Is Your Cat Getting Too Much Sleep?

Q: I’m concerned about my kitty. I’ve bought her lots of toys and a cat tower, but she hardly plays with them. Every time I turn around, she’s taking another nap! I feel like my cat gets more sleep than I do. Is this normal? Should I be worried about her sleeping so much?

-A Concerned Mom

A: Many cat owners have asked the same question. To understand the answer, here are some quick facts about cats’ sleeping habits.

To help your cat have a good night’s rest, try one of our amazing outdoor cat houses. 

By nature, cats are crepuscular

Crespuscular means they are naturally active between dusk and dawn, according to PetMD.com

While you are sleeping, your cats like to explore, play, and roam through the house. They may even wake you up with noisy yowling or the crash of a potted plant hitting the ground.

What if your cat’s nocturnal activities are disturbing your sleep? Check out our previous post on how to help your cat sleep through the night.

The good news for cat lovers everywhere is that cats are flexible. They can adapt to their owners’ sleeping/waking schedule. However, it is perfectly normal for your cat to be more active at night than during the day.

Cats are designed to nap frequently

Why do cats take frequent naps throughout the day? According to the Ohio State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, “cats in the wild need to hunt as many as 20 small prey each day; they must be able to rest between each hunt so they are ready to pounce quickly when prey approaches.”

Hunting prey requires short bursts of high energy. To recharge his batteries, your cat will take frequent naps. Our outdoor cat houses provide the perfect retreat for a quick nap.

Cats have 2 types of sleep

Like you and I, your cat experiences both dozing and deep sleep. When dozing, he positions his body so that he can wake up and jump into action. Your cat will doze for 15-30 minutes at a time.

After dozing, your cat will enter deep sleep, which includes rapid brain movement. Typically, cats experience deep sleep for about 5 minutes and then return to dozing.

Average sleep requirements vary by age

Kittens need more sleep than adults. They can sleep more than 20 hours a day, especially if they are energetic. Both growing physically and exploring their new surroundings take lots of energy.

Adult cats sleep between 15-18 hours a day, according to Purina Australia. 

For a warm, cozy place to sleep, try an outdoor feral cat house.

It has also been observed that adult cats sleep more on rainy days and snowy days, says PetMD.com. 

To keep your feral cats warm on colder days, add a soft heated pad to your cat house. 

Like kittens, senior cats also sleep more than the average adult cat. “Twenty hours a day is average,” says Marilyn Krieger, a certified cat behavior consultant. 

To answer your question, your cat is probably getting the right amount of sleep. Sleeping between 15-20 hours (or more) a day is average.

Of course, if your cat makes sudden changes in her sleeping patterns, ask a vet for a professional opinion. These may indicate a health problem.

Shopping for outdoor cat houses? Check out our handcrafted houses today!