Why Do Cats Sleep So Much?

It is well known that felines in general, including our domestic cats, spend a lot of time sleeping: but why do cats sleep so many hours a day ?

An adult cat sleeps an average of 14 hours a day, while kittens can sleep up to 20 hours. This is due not only to defense mechanisms, but also depends on the age, the physical activity carried out by the animal and, for females, the possible heat phase and the state of pregnancy.

Cats choose the place to sleep according to the seasons: for example, during the winter they go in search of warm places, while, during the summer season, they sleep in cool places. Cats spend 60% of their life sleeping. Interestingly, older cats can get to sleep as much as little ones.

He needs to sleep

The cat sleeps many hours a day because it is an excellent hunter whose diet is essentially meat based. Domestic cats do not need to hunt for food, but they keep wild felines’ predatory instincts alive, and this is partly due to the short domestication process they have undergone in the past. Therefore, they spend most of their time saving energy, to use them when they have to go hunting for prey. The wild cats such as tigers or lions (especially in lionesses), sleep less than domestic cats, because they have to devote part of their time to hunting. THE domestic cats must not “undergo” such “physical wear”, and this is one of the reasons for their longevity: d spending many hours, they save energy and prevent the deterioration of muscles and organs. But hunting isn’t the only reason cats sleep so many hours a day. Let’s see some of these.

The kittens sleep many hours a day also for a survival mechanism: in this way they remain safe, in the nest, while the mother goes hunting for food and, therefore, they remain sheltered from predators and avoid incurring accidents by wandering around. away from the nest.

Furthermore, while they sleep, kittens release the hormones that allow them to grow: in this way, the activity is extremely beneficial for the little ones. Sleeping in the sun or in a warm place, among other things, helps them to conserve an even higher amount of energy, as, by keeping warm, they do not waste energy.

A cat that suffers from boredom or stress and cannot find a way to “vent” its energy in some way, sleeps even longer. Therefore, it is important to spend some time with pets and play with them – this stimulates them and helps them relieve stress.

One aspect that affects cats sleep is the heat stage. During this phase, cats spend much of their time marking territory and searching for a partner. Sometimes the males in heat carry out real fights with other specimens to attract the attention of the female and obtain the privilege of reproducing.
While they sleep, cats assume positions that, at times, can seem very curious. For example, some cats sleep seated, or with some parts of the body suspended in mid-air, like real contortionists.

Contrary to popular belief, the cat’s sleep cycle is very short : it is characterized by a phase of light sleep and another one formed by short naps, which can be alternated with phases of deep sleep.