CATDOLL : How long does a cat normally sleep?

Sleep is very important to us, and the same is true for cats. Sufficient sleep can help us relax, adjust our mental state, and give us a lot of energy. The cats we know seem to sleep every day, so why do cats love to sleep? How long can cats sleep?

1. How long does a cat need to sleep enough?

Cats are very sleepy animals. Adult cats spend 14 to 18 hours a day sleeping, and the rest of the time is spent eating, going to the toilet, playing, being vain, patrolling the territory, making the owner happy, and meditating. Kittens need more sleep, 20 to 22 hours of sleep a day to ensure their healthy growth. Slow-wave sleep is mainly a sleep of thinking. The activity of the cerebral cortex slows down, and the brain waves show a high-voltage-slow wave form. At this time, the body is not completely relaxed. The common posture is lying prone, with the head raised, and the front paws naturally extended forward or pressed under the body. At this time, if you walk gently past the cat, the cat will wake up immediately.

2. Why do cats sleep so long?

Cats' sleep is divided into two categories, one is called slow wave sleep, also called quiet sleep, and the other is called eye movement sleep, also called dynamic sleep. If you pay attention to the sleeping cats, you will find that cats will wake up as long as there is a slight sound when they are sleeping. This is because cats' sleep is divided into light sleep and deep sleep. Most of the time, cats are in a state of light sleep. They seem to be asleep, but in fact they still maintain a high degree of vigilance. Cats cannot get enough rest when they are in light sleep, which is equivalent to a human nap. Cats will only be in a state of deep sleep when they are really relaxed. Cats in deep sleep generally take a very comfortable posture, such as lying on their backs in a twisted shape, while cats often lie on their stomachs when they are in light sleep. Cats sleep in a cycle of light sleep-deep sleep-light sleep, and the light sleep time is very long, so the time they really get to rest and relax is not particularly long. The time they really sleep and rest every day is only 5 or 6 hours.

In the 16 hours of sleep a cat has every day, 4 to 7 hours are in the REM sleep stage. During REM sleep, the eyeballs will quiver rapidly back and forth, and the nictitating membrane (i.e., inner eyelid) will close. REM sleep is a rest for the body. When a cat enters REM sleep, all muscles in the body relax, and the posture is generally curled up. Like humans, cats in REM sleep have very active minds, and their brain waves are very similar to those when they are awake. In the REM sleep state, cats sleep very deeply, and if they are suddenly awakened, they will temporarily lose their sense of direction and balance, which is the same reaction as humans when they are called while they are in a daze.

These two types of sleep are constantly alternating. When you first fall asleep, you are in a slow-wave sleep state. After 10-30 minutes, you enter a REM sleep state. After another six or seven minutes, you return to a slow-wave sleep state and sleep for 20-30 minutes. When this alternation occurs, cats often wake up, stretch, yawn, change their posture, and then continue to sleep.

3. Do cats also dream?

Careful parents will find that cats will smack their lips and shake their limbs when they are asleep. Some cats will even hum and moan. Don't doubt it, at this moment, the cat is dreaming! Like humans, cats also dream, but cats' dreams are generally simple, mostly about eating and playing. When a cat smacks its lips, it may be dreaming about the delicious food it had today~

4. Where is the most comfortable place to sleep?

For cats, who are so good at enjoying life, sleeping in a soft, warm, familiar place with the smell of their owners is the safest, most secure, happiest and most comfortable. So many cats like to sleep in their owners' beds and clothes. When we are busy, my cat always sleeps peacefully by guarding our old clothes.

5. Why don’t cats sleep in the early morning?

One of the headaches for many parents is being woken up by their cats when they are sleeping soundly in the early morning. They wonder why cats who can sleep so well are so energetic when they should be sleeping. The reason is very simple. For cats, who are natural hunters, night is the time when prey comes out to look for food. In the darkest early morning, only cats' bright eyes can see everything. Cats can see every move of their prey, but the prey cannot see the cats. This is the easiest time to hunt. As domestic cats, they still have hunter blood flowing in their bodies. Their primitive instinct makes them most awake in the early morning.

From the above content, we can understand that cats need a good sleeping space. Sufficient sleep can make cats healthy and happy. We should try our best to create a good environment for cats so that they can grow up healthily.