How Many Hours Do Cats Sleep?

How Many Hours a Day Do Cats Sleep?

More than half of cats sleep between 12 and 18 hours a day Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source , and nearly 40% of cats sleep more than 18 hours per day. As they grow older, a majority of cats sleep for more hours each day than they did in their younger years.

How Long Do Cats Sleep?

Cats have a polyphasic sleep pattern Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source , which means they sleep multiple times each day rather than in one, long period, like humans generally sleep. These cat naps average 78 minutes in length. However, cats commonly sleep for periods of time ranging from 50 to 113 minutes Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source .

The Sleep Cycle for Cats

Like humans, cats have a circadian rhythm Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source . The circadian rhythm is the internal biological clock Trusted Source National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) The NIGMS supports basic research that increases our understanding of biological processes and lays the foundation for advances in disease diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. View Source that guides the 24-hour sleep-wake schedule.

In humans, the sleep cycle is diurnal, meaning we are naturally prone to stay awake during the day and fall asleep at night. Cats, however, are crepuscular Trusted Source SpringerLink SpringerLink provides researchers with access to millions of scientific documents from journals, books, series, protocols, reference works, and proceedings. View Source . They experience two peaks of activity, one in the early morning before sunrise and one in the evening around sunset.

Researchers hypothesize that a cat’s crepuscular sleep cycle is driven by their predatory natures. Common prey animals for cats have different sleep cycles. A cat’s crepuscular nature allows it to be awake at daybreak to prey on diurnal birds, and at twilight to prey on nocturnal rodents.

What Happens While Cats Sleep?

Similar to humans, cats cycle through different stages of sleep. Cats experience both non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source .

Research shows that cats often experience a period of alertness and activity Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source before becoming drowsy and then falling into NREM sleep. During this NREM stage, your cat may be lightly asleep and ready to awake at a moment’s notice. After NREM sleep, the cat may become alert again and cycle through alertness, drowsiness, and NREM sleep a few times.

Eventually in the cycle, cats transition from NREM to REM sleep. During REM sleep, the eyes move behind closed eyelids. In cats, the eyes can move both horizontally and vertically. You have probably seen your cat experience REM sleep. When cats are in REM sleep, they can twitch or go limp with a loss of muscle tone.

Also, during REM sleep, cats may dream Trusted Source Science Direct The leading platform of peer-reviewed literature that helps you move your research forward. View Source . In humans, dreams most frequently occur during REM sleep Trusted Source National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) NINDS aims to seek fundamental knowledge about the brain and nervous system and to use that knowledge to reduce the burden of neurological disease. View Source . The eye movements made during REM may be linked to dreaming. Researchers have observed cats appearing to act out their dreams while in REM sleep.

Why Do Cats Sleep So Much?

Like humans, cats need to sleep Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source to survive. In humans, consistent sleep allows the body to recharge for the next day. Sleep also plays a part in memory formation and boosting the immune system.

Researchers hypothesize that other mammals, including cats, receive similar benefits. NREM sleep may help the body recharge Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source and conserve energy, while REM sleep can help regulate emotions and other recovery processes. In fact, some mammals, such as rats, lose weight Trusted Source National Center for Biotechnology Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source , are unable to regulate body temperature, have weaker immune systems, and eventually die if they cannot sleep.

Should You Be Concerned About Your Cat’s Sleep?

There are a number of natural reasons your cat’s sleep habits may change. For example, if your cat has had a lot of activity for an extended period of time, they may require more sleep than usual. A change of environment, such as a move or addition of a new family member, may impact your cat’s sleep habits. As your cat ages, they also require more sleep.

However, unusual sleep or excessive wakefulness patterns may indicate an underlying health condition. If they are experiencing illness, you may observe other changes in your pet, such as a change in bathroom habits, signs of disorientation, or unusual weight gain or loss.

Excessive Sleep and Lethargy

• Kidney Disease: Cats with kidney disease tend to eat less food, drink more water, sleep more, and be more vocal at night.
• Deafness: Deaf cats sleep more, possibly because their sleep is not as easily disturbed by sound. Other symptoms include increased vocalizations during the day and at night, reduced appetite, and weight loss.
• Hypothyroidism: This thyroid hormone deficiency can appear in juvenile and adult cats . Symptoms include lethargy, hair loss, and decreased appetite.

Restlessness and Decreased Sleep

• Lack of Stimulation: If your cat is overly active, especially at night, they may not be stimulated enough during the day. It may help to play with them regularly. Some people also choose to allow them outside to exercise.
• Hyperthyroidism: Cats with hyperthyroidism have high thyroid hormone levels . Your cat may become excessively excitable. They may also have an increased appetite even though they are losing weight.
• Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV): FIV affects both domestic and wild cats by impairing their immune systems . This disease greatly disturbs sleep patterns, causing cats to have difficulty falling asleep Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source and sleep less overall.

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