Why Do Cats Sleep So Much?
It is likely that on more than one occasion you have asked yourself: why was I not born a feline to sleep all day? People are very struck by the fact that our pets are resting at all hours. Maybe it’s because we don’t understand their motives (that they have them). In this article we tell you why cats sleep so much. You will be amazed!
Cats sleep too much: why?
On average, felines sleep about 15 hours a day. But there are times of the year when your “naps” can last 20 hours in total. Of course we want to know the reasons for so much rest.
As a first measure, we must know that cats have a more active night life than people. That is why they “activate” from dusk until dawn. We don’t see them (sometimes we do hear them) because we are sleeping. Therefore, when they are awake, humans rest and vice versa. Surely your cat will think you are a sleepyhead for spending all night in bed!
During the daytime, cats look for any place, if it is in the bed or the sofa better, to rest and go unnoticed. They charge their batteries to go out at night (if only to snoop around the room). When everyone goes to sleep, predators and insects charge and that’s when the cat is most alert.
However, some can adapt to the habits of the house and adjust their sleep patterns in relation to their diet. For this reason, cats that live in an apartment or house and do not go outside can sleep more than those that roam the park or the neighborhood.
As can happen with people, felines sleep very lightly at certain times and deep at others. During a light rest (between 15 and 30 minutes), the animal puts its body in such a way that it can take action in any situation.
Cats sleep to conserve energy
It is proven that newborn cats and the elderly sleep more than young ones. The former because they must continue to develop outside the womb. The second because they do not have enough energy to spend hours awake. But be careful because cats between 1 and 6 years old also require a battery recharge, which works better during the day.
Cats are related to lions, cougars, and leopards. They are programmed to hunt and chase their prey, which comes out mostly at night. Felines have similar patterns: sleeping during the day and providing food at night. Although they have been tamed, they still retain their wild and instinctive features (which you will also see for example when playing games).
Hunting a prey makes them expend a good amount of energy. Although the kitten eats feed or tuna that its owner offers it, its body is prepared to look for its food. This means that the hours you use to sleep are a way to reserve or recover the energy that you would need to stalk, climb, jump, pounce on prey, etc.
Have you realized that your cat sleeps more when it rains? The weather is a determining factor for the hours of sleep of your pet. The same will happen on days that are too cold. In this we are a lot like felines, right?
Cats sleep a lot despite not having so much need
Another issue to take into account is the fact that cats do not need to go for a walk like dogs do. In a room they have everything they need: food, water, bed and bathroom. That is why they are the most sedentary pets. They are not looking to make too many moves to meet their basic needs.
This is how they get bored and instead of doing nothing … they sleep! The other option would be to tear our clothes or shoes, look for us to play or to pamper ourselves, fight with other animals or tear the furniture… Wouldn’t you prefer that I rest then?
