Why Are Cats So Restless

Cats have adapted to spend a lot of time sleeping during the day. In order to conserve their energy for the hunt, chase, and killing of their next food, wild cats must sleep.

Even though our house cats may not have a desire to hunt, they still have the instinct to nap and get ready for a hunt.

How much sleep should a cat get on average?

As your cat ages, so will the number of hours they require to sleep and their regular sleeping patterns.

• With a few small bursts of energy in between meals, kittens will likely sleep for the majority of the day.
• Adolescent cats may experience moments of high playing interspersed with inconsistent sleep patterns.
• Adult cats often have more regular sleeping patterns, averaging 12 to 20 hours each day.
• Senior cats tend to be less active and less mobile than younger cats, which causes them to sleep more.

Once your cat reaches adulthood, you’ll probably notice that they start to develop a distinct routine of awake and sleep. For instance, you might see that your cat awakens shortly before you do in the morning, spends a few hours eating and interacting with you, and then goes back to sleep as you go about your busy day.

Although reports vary, most experts agree that cats should sleep 12 to 15 hours every day, though they can sleep for as little as 10 hours or as long as 20.

But appearances can be deceptive. According to Pankratz, your cat might not have been asleep the entire time.

“Unlike us, cats obtain that sleep in the form of small ‘cat naps’ throughout the day; they normally don’t sleep in great chunks of time,” says Molly,  a certified feline training and behavior specialist and founder of the nonprofit Cat Behavior Solutions.

While guidelines state that adults should sleep between 7 and 8 hours each night, a cat’s sleep needs can vary greatly based on age and surroundings. According to a 1981 research, farm cats slept about 40% of the day, generally at night. They slept for 22% of the day, which was throughout the day. Additionally, a 2007 study indicated that confined cats in a shelter were vigilant or easily startled 70% of the time, and sleeping only 11% of the time.

Is my cat actually dozing off?

Cats do occasionally get profound sleep, though. Cats frequently just snooze, just as people. Your cat spends just around 1/4 of their sleep time in deep sleep, making up roughly 3/4 of their total sleep time.

Cats get the necessary rest when they softly snooze, but they remain vigilant. You might observe that your cat is napping or dozing off if you notice that their eyes are still slightly open or if you notice that their ears continue to move in response to sounds.

Reasons

The Catnap

The first thing you should know is that cats spend the majority of their waking hours sleeping and are most active between dark and dawn. If you’re taking a new kitten home for the first time, this can come as quite a shock. The majority of the time, your cat will investigate and cause problems while you’re sound asleep. But as soon as your cat finishes breakfast and the rest of the world gets ready for action, you’ll see him settling in for a lengthy nap.

Energy efficiency

Cats are predisposed to chase after prey and hunt, usually at night, because they have a predator’s physiology. Similar to small cats, large cats like lions also sleep during the day and hunt at night. Housecoats still have a wild side, even if they have mostly been domesticated. Even playful cats will exhibit the feline natural tendencies of lurking in the shadows and pounce on their intended prey without a peep of warning.

Additionally, hunting requires a tremendous amount of energy. All that sleep your cat receives is just reserve energy for sprinting, pouncing, climbing, and stalking, whether he’s chasing after outdoor prey or confronting a catnip toy.

Open one eye

Like people, cats either snooze lightly or go into profound sleep. Your cat will position his body so that he may stand up and take action at a moment’s notice when he naps, which lasts for fifteen to thirty minutes.

Cats’ brains move quickly or quickly during deep slumber. The cat usually returns to napping after about five minutes of deep sleep. Up until the cat wakes up, this rhythm of napping and deep sleep continues.

The average adult cat tends to sleep less than kittens and older cats.

Gloomy day

It should not come as a surprise that cats are just like humans and are impacted by the weather. Depending on the breed, age, temperament, and general health of the cat, their behavior might vary dramatically. Whatever your cat’s typical demeanor, it has been noted that cats tend to sleep more when the weather warrants it. Yes, a rainy or cold day will have your cat yawning and yearning for some sleep even if he or she just spends time inside.