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Why Do Cats Like to Sleep So Much?

November 1, 2020

Kitties come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and purrsonalities. However, they share one thing in common: a love of sleeping. In fact, our drowsy feline pals sleep on average around 15 hours per day, and can even sleep up to 20 hours a day. That’s a lot of slumber for a little furball! You might wonder why your cat rests so much—read on to find out more about Fluffy’s sleeping habits.

 

Why Cats Sleep So Much

Cats’ physiology has evolved from the great feline predators of the wild, like lions, cougars, tigers, and panthers. This means that those fierce stalking and hunting instincts are hardwired into your cute 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 your cat. That’s really why Fluffy sleeps so much: so she can conserve energy for the hunt. Domesticated house cats and giant cats in the wild both tend to sleep a lot, especially during the day. They are saving up their energy for the coming hunt. It doesn’t matter whether they are chasing antelope or just stalking a toy under the dining room table.

 

Fluffy’s Sleeping Cycle

Kitties aren’t always completely zonked. They go back and forth between a dozing state and a deep sleep. The dozing period lasts anywhere from a few minutes to a half hour. Your cat will remain semi-alert during this time. Fluffy also tends to position herself so that she can move quickly if necessary. The deep sleep portion of the cycle, on the other hand, usually only lasts about five minutes or so before your cat re-enters the dozing period. This back-and-forth will continue the entire time your furry pal is resting.

 

Your Cat’s Schedule

Kitties are technically 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 Fluffy often tends to get more active in the evening hours and in the early morning hours. We know, it’s annoying to have your cat’s antics wake you up at five in the morning, but those zoomies really are built into your pet’s biology! Throughout the middle part of the day, of course, you’ll usually find your feline buddy 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.