Cat is a domestic animal from the species of carnivores. For them, it is normal to sleep around twelve to sixteen hours per day. While this might be a lot for humans, it is completely natural for cats to sleep this long. Some experts say that cats might even sleep for up to 20 hours in a 24 hour period.
How this sleep is distributed in the twenty-four-hour period varies for every cat depending on their schedule and behavior pattern. Most cats do the majority of their sleeping in day hours and exhibit nocturnal behavior. This is in line with them being true to their nocturnal instinct.
Some people wonder that whenever they see their cat, they always find it sleeping. Whether it is during the day, in the middle of the day, or early morning, they always find their cat sleeping. In this article, you will find the most common reasons why you may find your cat sleeping all day.
1. They are simply napping!
While you may think your cat is fast asleep for the most part of the day, this may not be true. When you see your cat sleeping during the day, it is most probably napping. Three fourth portion of the cat’s time spent sleeping is when the cat is only lightly snoozing.
They are not in deep sleep when they are napping and are can easily be aroused by a light stimulus. An easy way to differentiate whether your cat is in deep sleep or only snoozing off for some time is to pay close attention to their ears. If your cat moves their ears in response to sounds and noise, it is most likely that it is only lightly snoozing. Another sign is that if the cats’ eyes are slightly open, it indicates that they are not in a deep sleep.
2. It can be because of being sick
If your cat’s sleeping habits and pattern have suddenly changed, it can be due to various reasons. Some of them include being injured, having stomach pain, pain while urinating, having a fever, or being depressed. In such cases, they will show other signs as well, like not eating well, being more cranky than usual, and not going outdoors.
3. They are conserving energy
As mentioned earlier, cats are nocturnal creatures and carry out most of their hunting and other activities in the dark. For this purpose, it is important for them to conserve their energy during the day. House cats are usually domesticated for the most part; however, they still cling to and retain their wild traits. Hunting is a very taxing and energy-consuming sport, and in order to hunt down their prey at night, cats are clever enough to save on their energy during the day and use that energy reserve at night.
4. The weather is to be blamed
Like humans, cats get affected by the weather as well. If it is a rainy day or the weather is very cold, cats are bound to get affected by it. Cats tend to pass the dark, gloomy days by sleeping them off on the couch. Their energy levels drop when the sky is grey outside. As soon as the sun is out, they will return to their usual activity levels.
5. It depends on their cat humans
Many cat owners ask, do cats sleep at night or not? Well, the answer is both yes and no. Some cats are extremely friendly and like to spend as much time as possible with their cat humans. Hence, they adjust their daily schedule such that they sleep during the day when you are away from work and want to be awake and energetic when you return in the evening.
6. Your cat might be dealing with anxiety and/or stress
While some cats become hyperactive and very energetic in response to stress and anxiety, others become dull and have lower levels of energy. They resort to sleeping all day long to overcome their phase of anxiety. If your cat sleeps all day, it is important to look for other signs of distress, fatigue, and anxiety. Comfort your cat by showing it love and affection.
7. The fondness for cat sleeping bags!
If you have bought a cat sleeping bag, you must be aware of how fond cats are of them. They are warm, fuzzy, and soft. Cats find them extremely comforting, and they have a soothing effect on them. The reason why you see your cat cuddled up in its sleeping bag is that it may be its favorite spot in the whole house. It is not necessary that you only find your cat in that spot when it wants to sleep. They also go inside their sleeping bag when they want to relax and have a good time.
8. Your cat is under-stimulated!
If your cat is less active than usual and has lower energy levels than it had before, there is a high chance that it is under-stimulated, and that has caused it to become lazy. This means that you need to engage more with your cat and get more involved in playing games with them, get new and interesting toys for them. Taking them out for walks might also help. All these factors will give them an adrenaline rush, and this will make them more active and playful.
Cats are wired to spend more than half of their day sleeping. Most reasons why you find your cat sleeping for most hours of the day are not worrisome. Sometimes they might require a little extra attention and time.
However, it is possible that this may be indicative of a more alarming condition or illness. The key thing is to look for other signs and symptoms of an injury or disease. Try to take note of whether your cat is behaving strangely or doing something out of the usual. If this is the case, do get your cat checked by its vet.
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