Cats seem to spend their entire days sleeping, often after pouncing on your chest at the crack of dawn. The average cat naps for 15 hours a day, with kittens and older cats sleeping even longer. So why does your pet keep such strange hours?
Big cats
Cats seem to spend their entire days sleeping, often after pouncing on your chest at the crack of dawn. The average cat naps for 15 hours a day, with kittens and older cats sleeping even longer. So why does your pet keep such strange hours?
Flat out
Cats may not spend a lot of time awake, but when they do, they use lots of energy. Whether it’s stalking a bird, chasing string or using its scratcher, your cat exerts a lot of energy in short bursts. This means it needs recovery time.
Catnaps
About three quarters of the time your cat appears to be sleeping, it’s just dozing. You’ll know when, because its ears and whiskers will twitch, its eyes will open a fraction and its body will remain rigid. This light snoozing allows cats to recharge while remaining alert to threats. For serious shut-eye, your cat will curl up in a quiet place where it can let its guard down. This deep sleep is critical for growth.
A good nights’ sleep
If your cat is waking you up at 4am, try your best to ignore it. If you get up and feed it, you’re rewarding bad behaviour. Instead of caving to its internal clock, use it to your advantage. Your cat’s instinctive routine is to hunt, eat, groom, sleep, repeat. Mimic this by feeding your cat just before bed time and just after a game.
Sleeping patterns
Cats are attuned to the weather and sleep longer on cold and rainy days, making them perfect snuggle companions. If you notice unseasonal changes in your cat’s sleeping patterns, contact your local Greencross Vets. More sleep than normal may signal pain, illness, ageing or pregnancy, while less sleep could indicate a thyroid problem.