Do Cats Spent 75 of Their Life Time in Sleep?

[nelson]

All You Need To Know About Cats And Sleep.

Cats can be found sleeping anytime, anywhere from 12 to 16 hours a day. Some cats sleep up to 20 hours, especially older cats or kittens. Their ancestors lived in the wild, where they needed rest for hunting. Cats have also been found to be crepuscular; they are most active during dawn and dusk. Therefore, they tend to sleep during the day and night and then show bursts of energy at twilight.

A cat's sleep pattern contains light sleep and deep sleep. While sleeping lightly, cats remain conscious about the happenings around them and may wake up instantly if required. During deep sleep, they sleep REM-like humans, wherein they may get something-related dreams. You might notice them twitching or moving their paws during this phase.

They will also retreat to warm, safe places to sleep and be secure, rotating their favourite sleeping spots according to the time of day or season.

SLEEP PATTERNS

Crepuscular Activity: Cats are described as crepuscular. Therefore, they are most energetic at dawn and dusk. In fact, during these times, they are seen to burst with energy, after which they remain asleep for most of the day.

Light Sleep versus Deep Sleep: There is light sleep, where cats are alert and ready to jump into action, while deep sleep involves the cat entering into REM. REM sleep may mean that cats are dreaming; sometimes, you may notice your cat twitching, moving their paws, or even making noise.

Dozing Mode: Cats can doze by sleeping lightly, but their senses are still somewhat alert. While cats can sleep in this mode, they still show the ability to detect sounds and motion due to an inborn survival instinct coming from the wild. During sleep in this mode, they will appear very relaxed but react faster when some disturbance occurs.

SLEEP CYCLES

Just like humans, cats also have sleep cycles. Here are some key points related to cat sleep cycles:

REM Sleep: The cat spends 30% of its sleep in this stage, which is essential for mental procedures. In this stage, the cat's brain is as active as that of humans when they are dreaming. The length is usually 6 to 7 minutes. During this stage, cats may twitch, purr, or move their legs as if dreaming.

Polyphasic Sleep: Cats take many different periods of sleep throughout the day, unlike humans, who take one long sleep.

NREM Sleep: The time taken includes 70% of a cat's sleep; this is important for physical restoration. It's the more profound and most restful stage of sleep, where they are less responsive to external stimuli. This is the time when cats draw from their energy reserves.

Nap Duration: This may vary from a quarter of an hour to several hours, encouraging alertness.

Dream Activity: Dream activity is during REM sleep, indicative of complex brain functions.

Knowing these sleep cycles can help you appreciate cats' delicate balance between rest and alertness, which is essential to survival and general well-being.

WHY DO CATS SLEEP SO MUCH?

Energy Conservation: While domesticated cats do not need to hunt for survival as their ancestors did, they have an instinctive tendency to conserve energy. Wild cats hunt in short periods filled with energetic work, then rest for long periods to rebuild energy stores for the next hunt.

Growth and Healing: Cats often sleep, especially kittens, since sleep is vital for growth and healing. Sleep helps with the repairing of body tissues, the development of muscles, and making the immune system strong.

COMMON SLEEPING POSITIONS

Loaf Position: They pull their paws under their body and look like a loaf of bread. This is a light sleeping position, meaning they are comfortable yet alert.

Curled Up: Cats often curl up into a ball, wrapping their tail around them. This keeps warmth close to their body and can make them feel safe. It is usually the position taken during colder weather periods.

Stretched Out: During higher temperatures, cats will sprawl their body out to release any heat. It shows that they are at ease in their environment.

On Their Back: When your cat sleeps on its back, exposing its belly is a sure sign that it feels perfectly safe and trusts enough of its surroundings.

SLEEPING LOCATIONS

Cats are selective about their places to sleep, and they will often prefer where they will feel safe and warm:

High Places: Cats tend to sleep in high places, such as shelves, window sills, or on top of furniture. These places make them feel safe and provide a good vantage point to see what's happening.

Small, Enclosed Spaces: Cats prefer sleeping in boxes, closets, and under the bed because these places are small and closely remind them of closed dens they would use to protect against weather and other animals in the wild.

CHANGES IN SLEEPING HABITS

Age: Older cats sleep a lot more than their younger counterparts. Kittens and older cats are the two stages that need much extra sleep for growth and recovery. Once cats reach their senior years, sleep patterns shift. Senior sleeping often increases in duration, sometimes much as it did with their extensive sleep patterns when they were kittens. However, the quality can decline due to health issues such as arthritis or cognitive dysfunction.

It, therefore, calls for observation of these changing patterns and adaptation, as this highly influences the welfare of your cat. Some take-home points that one needs to deliberate on include but are not limited to:

• Kitten Sleep: In growth and development.

• Adult Sleep: More patterned and of shorter length.

• Senior Sleep: Longer but possibly poorer in quality.

• REM Sleep: Important at every stage of life for brain health.

• Health: Changes may be required depending on changes in health.

Health Conditions: The sudden change in a cat's sleeping patterns may denote health conditions. For example, a cat is usually active and starts sleeping excessively; however, when a cat generally sleeps too much and becomes hyperactive, this may be due to illness or discomfort.

Changes in the Environment: Traumatic events such as changing homes, adding a new pet, or even changing their routine may affect how a cat sleeps.

SEASONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS

Temperature: Cats sleep more when cold and prefer to sleep in warm spots like sunny windows, radiators, or your lap. During hot weather, they retreat to more relaxed, open areas and stretch out to keep cool.

Light: The duration of daylight impacts a cat's sleep pattern. Cats naturally correlate their activity to the amount of light in a day; for example, in nature, they sleep a lot but hunt much when it is dark. Even their domesticated cousins can be influenced by the amount of natural light, sleeping more in the daytime in winter when days are shorter.

DIET AND SLEEP

Or possibly, the cat sleeps more because it eats so much, just like after taking in a meal high in protein. This would fall under instinctive behaviour related to hunting and feeding, wherein the cat in nature or some domesticated ones could take into its bed to rest immediately after catching and consuming prey.

CATS AND NAPS

Cats have been described as "professional nappers." While they sleep long, much of their sleep is a light doze. This permits them to remain aware of any possible danger or potential prey to pounce on.

CAT DREAMING

Like humans, cats also dream in their REM sleep stage. We can only speculate on their dreams, but they could be based on chasing, playing, or simply reacting with the owner and the environment.

HOW TO HELP CATS SLEEP BETTER

Comfortable Sleeping Spots: Make sleeping areas available that cater to comfort, cosiness, and safety. Cats love soft bedding and most enjoy having options between raised spots and enclosed areas.

Play and Exercise: Enough playtime and mental stimulation will wear out your cat, thus sleeping more. Most interactive toys and activities mimic their instinct of hunting.

Routine: Cats are routine animals; feeding, pl, eating, and retiring for the night should always follow a pattern. Such an environment devoid of change will make them feel secure and thus sleep better.

SLEEP DISORDERS

Sleep disorders can be tricky to diagnose but are significant in a cat's life. Like humans, sleep disturbances could profoundly impact a cat's general health. Symptoms associated with sleep disorders, such as insomnia in cats or sleep deprivation, often depend upon cautious observation of behaviour and napping habits.

Note changes in sleeping behaviour. If your cat is usually a sound sleeper but suddenly begins having restless nights or continually wakes up at night, this may indicate something is wrong. Note if there's more sleeping during the day. A sleep-deprived cat may seem overly tired during the day.

Sleep Disorder Signs:

• Irregular sleep patterns: Cats with sleeping disorders can show a very inconsistent sleep pattern, including long naps and periods of wakefulness.

• Nighttime activity: One of the clear signs of insomnia is nocturnal activity. If your cat is often awake and active during nighttime, it is not sleeping properly.

• Vocalization: Increased meowing or crying at night may point to discomfort or anxiety, resulting in disrupted sleep.

• Loss of appetite: Cats that do not get enough rest exhibit changes in their appetites, showing a decrease or sometimes an increase in it.

• Behavioral changes: It may also lead to aggression, irritability, and cat withdrawal due to disturbed sleep.

Please consider the sleep environment: it should be predisposed to good sleep, without disturbances, and comfortably set up. If you believe your cat suffers from some sleep disorder, it is essential to consult a veterinarian who could provide an evaluation, probably followed by treatment options. Early recognition and management of these signs could help your cat feel healthy and enjoy quality of life.

Conclusion

They can sleep for as much as 75 per cent of their time, which is vital for general health reasons. The sleeping pattern for cats holds much of their evolution and instinct in its essential elements as predators. Understanding their sleep helps provide a better environment and care for your cat's well-being.

 

 

Edited October 4 by nelson