For many cat owners, it may seem as if the house tiger lay on its lazy fur all day long and slumbered peacefully. Appearances are deceptive, however, because although cats need a lot of rest, most of the time they are only in a light sleep. You can read more about cat sleeping habits here.
Predatory instinct affects sleep patterns
Cats are more active in the morning and evening because they are naturally crepuscular. This is based on their hunting instinct, because the cat’s ancestors were predators.
Nevertheless, cats also like to adapt to their caregivers. When mistress and master go to sleep in the evening or are absent during the day, cats use this time to replenish their energy reserves. However, it is different with outdoor cats, who often stick to going stalking at night. You can also break the habit by only letting the cat out of the house during the day.
The velvet paws need so much sleep
The duration of sleep is actually also due to the hunting behavior of cats. Because the typical hunting activities such as sneaking, climbing or pursuing the prey demand a lot of energy from the fur nose. In addition, the senses are sharpened to the maximum and the body constantly produces adrenaline.
All of this ensures that cats sleep between 13 and 16 hours a day on average. Of course, the need for sleep also depends on other factors such as age, weather conditions and illnesses. What sounds like a considerable sum to us at first glance needs to be examined in more detail. For the velvet paws, sleep is not just sleep!
How cats sleep
There are two primary sleep phases in cats: light sleep and deep sleep. These alternate throughout the day.
The light sleep is more like dozing. First and foremost, the cat’s body is relaxed and the eyes are either closed or slightly open. The crucial difference to deep sleep is that the cat could be awakened at any moment by ambient noise, since the senses remain awake. This phase can last up to 30 minutes.
The deep sleep is much shorter at up to 7 minutes, but also allows the cat to rest its mind. The senses are not quite as sharp and the muscles are loose. In this phase, cats do dream and paws, tail tips and ears can move slightly as the events of the day are relived and processed. It may appear to us that the cat is restless and is having a nightmare. It is not advisable to wake up the cat abruptly in such cases, as it could startle you.
Of the 13-17 daily hours of sleep, the cat is only in true deep sleep for about 4 hours.
A cat’s sleeping habits are never set in stone and can depend on a variety of factors. However, if your cat sleeps below or above average, this can be a sign of illness or deficiencies. That’s why you shouldn’t hesitate to ask your trusted veterinarian for advice.