Cats are known for their love of sleep, often spending most of the day napping in various cosy spots. Sleep is essential for your cat’s health, helping them recharge their energy for play, exploration, and hunting instincts. From kittens to senior cats, their sleeping habits can tell you a lot about their wellbeing and comfort.
This guide will help you understand how much sleep your cat needs, recognise common sleeping behaviours, and ensure they have the perfect environment to rest. Whether you’re curious about their quirky sleeping positions or concerned about changes in their sleep patterns, we’ve got all the advice you need to keep your cat happy and well-rested.
Let’s dive into the fascinating world of cat sleep!
The average cat needs between 15 and 20 hours of sleep, but this is generally split into shorter naps through the day.
Newborn kittens can sleep for almost 22 hours each day! This amount gradually decreases as they get older. By 3 months they are likely to be getting 18-20 hours of sleep each day. At 6 months and older this is likely to be 15-18 hours and similar to adult cats.
When you sleep for most of the day, it helps to be flexible about where and how you sleep. Cats can certainly adapt easily, allowing them to nod off whenever and wherever the opportunity arises. Popular positions include:
- Curled up: This favoured position helps keep them warm and feel safe
- Lying on one side: This sleeping position indicates that your cat feels relaxed
- Sternal: This is a dozing position. Laying on their tummy, usually with paws tucked beneath them
Cats have the ability to switch from dozing for a few minutes to falling into a deep sleep for hours. Cats can wake from a nap in an instant if they sense danger (or a treat) and will often yawn and stretch for a while following a period of deep sleep.
If you've noticed that your cat is more active at dawn and dusk, it's because it's in their nature to be alert during these periods as it's the best time to hunt. Being flexible sleepers though, some cats can adapt their bedtime behaviours to fit around your sleep routine.
It's important that they have a dedicated area where they can feel safe and enjoy some privacy.
Cat beds help provide the warmth and comfort they need. When choosing the perfect bed for your cat, it's important to consider factors such as size (so they have the room to fully stretch and change sleeping position) over style. Try to provide a few beds in varied areas away from draughts so they can stay nice and cozy.
While it is okay to wake up a sleeping cat, you should attempt to keep disrupting them intentionally to a minimum. Cats need their beauty sleep too! Be cautious when waking up a sleeping cat and if you need to, try to do it slowly rather than an abrupt wake-up to avoid startling them.
A cat that is fully asleep will have their eyes mostly or completely closed and will have a slow regular breathing pattern. You may notice some slight twitching in their paws or mouth.
If you notice that your cat is not sleeping, or has a change in their sleeping habits, then you can contact your vet to discuss further. Other signs to watch out for include increased sounds with breathing like bubbling or wheezing, and an inability to wake up.
You should allow your cat to sleep as long as it needs to, however if you notice a change in sleeping habits that concerns you, contact your vet.