How many hours a day does a cat sleep, and when is sleeping a lot a sign?
An adult cat sleeps 12 to 16 hours a day, and a kitten or an older cat quite a bit more. It is not laziness: it is the lifestyle of a hunter that burns a lot of energy in a few minutes. What does deserve attention is not how much your cat sleeps, but whether its sleeping pattern suddenly changes.
Normal hours
A healthy adult cat sleeps on average 12 to 16 hours a day, spread across many naps through the day and night. Kittens can sleep up to 18 or 20 hours, because they grow while they sleep, and older cats start sleeping more again from about eleven or twelve years old. There is a lot of variation between cats: a young, active cat with outdoor access will sleep less than a calm indoor one. The weather plays a part too, as they sleep more on cold or rainy days, and so does the household routine. The important thing is to know what is normal for your cat, so you can spot when it changes.
Why they sleep so much
The cat is a hunter that, in the wild, catches small prey in short, explosive dashes and may need many attempts a day to feed itself. That kind of activity uses a lot of energy, and it spends the rest of the time resting so it is ready. Pet cats don’t need to hunt, but they keep that rhythm. They are also crepuscular animals: their activity peaks at dawn and dusk, which is when their prey tends to be on the move. That is why your cat can be asleep all afternoon and then tear down the hallway at six in the morning. It isn’t out of sync: it is simply being a cat.
Light sleep and deep sleep
Much of what looks like sleep is actually light sleep or dozing: the cat is lying down with its eyes closed or half open, but swivels its ears towards any noise and can wake and bolt in a second. Deep sleep phases are shorter; in them the cat is more relaxed, sometimes lying on its side, and may twitch its whiskers, paws or tail, or make little sounds. This is the phase in which, like us, it probably dreams. It is best not to wake it abruptly at these moments: a startled cat may lash out with a scratch without meaning to.
What its sleeping positions tell you
Curled into a ball with its tail over its nose, it is conserving heat and protecting its vulnerable areas; this is typical when it is cold. In the “loaf” position, with its paws tucked under its body, it is resting but alert, ready to get up. Lying stretched out on its side, it is more relaxed. And belly up, with its tummy exposed, it feels very comfortable and safe in its surroundings, though that does not mean it wants its tummy touched: many cats respond with their claws. A cat that always sleeps hidden away, hunched and tense, on the other hand, may not feel safe at home, or may be in pain.
Where it likes to sleep
Cats look for warm spots, like a sunny window, radiators or the top of your laptop; high places, where they can keep watch without being disturbed; and places that smell of you, such as your pillow or clothes you have just taken off. It is also normal for them to change their favourite spot every few weeks for no obvious reason. Give your cat several options: a raised bed, a box with a blanket, a spot by the window and a radiator hammock in winter. That way it can choose according to the temperature and its mood. If you want it to use a particular bed, put the bed where your cat already likes to sleep, not where it looks nice to you.
Can it sleep in your bed?
If your cat is healthy and wormed and nobody at home has allergies, sleeping with it need not be a problem, and many people find it comforting. The drawbacks are practical: it may wake you in the small hours, move around, take up room or ask you for food at five in the morning. If that bothers you, it is better not to start, because the habit is hard to change later. It is not recommended with very young babies in the bed. And if anyone at home has a weakened immune system, they should check with their doctor. If you decide it won’t sleep with you, keep the door closed consistently from the start and offer it a comfortable alternative outside the room.
If it sleeps more than usual
A cat that suddenly sleeps much more than before, is listless when awake, hides or won’t get up to eat may be ill. Pain, fever, anaemia, an infection, kidney disease or arthritis can show up this way, because cats are very good at hiding their problems. Look out for other signs too: whether it eats and drinks normally, uses the litter tray, grooms itself and still jumps up to its usual spots. If you notice a clear change from one day to the next, or listlessness lasting more than a day or two, it is worth a visit to the vet. In an older cat, any change of this kind deserves even more attention.
If it sleeps less or is active at night
A cat being awake and active in the small hours is common, especially if it is young and spends the day alone and bored: it sleeps while you are out and livens up when you get home or at dawn. The answer lies in more play in the evening and before bed, a last meal straight afterwards, and not responding to its night-time demands. But if an older cat that used to sleep well starts getting restless, wandering or miaowing at night, or suddenly seems to have more energy and appetite than ever, think of hyperthyroidism, high blood pressure or cognitive decline, and see the vet.
Boredom makes them sleepy too
An indoor cat with nothing to stimulate it may sleep more than it needs to simply because it has nothing better to do. That is not a health problem, but it is a welfare one, and it often goes hand in hand with being overweight. A cat that sleeps all day and has energy to burn at night may benefit from more enrichment: play sessions of five to ten minutes several times a day with a wand toy, puzzle feeders, a window with a view, boxes and shelves to explore. The aim is not for it to sleep less, but for it to have something interesting to do when it is time to be awake.
Sleeping together in multi-cat homes
In homes with more than one cat, notice how they sleep. Two cats that sleep pressed together, curled up in a ball or grooming each other before settling down have a good relationship: they belong to the same group and feel safe together. If, on the other hand, each always sleeps at opposite ends of the house and one has stopped using its favourite spots, there may be quiet tension between them, the kind that never comes to a fight but does cause stress. Offering several resting areas, high up and in different rooms, lets each one have its own place without having to compete. And a cat that suddenly stops sleeping next to its usual companion may be ill or in pain.
An adult cat sleeps 12 to 16 hours a day; kittens and older cats sleep more. That is normal and part of its nature as a crepuscular hunter. What matters is change: if it suddenly sleeps much more, is listless, hides or stops eating, or if an older cat starts getting restless at night, see the vet.
Educational content from Michipedia, translated from the Spanish original. It does not replace the advice of a vet or a feline behaviour specialist. Every cat is an individual.