Cats may sleep happily for 12-18 hours a day. Hadrian / Shutterstock.com
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Feeling a little tired? Ready for a “cat nap?” We may use this amusing term for a short 15-20 minute recharge but there is some truth in its origin as part of sleeping cat behavior.
Cats generally sleep much more than humans do, but there are times where excessive lethargy and tiredness in cats can be caused by underlying medical issues. In this article we’ll explore normal sleep behavior in cats, and we’ll also look at when your cat’s resting behavior could be the sign of a health problem.
Normal Sleep Behavior in Cats
It is normal for cats to sleep anywhere from 12-18 hours a day. The exact length of time can vary for individual cats, and can also depend on their age and social behaviors. Generally, kittens and senior cats will sleep much more.
Cats may also sleep in a variety of positions and locations. Quiet, sequestered areas like under the bed or in a closet are popular as they are quiet and private. Higher vantage points like on top of the couch or a bookshelf are also choice places to keep tabs on surroundings. You may find that if your cats are more social and connected with you, they may make more appearances between naps. Less social kitties who like to keep to themselves may retreat to a quiet place for a majority of the day.
Cats exhibit two general sleep patterns of light sleep and deep sleep. For the majority of the time, cats are in a lighter sleep. These periods may last thirty minutes or longer. When finished, your cat may stretch, have a peek around, change position, and get back to snoozing again. In these periods, cats are able to react quickly, waking into instant action if needed.
This is a survival mechanism house cats inherited from their ancestors surviving in harsh and hostile environments. It’s still quite useful for outdoor cats. Deeper sleep is for much shorter periods of only 5-10 minutes. During these times, you may notice that their ears are not as erect. Involuntary muscle twitching may occur, possible evidence that your cat is “dreaming”.
Cats may also form their sleep patterns around food. Cats who are meal-fed at specific times will develop habits of waking and being active around their meal times throughout the day.
Reasons Why Cats Sleep a Lot: Natural and Environmental Factors
Younger cats may need time to adapt to human sleeping patterns. Leoschka / Shutterstock.com
Our small domestic kitties are descendents of larger, wild predators. As such, they do have many instinctual behaviors that carry over, even with the comforts of living at home with their human companions.
While some cats may be more active at night, they are not truly nocturnal animals. They are instead crepuscular, meaning their periods of activity are highest at dusk and dawn. This dusk-dawn activity matches with the normal activity periods for many prey animals, such as the small rodents that domestic cats often hunt.
In the wild, large felines like lions expend a lot of energy in short bursts for hunting. They may roam a good distance to track prey but once they find it, the result is a quick, intense, brief burst of energy and speed to catch their prey item. This activity uses a lot of energy and requires a lot of rest in between.
Even if house cats only get their food from a bowl, you may find that your kitty is very insistent about that early morning and late evening meal out of instinct. Your cat may also be most alert and interested in play and chase activity around these times, followed by a lot of dozing for the day in between.
As our house cats have evolved from African cats living in very hot and harsh climates (think anywhere from the African savannah to ancient Egypt) their rest and activity behaviors may also match climate and temperature. In warm, harsh climates, it’s prudent to be most active during cooler periods, namely dusk and dawn. During the heat of the day, it makes most sense to rest. This instinctual behavior has been passed on to our house cats, even with more stable indoor conditions.
Your cat’s resting and sleeping will also be adapted to your own behavior. Some cats in the wild prefer to remain more active at night. You may also see this in younger cats once they’ve passed the first few months of kittenhood. Eventually, many house cats will sleep at night to match their humans’ sleeping patterns.
Age and Activity Level: How They Affect Your Cat’s Sleep
Kittens often sleep for much longer than a healthy adult cat. Kittens expend a lot of energy for their small bodies. Not unlike human babies and toddlers, they get very tired after being active. As long as your kitten still has several alert periods of play and activity during the day, long periods of sleep in between are normal.
Older, more senior cats may sleep a lot more, sometimes up to 20 hours out of a day. As their bodies age, they need more rest to recoup from even shorter periods of activity. This is similar in older people too. One study from 2020 in Japan utilized activity monitors and verified that daytime resting and sleeping time increased significantly with aging cats.
There are some theories that osteoarthritis (OA) may affect sleeping patterns of older cats. While we used to think OA didn’t affect cats as much as dogs, the real reason was simply that cats hide it much better and for much longer. Studies of the past 10-15 years have revealed that in cats 12 years and older, OA prevalence may range anywhere from 25% up to nearly 50%.
Some studies have even estimated close to 90% of cats over the age of 6, based on x-ray evidence. However, while x-ray evidence proves that arthritis changes are present, only 40% of cats with x-ray evidence of arthritis may show signs of it. If arthritis is truly this prevalent in cats, some theorize that this may contribute a lot to why older cats sleep more as it takes a lot more effort to do basic things.
We also know that overweight cats will show reduced mobility and sleep more. The more weight you carry, the less active you’ll be. Overweight cats often have more pronounced arthritis that sets in earlier and worsens more quickly.
In general, studies have shown that these factors of age and activity level mostly affect a cat’s sleep during the day. It does not appear that there is a larger impact from these factors on how cats sleep at night. This might be because many house cats already sleep more at night to match their human companion’s behavior.
When to Worry: Signs That Your Cat’s Sleep Might Indicate a Health Issue
Elderly cats may sleep up to 20 hours of the day, but it’s important to always monitor for health concerns. Jaromir Chalabala / Shutterstock.com
Because cats sleep so much and for long periods, it may be hard to tell if a health issue is present just from sleep patterns alone. It’s therefore recommended to keep an eye out for additional clues that something may be amiss. Here are some tips of what to look out for:
Sleeping through normal feeding times
Evidence of reduced or no litter box use
Reduced or lower activity at normal times (like not waking you up in the morning as usual)
Selecting uncommon places to sleep, especially for long periods
Erratic sleep patterns
In kittens, there are some additional red flags to watch for:
Normal periods of play activity are reduced or absent
Shivering or shaking while resting
Less frequent trips to the food bowl or poor appetite
Signs of diarrhea
Reduced water intake
Upper respiratory signs like sneezing or crusty eyes
Here are some concerning signs more specific to older cats:
Missing scheduled feeding times
More uneaten food remaining in the bowl than normal
Noticeable increase or decrease in litter box activity
Sudden sleeping in the litter box
Abnormally staying in the same place for long periods of time
Abnormally staying on one level of the house or avoiding stairs
Any kind of sudden change in sleeping patterns where you’re seeing reduced activity during the day and longer sleep periods than usual should be a clue of a potential concern for any cat. Likewise, any selection of a very hidden and uncommon sleep area can indicate fear, anxiety, pain, or another health issue.
Because some health conditions can be gradual, it may be hard to notice other changes, especially in senior cats. This is why it’s very important to be more proactive in checking on your cat’s health with your vet at least twice a year if your kitty is over the age of 10.
Common Health Problems Linked To Excessive Sleeping in Cats
Following is a list of health conditions that may be associated with cats appearing to sleep excessively. In reality, what you’re seeing as excessive sleeping may be related to either lethargy or pain symptoms and a reluctance from your cat to be active.
What To Do if You’re Concerned About Your Cat’s Sleep Habits
If you’re concerned your cat’s sleeping behavior is abnormal, get them to your vet for a health check. Konrad Mostert / Shutterstock.com
It can be hard to determine if a change in sleep habits actually indicates an underlying health condition, especially if there are no other obvious health concerns. Cats do hide signs of illness notoriously well and it can also be hard sometimes to appreciate subtle changes at home. This is especially true of senior cats.
If you do feel your cat is sleeping more and you have concerns, it’s important to have your kitty assessed by your vet. The most important things your vet will check for include:
Fever
Dehydration
Localizing any signs of pain
Abnormal weight loss
Checking blood work is a common recommendation if a cat’s activity level is reduced. Blood work can help check for signs of infection and diseases causing lethargy like kidney disease and diabetes. X-rays may be considered if your cat is showing a focal area of pain or if osteoarthritis is suspected that may be contributing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it normal for cats to sleep a lot?
Yes, cats sleep more than people do – up to around 20 hours a day is normal. Kittens and older cats sleep more than young adults. However, any change to sleeping habits, such as sleeping more or erratic sleep habits, can be a sign of some health conditions.
How do you know if your cat is depressed?
Cats suffering from stress or anxiety may show many signs. A change in appetite, playing and interacting less, toileting outside the litter box, hiding away more and behavior changes such as depression can all be signs that something is wrong.
Why is my cat lying in one spot all day?
Cats often have their favorite places to rest and relax, but they should also show alert and social behaviors such as playing, feeding and interacting with other pets or human household members. If your cat is sleeping more than usual, weak or lethargic, seek advice from a veterinarian.
Cats.com uses high-quality, credible sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the claims in our articles. This content is regularly reviewed and updated for accuracy. Visit our About Us page to learn about our standards and meet our veterinary review board.
Cats Protection. (n.d.). Cats and Sleep. Retrieved July 19, 2024, from https://www.cats.org.uk/help-and-advice/cat-behaviour/cats-and-sleep#:~:text=Cats%20rest%20or%20sleep%20intermittently,they%27re%20actually%20awake
Sordo, L., Breheny, C., Halls, V., Cotter, A., Tørnqvist-Johnsen, C., Caney, S. M. A., & Gunn-Moore, D. A. (2020). Prevalence of Disease and Age-Related Behavioural Changes in Cats: Past and present. Veterinary Sciences, 7(3), 85. https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci7030085
Yamazaki, A., Edamura, K., Tanegashima, K., Tomo, Y., Yamamoto, M., Hirao, H., Seki, M., & Asano, K. (2020). Utility of a novel activity monitor assessing physical activities and sleep quality in cats. PloS One, 15(7), e0236795. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0236795
