Approved by Dr. Dwight Alleyne, DVM Why Do Cats Sleep So Much? Cat Sleeping Patterns, Explained!
Is your feline king or queen sleeping all day? How much is too much sleep for cats - and when is it cause for concern? Here's everything you need to know about cat sleeping habits & how to take an active role in their health and well-being.
Why do cats sleep so much? Is the amount of time your cat sleeps normal? How much sleep is enough sleep for a cat, anyway? And can too much sleep be a sign of a serious health issue?
So many questions! Luckily, we’re here to give you the answers and set your mind at rest when it comes to… well, rest. Here’s everything you’ve always wanted to know about cats’ sleeping behaviors and patterns – including how to spot a change in your cat’s sleep levels that might signal a health issue.
Why do cats sleep so much?
Just like us, cats need sleep to survive. Regular sleep recharges and restores the body for the next day, and supports memory function as well as the immune system. Different types of sleep including NREM and REM support different functions of the body.
- Cats have evolved to sleep for long periods during the day. Doing so allows them to save on energy, which in the wild they would use for hunting, chasing, and finding their next meal. After all, cats are natural hunters (their hunting instinct is one of the main reasons why cats run away).
- Just like big cats, your house-lion still keeps to a schedule of hunting, feasting and sleeping1.
Since cats in the wild are typically both predator and prey1, it makes sense that they need a lot of energy to:
- Hunt and bring home their next meal,
- Avoid becoming a snack themselves.
Even the most domesticated of cats are still driven by this ancient biological wiring.
Because of this, cats tend to sleep more lightly than humans and take several cat naps throughout the day, rather then one long, deep sleep session at night.
How much do cats sleep?
Cats are sleepy creatures, and chances are, your feline family member is curled up cat-napping right now. It might seem like your furry friend sleeps all day, but how much do cats sleep really?
As for the exact amount of hours a cat sleeps, that depends on factors such as:
- Age: senior cats have less energy and tend to sleep more than younger cats. Kittens, like babies, require lots of sleep to grow.
- Activity level: cats tend to need to sleep more after a high-action day.
- Health condition: if your cat is suffering from a disease, for example cat dementia, their sleeping cycle may be affected.
How many hours a day do cats sleep?
According to veterinary experts, cats normally sleep anywhere from 12 – 20 hours a day2.
- The average is 15 hours a day, with 40% of all cats sleeping over 18 hours a day. That’s right, your cat sleeps about 2-3 times as long as you!
- Cats tend to sleep more hours per day as they grow older.
⚠️ Watch out though – a change in your cat’s sleep patterns (especially as they grow older) can be a sign of concern.
In fact, one of the early signs of Cognitive Dysfunction syndrome (CDS) in cats is:
“…a change in sleep-wake cycles – e.g., the cat is awake when normally sleeping and vice versa.”
– International Cat Care3
So if you’ve got a senior cat at home, it’s wise to keep an eye out for any changes in behavior – especially around their normal sleep times – so you can catch on to a shift earlier. (And get them to a vet for a preventive checkup, before their condition worsens.)
Which you could do by hovering over your cat every waking minute and jotting down every twitch, movement, and wake up…
✅ Or you could rely on the actionable data you get from a Sleep Tracker built for cats.
🐱 With its built-in motion detector, your trusty Tractive device picks up on your cat’s movements throughout the day – including when they’re asleep.
Which, with time, helps you build a picture of your cat’s sleeping behavior. Including:
- How much sleep your cat gets on the regular
- How much quality sleep this includes – plus how many times they were disturbed
- Any weird spike or dip in your cat’s sleeping behavior – like if they’re sleeping too much or too little
All of which can lead to a more productive, data-driven, informed discussion with your vet. No need to rely on your memory, where you might end up missing some important details.
How long do cats sleep?
Our feline friends, unlike us, are polyphasic sleepers. This means that cats sleep several times a day, rather than in one long period.
- So this explains why your cat probably never sleeps through the night like you do.
- Instead, your cat naps multiple times throughout the day, usually for period of 50 to 113 minutes, or 78 minutes on average4.
How long do kittens sleep?
Newborn kittens need much more sleep than adult cats. Once they’re born, it’s pretty common for them to spend most of their day sleeping. Your little furballs need all the sleep they can get – or they won’t grow otherwise!
In the first weeks of life, kittens sleep almost continuously.
- They might wake up occassionally to nurse with Mama Cat.
- As they get older, they stay awake for longer – but even as they continue to grow, young cats still sleep for a large part of the day. (Often 16 to 20 hours!)
- But as cats grow older, their daily hours of sleep decrease as well.
💡 See why it’s a good idea to pick up on your cat’s Sleep data? Now that you’re aware of what’s normal for most cats – you can compare how your cat is sleeping and whether they’re getting more or fewer winks.
(Unless you’re planning on sitting with a timer ticking while your cat sleeps all day, of course…)
Do cats dream?
You’ll guess it – yes! Just like humans, cats go through different stages of sleep. During the REM (rapid eye movement) phase, cats are in deep sleep and can dream.5 When cats dream, you might observe their muscles twitching – or even hissing or meowing.
So at this point, you might be wondering: what do cats dream about? Well, unfortunately, it’s still a secret. Researchers aren’t 100% sure of what exactly might be going through your cat’s mind while asleep. But just like humans, it’s possible cats are able to process events they’ve just experienced.6
So just like with dogs, who can also experience dream sleep – it’s possible your cat might be dreaming of you too. (And the fun you have together.)
😿Think your cat might be experiencing a nightmare? It’s best not to wake them up if they’re having a bad dream when they’re in deep sleep.7
- This is an important phase of sleep where your cat’s body is healing and repairing itself.
- So if you wake them up during this phase, you might interrupt the cell renewal process.
Rather, we’d recommend you wait for your cat to wake up by themselves – and give them plenty of hugs and cuddles after. Your presence is comforting enough to overcome any bad dreams.
Are cats nocturnal?
Nope, this is actually a myth. Cats are crepuscular, not nocturnal. This means that they’re most active at dawn and dusk.
This behavior is based on their hunting behavior, as cats in the wild tend to prey on animals who are also most active around these times. So if you feel uneasy about your kitty walking around at night, remember that they’re much better equipped for the dark than you are.
⚠️ So if your cat is keeping you awake at night with endless meowing or vocalizing – watch out. This could be another sign of cognitive decline. Your cat might be feeling confused and disoriented, which is why they’re trying to get your attention.
Read more: Cat Dementia: How To Care For Your Grand-Cat
Is my cat sleeping too much? Or too less?
Changes in sleep patterns may be normal – but could also indicate illness in your cat8.
If you notice your cat is sleeping more – or less – than normal, plus displaying other worrisome behavior such as not eating, this could signal a serious health issue.
Here’s a story from a Tractive cat mom who caught on to a change in her cat’s regular behaviors – and avoided a medical emergency.
“With the Tractive GPS, I found out one night that (my cat had) only made one little trip to the park, slept all night – and didn’t really do much during the day.
So I decided to check her up to see if she was sick – or had something else going on.
When I picked her up, the pus oozed over my hand from the abscess bursting!
Without Tractive, I wouldn’t have noticed it at all. I would still see her walk around to drink and feed and think everything is okay.
I might only have noticed when I didn’t see her stroll over for a whole day. At which point, she’d probably have been dangerously sick.
We went to the vet a few hours later – she had a serious fever, a big abscess, and was pretty sick already. So we got it in time. A whole week of antibiotics – and now she’s herself again.
Tractive is also very handy for when you need to give your pets their medication. All I have to do is check where she is and call her over to give her the antibiotics.“
– Cissy V, Netherlands
🤔Wondering how your Tractive device’s battery will fare tracking your cat’s sleep all night?
Not to fear – you can massively cut down on battery usage by connecting your Tractive device to a trusted network, like you home WiFi. Aka, set up a Power-Saving Zone at home.
And with a Tractive Base Station, you can set up a Power-Saving Zone wherever you go!
Wrapping up: How much should my cat sleep?
In general, it’s typical for cats to need anywhere from 12 to 20 hours of sleep a day.
- Kittens and senior cats usually require more sleep than healthy adult cats.
- Most cats don’t sleep through the night like us humans – but rather in several short “cat naps” throughout the day.
- A change in your cat’s sleep patterns may not always be a cause for concern – but if it’s persisting and you’ve got a senior cat at home, it could signal cognitive decline.
Talk to your vet if your cat sleeps less than 12 hours a day, or more than 20 hour a day, or if their sleeping habits suddenly change. You should also consult a vet if your cat doesn’t wake up easily, or shows any other signs of illness.
How can I pick up on a change in my cat’s sleep patterns? Or how long they’re sleeping?
Jotting down your cat’s habits is a starting point – but let’s admit it, you need your own 8 hours of sleep. Plus, work, chores, and everything else you’ve got keeping you busy.
💡So why not let a Sleep Monitor built for cats do all the hard work for you?
😺 With your trusty Tractive GPS set up, you can quickly and easily:
- Spot if anything about your cat’s sleep pattern is off,
- Identify health issues early on,
- and save a ton of money you might’ve otherwise spent at the vet’s!
“Everything we build puts pets and pet parents first. It’s why we’ve built one device that tracks all aspects of your pet’s safety, from location to wellness. So you can holistically keep them both safe and happy.”
– Sebastian Raab, Product Manager at Tractive & occasional pet sitter
Stay on top of your cat’s wellness
See where they are in real-time, no matter how far they go. Get alerts if they roam too far home. Find out where they’ve been and discover their favorite spots. Let others track with you.
Does your cat seem to sleep all the time? Here’s a short, sweet video explaining a few reasons why:
And if you’ve liked this post, share it with a friend or a loved one – and let’s help build a safer, kinder world for our furry friends together.
Your furry friend’s health and wellbeing means as much as to us as it does to you. So we’ve made it a priority to only share medically-relevant content on our blog.
This post was checked, double-checked, and medically verified by Georgia-based vet, Dr. Dwight Alleyne.
Originally from Long Island, New York, Dr. Alleyne began his career at a no-kill animal shelter before becoming a licensed veterinary technician. He graduated from Cornell University Veterinary College in 2006 and completed an internship at Purdue University.
Now practicing in Georgia, Dr. Alleyne specializes in soft tissue surgery and ultrasounds. He also writes pet health articles on his website, “The Animal Doctor Blog” (www.anmldrblog.com).
