Why Cats Sleep so Often

Cats are the definition of sleep. They sleep for about 16 hours a day and older cats sleep for about 20 hours a day. Usually they aren’t really sleeping because they’re in a state called snoozing. Snoozing is where they get all the rest they need, but they’re still alert to wake up at any moment. When a cat is in light sleep their ears will twitch and move toward noises. Also, cats can get into deep sleep but it’s usually only for a short period of time. A cat is in deep sleep when their eyes are closed tightly and they will have their paw or tail in their face. Deep sleep is very important for cats since it’s helps their body regenerate itself and stay healthy. During their deep sleep, cats can even dream like humans. If your cats paws or whiskers were twitching while their sleeping, there’s a good chance they could be dreaming. Since your cat is always hunting and playing, they burn a lot of energy so they need their sleep to rest up. Cats can even snore while they sleep since their airway is obstructed by extra skin from the soft palate. Snoring usually occurs in short-nosed breeds like the Persian, Himalayan, and the Exotic Short-hair.  Most cats sleep during the day and are awake at night because they’re nocturnal. Usually house cats are not nocturnal, but they’re crepuscular. Crepuscular means the cat combines daylight activity with nighttime activity. The next time you see your cat sleeping, don’t think that they’re lazy, think that they need their rest from all the hunting and playing.