Is your cat sleeping so much? Well, if you’re a newbie cat owner, you need to learn more about cat food habits, sleep schedule, napping period, playful mode, and more. If you’re not aware, cats love to sleep a lot to remain active and healthy.
You might be worried when you notice your cat is sleeping more than usual. You come home early and look for your cat to spend some blissful time with it. But, your pet doesn’t move from the couch even after sleeping hours.
This is when you may think “Why is my cat sleeping so much?”. Don’t worry! There could be a myriad of reasons behind your cat sleeping more than usual. Moreover, several factors influence your cat’s sleeping schedule. Here is everything you need to understand about “Why Do Cats Sleep So Much?”.
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Why My Cat Sleeps So Much?
Why Is My Cat Sleeping So Much? Undoubtedly, Cats sleep so much anytime and anywhere. Mostly, cats extend their sleeping time to save their energy for hunting, chasing, and looking for their next meal. But, this is the case with wild cats.
In the case of pet cats, there’s no necessity to hunt. Still, they love to take naps and sleep in their comfortable spaces at home. When a cat feels stressed and bored, it sleeps so much.
If there is any kind of change in your cat’s sleeping pattern alongside other symptoms then, it could be some sort of a medical issue. It could be a concern that must be taken care of. In this post, we have mentioned various reasons for cats sleeping so much.
How Many Hours Does Cats Sleep In A Day?
How Many Hours a Day Do Cats Sleep? In general, cats sleep between 15 and 20 hours a day. However, these sleep schedules may differ among aged cats. Though sleeping for up to 15 hours is quite normal, there are a few reasons for cats sleeping so much.
Usually, humans sleep for about 8 hours in adulthood which seems to be more for them. For such humans, the cat’s sleep pattern may appear quite abnormal. As there are several energy-shedding chores like hunting, chasing, and exploring for cats, they require more and more energy.
Cats will conserve their energy by sleeping so many hours throughout the day. The age of the cat also shows some impact on the sleeping pattern. Mostly, young cats sleep much more time than older cats.
Is My Cat Nocturnal Or Crepuscular?
Crepuscular animals mostly remain active at dawn and dusk. On the other hand, Nocturnal animals tend to sleep a lot during the day and remain active at night.
Is your cat nocturnal or crepuscular? Most cats are crepuscular species that stay active at dawn and dusk. If you find that your cat is sleeping throughout the day, then it indicates that the cat remains active or awake at night.
If you have an idea of your cat’s sleep type either nocturnal or crepuscular then, you need not worry much about their continuous sleep.
Is My Cat Napping Or Sleeping?
Cats usually take rest in two ways i.e., napping and sleeping. Though the ultimate goal of both is to help conserve energy, there are a few variations between napping and sleeping.
Napping means the amount of sleep time is about 15 to 20 minutes. Naps are very brief and last only a few minutes. Sleeping is different from napping. Before worrying about your cat’s sleep, check whether your cat is napping or sleeping.
If you find your cat taking a quick nap for a short period and remaining active later then, it’s a simple nap. If your cat is sleeping for hours and hours irrespective of the sounds and other things then, it means your cat is sleeping.
Reasons for Cats Sleeping So Much
How Long Do Cats Sleep? Cats’ sleep patterns may vary as per the life stage of the cat. Kittens will sleep almost all the time during the day. Apart from taking its meals, kittens will sleep most of the day.
In the next stage, adolescent cats sleep slightly less time as they require time to play intensely. Adult cats will sleep between 15 to 20 hours a day. Old-age cats will have less energy and as a result, they sleep so much throughout the day.
If there is any change in this sleep pattern, there could be specific reasons that must be concerned about. Take a look!
1. Napping
Mostly, cats sleep briefly during the day to take rest which is called napping. If your cat is sleeping for a certain amount of time in a day unlike a daily routine, you might be wondering, ‘Why Is My Cat Sleeping So Much.’
If your cat is simply taking a nap, you need not be concerned about it. Once the nap is finished, your cat engages in its playful mode. Cats take multiple naps during the day instead of taking a deep and prolonged sleep at night.
2. Energy Conserving Mode
One of the most common reasons why cats sleep so much is that the cat saves energy. When a cat wants to switch on its energy conservation mode then, the cat will sleep so much than usual.
In general, cats try to save their energy to have strength while chasing, hunting, and exploring the meal. Though you own a domestic cat, it still has several instincts like hunting, exploring, and chasing for its food.
If your cat is sleeping so much then, you must understand that it’s trying to save its energy for the time when required. Once the cat regains its energy, it can indulge in any kind of rigorous activity at home.
3. Feeling Bored
Another reason your cat is sleeping more is because they’re feeling bored. Although boredom isn’t some kind of health issue, pet owners don’t want their cats to feel bored.
In such a case, you need to engage your cat in some gripping activities like giving it a lot of toys, cat trees, treasure hunts, cat scratchers, and much more. Cats must have some physical and mental exercise to stay active all day.
To enrich your cat’s mental exercise, you can throw puzzles, Kong toys, and more. By doing so, your cat doesn’t feel bored and ultimately remains active without sleeping much during the day. In addition, it improves the brain and body of your cat.
4. Highly Stressed or Anxious
Do cats get stressed? If you think only humans have stress and anxiety then, you’re on the wrong side. Even cats are affected by anxiety and stress. One of the reasons your cat sleeps so much is that it gets stressed and anxious.
Your cat might get stressed because of the environment it lives in, changes in feeding patterns, and others. Also, when a new person enters the family or into the house, your cats are stressed.
5. Crepuscular Cat
If your cat is crepuscular, then it remains active in the dawn and dusk. If your cat is active in the morning and the evening then, it’s a crepuscular species. To match up your sleeping pattern with your domestic cat, you need to engage your cat with various activities during the day.
6. Illness
If your cat is sleeping so much in unusual sleeping positions alongside some other symptoms then, it is having some illness. Some of the symptoms include low appetite, vomiting, fever, pain, stiffness, etc. If you find any such abnormal symptoms in your cat, take it to the vet immediately.
7. Old Age
The age of the cat also plays an important role in the change in sleeping patterns. Little kittens sleep almost all the time throughout the day and night. Adult cats sleep between 15 to 20 hours a day.
The aged cats will sleep so much as they have minimal energy. Like younger cats, older cats don’t have adequate energy to play all day. This leads them to sleep more than usual.
8. Injury or Infection
When cats are injured or have some infection, they tend to sleep so much. Sometimes, cats are affected by some viruses and bacteria through contaminated food or water. As a result of bacterial infections, your cat may get fatigued and lethargic. This makes your cat sleep so much more than usual.
9. Weather Changes
The weather could be another reason for your cat sleeping so much. Temperatures also impact the sleeping pattern of your cat. During hot weather i.e., in summer, the cats will sleep so much.
Sudden changes in the weather like winter and rainy seasons will affect the sleep schedule of your cat. Due to chilling weather, your cat wishes to snuggle on the couch for longer hours.
When to Worry About My Cats Sleep?
Sleeping for a long time isn’t a major concern with domestic cats. However, there could be certain situations wherein you need to be concerned. If your cat’s sleep pattern is disturbed all of a sudden, you need to be concerned. It could be a symptom of illness or pain in the cat.
If your cat is stressed, anxious, or depressed then, it disturbs the sleeping pattern. Keep an eye on such cognitive issues and take proper action as soon as possible. Increased food intake could be a sign of hyperthyroidism or diabetes.
If your cat is drinking more water than usual, it could be an indication of kidney problems, blocked bladders, and other urinary issues. When you find abnormal behavior in your cat, you need to be concerned and take it to the vet.
Can I Change My Cat’s Sleeping Habits?
Yes, you can change your cat’s sleeping habits. If your cat is not sleeping at night and troubling you then, you can try to adjust your cat’s sleep schedule. You need to ignore your cat and get back to your sleep.
Your cat will then understand that it’s time to sleep. Otherwise, you can simply give a small meal to your cat before going to bed so that it can get to sleep quickly.
During the daytime, you can indulge your cat in various playful activities using interactive toys, cat trees, scratchers, etc. By engaging in different activities during the day, your cat will lose most of its energy. This helps your cat get into the rest mode at night.
Take Vet Advise If Necessary
As you spend more time with your cat, you will probably have some idea about your cat’s sleeping habits. If it is sleeping more than usual, take necessary advice from the veterinarian.
Explain all those symptoms you’ve witnessed in your cat, its eating habits, sleeping pattern, and other things. After discussing your cat’s problem, your vet will give medication, if required.
Conclusion
That’s all! These are the various reasons behind Why Do Cats Sleep So Much. Apart from sleeping more than usual, if you find any unusual activities like eating less, behavioral changes, etc., you need to contact your veterinarian as soon as possible.
If there is no other symptom apart from sleeping so much, you need not be concerned much. Your cat may be sleeping so much to cope with stress and boredom. If you have ever faced such problems with your pet cat, just drop them in the comments section. Stay tuned to TheCrazyCats for more articles about cats.
