Why is my cat sleeping so much

One of the most important things a cat does in a day is sleep!
On the bed, on the sofa, on the floor, in the cat’s bed, on the table, even on your lap, everywhere is a good place for them to sleep.
Also, cats always go to bed after playing for a while, go to bed after eating, go to bed after combing, and go to bed after a while… There is no doubt that cats are really “lazy cats”.
Every time you accidentally see a cat or notice what the cat is doing, they are sleeping.
It makes people wonder:
How long do cats need to sleep a day?
Why do cats sleep so much every day?
Do they dream like us when they sleep?
The key is, how can we let them sleep better at night so as not to affect our own sleep?
Today we will take a closer look at issues related to cat sleeping~~~
Human beings will stay up late and suffer from insomnia. If we don’t pay enough attention to the quality of sleep, it may cause some health problems. This prompts us to pay attention to sleep, a human activity that we take for granted but cannot be ignored.
Most people may not have paid much attention to the topic of cat sleep, such as:

1. How long do cats sleep in a day?
Looking at the ten cats in my house, apart from being more energetic when they want to eat and play, they are always lazy at other times, with a sleepy look on their faces.
You sleep most of the day, so how many hours of sleep do you need in an average day?
Judging from experience and relevant information, cats, unlike humans, sleep in small patches, and an adult cat sleeps 13.2 hours a day, which is between 12 and 14 hours.
Unlike humans who fall asleep all at once, cats do not fall asleep all at once, but sleep repeatedly in short periods of time.
The quality of a cat’s sleep will be affected by age, food amount, room temperature, noise, brightness and bed quality. Kittens, elderly cats, or on rainy days, cats can sleep for nearly 20 hours a day!
The reason why kittens need to sleep for so long is because, like human children, they need to grow and accumulate the energy needed for growth;
Old cats, on the other hand, need more sleep to conserve energy in their bodies due to declining body functions;
On rainy days, the indoor temperature and brightness are lowered, and cats are likely to sleep more.
In addition to sleeping, cats also spend the rest of the day eating, drinking, playing, grooming, fighting, walking and other activities.
The total time spent on these activities is not as good as sleeping, so——

2. Why do cats sleep for so long?
There is a reason why cats sleep for so long. To explore the reason, we have to start with the cat’s natural instinct.
1.Decided by nature
The ancestors of cats lived in the wild. Life in the wild is dangerous, and cats must pay attention to speed and strength in hunting activities.
As swift wild hunters, their hunting activities require some hunting skills, speed, superb sensitivity, maneuverability, etc., all of which are supported by good physical strength.
Every time a hunting operation is carried out, the body needs to provide a large amount of energy and water for consumption, and all cats need sleep to replenish these water and physical strength;
Or like lions and tigers in the wild, they need to save and conserve energy by sleeping to prepare for the next “explosive” hunting operation.
In addition, cats are pure carnivores, and a cat on a high-calorie diet needs to spend extra time sleeping because it does not need to eat anything after eating.
Until now, even though cats have been raised by humans, they still retain their natural instincts and need to sleep for a long time every day to replenish their physical energy. “Eating and sleeping” is a very healthy lifestyle for them.
2. High vigilance
We know that cats are highly vigilant and will immediately react to any disturbance in the house.
This habit allows them to remain alert to the surrounding environment at all times while sleeping. Even if they rest with their eyes closed, they will wake up from time to time to inspect the surrounding environment.
After observation, it is found that there is no danger, and then it will continue to sleep.
This is a cat’s instinct—
Cat ancestors had to face harsh environments to survive in the wild, and had to remain alert to the outside world even when sleeping.
In addition, cats will immediately take hunting action when they see prey without any delay, which also highly cultivates cats’ high vigilance.
This kind of vigilance requires a large amount of body energy consumption. Even today’s pet cats still have an innate high alertness. Therefore, cats need to replenish this part of the body’s energy consumption through multiple sleeps of varying lengths.
3. Weather reasons
On cloudy and rainy days, the environment will be darker and the temperature will be more suitable, making it easier for cats to sleep.
So the above points are the reasons why cats love to sleep. So will cats dream after sleeping for so long?

3. Cat’s sleep cycle, sleeping habits and dreaming
We know that our human sleep is divided into fast wave sleep (REM, also known as rapid eye movement sleep, which is the phenomenon of eyes moving rapidly during sleep, leading to dreaming) and slow wave sleep (SWS, also known as slow eye movement sleep, which is deep sleep), the two can transform into each other, and can alternate for 1 to 2 hours, and the sleep duration is 6 to 8 hours, and a sleep cycle will be formed at the same time.
And what about cats?
Cats wake up 20 to 30% of the day, and spend the remaining 70 to 80% sleeping.
Like humans, cats’ sleep is also divided into fast-wave sleep and slow-wave sleep. They also have their own sleep cycles, but cats divide their sleep into many small chunks.
Humans are awake for a long time during the day and sleep for 6 to 8 hours at night, while cats:
Alternately wake up for 26 minutes and sleep for 78 minutes, and the cycle repeats.
During these 78 minutes of sleep, cats have an average of 2.6 times of rapid eye movement sleep, each lasting 6 to 7 minutes. This rapid eye movement time is the same as humans, it is also a kind of light sleep, and it is easy to wake up and dream.
Then there is the sleeping habit of cats. Cats prefer to get up and be active at night, so their vision will be sharper. Cats spend more time sleeping during the day. Their sleep proceeds from shallow to deep after they feel safe.
Kittens prefer REM sleep because cats spend the first 10 days after birth in REM sleep, which drops to 50% after 28 days.
This explains why kittens prefer to sleep with their eyes rolled, because they are dreaming!
Although cats sleep long enough, it is also very important to create a good sleeping environment for our furry children. It is also our responsibility as poop managers to let them rest better!

4. How to let cats rest better?
Cats also need a good sleeping environment to promote their physical development and health.
The best of both worlds, by putting the cat to sleep, the cat owner can also fall asleep.
1. Maintain a certain indoor temperature
The indoor temperature is around 22 degrees Celsius, which may be the most comfortable for cats.
In summer, it is best not to exceed 36 degrees Celsius, otherwise the cat may suffer from heat stroke.
2. Reduce indoor brightness
Like most humans, cats don’t sleep well in places that are too bright. They sleep better in dim environments.
Cats will not be able to sleep well if they are exposed to a bright environment all day long, including when the lights are on at night.
So if you want your cat to be quieter and have a good rest at night, it’s best to turn off the lights at night.
3. Cat houses are also very particular.
Cats prefer soft blankets, which feel better and sleep more soundly, so our family will prepare more such blankets for cats to sleep on. Cats like them very much.
Of course, it is worth noting that you should always clean the cat hair on the blanket and wash the mat regularly. Remember that cats also like to be clean. Small blankets with fresh scent are my cat’s favorite! !
If the temperature is high in summer, you can prepare boxes, ice pads and other good places for cats to sleep.
4. A certain massage is very comfortable for cats
Before the cat goes to bed, we can gently touch the cat’s body from head to tail, so that the cat will feel more secure!
Cats will feel more comfortable and safe with the owner’s scent in the air and surrounding environment, making it easier to fall asleep.
5. Play with your cat more during the day
Cats sleep for a long time, and after adequate rest, they will be full of energy. They will jump up and down, sometimes entertain themselves, play with small fur balls, and parkour back and forth, making them appear full of energy.
Then we can play with the cats more when they want to play during the day to speed up their exercise consumption during the day. Especially in the evening, we can use cat teasing sticks, ropes, etc. to consume their energy, and let them exercise more before going to bed. , so that they will sleep well at night soon.
In short, there are innate reasons why cats sleep so long. Only when they are full of sleep can they have enough energy to play and cope with various changes in the external environment.
Cats also have slow wave sleep and fast wave sleep. During fast wave sleep, that is, light sleep, the cat will twitch involuntarily. At this time, the cat may be dreaming!
Finally, we can help cats get better rest by keeping the indoor temperature appropriate, reducing indoor brightness, preparing more small fur blankets, playing with cats more during the day, massaging cats before going to bed, etc.!