it’s annoying to have your furball’s antics wake you up at five in the morning, but it’s simply built into your pet’s biology! Throughout the middle part of the day, of course, you’ll usually find Fluffy napping peacefully.

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