Why Does My Cat Sleep So Much? Tips for Understanding and Addressing Excessive Sleeping in Cats

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The following post first appeared on ProtectaPet:

Anyone who has lived with a cat will tell you that generally, cats have a pretty cushty existence. Eat, sleep, play repeat. In fact, cats spend 15 to 20 hours a day resting or sleeping and whilst you might love finding patches of fur over fresh laundry, sofas and bedding, you may find yourself wondering why exactly they seem so lazy.

In a nutshell, cats have evolved to sleep for long periods throughout the day. Wild cats need to sleep in order to conserve their energy to hunt, chase and kill their next meal. Usually, there is no cause for concern but if you want to eliminate any potential issues, read on…

YOUR CAT MIGHT BE BORED

When there’s nothing to do, sometimes animals sleep more. There are lots of ways you can enrich your cat’s life to cut down on boredom. For instance, you could build your cat a catio (a safe outdoor space for your cat) or some climbing shelves. You could also offer enrichment toys. Cat mint helps to stimulate, relax and entertain your feline friend.

YOUR CAT COULD BE ILL OR FEELING UNWELL

Cats have a great ability to mask any weaknesses so that they don’t appear to be an easy target to potential threats. Unfortunately, this can make it difficult for us humans to determine when something is wrong. However, aside from obvious signs of illness, excessive sleeping may indicate an underlying cause for concern. You know your cat better than anyone else, so you can make your own judgement if you think your cat may be sleeping more than they usually do. On the other hand, if your cat begins sleeping less than usual it may be suffering from hyperthyroidism or other conditions. If you have any suspicions about illnesses or poisoning, it is always best to consult your Veterinary Surgery.

YOUR CAT MAY BE APPROACHING OLD AGE

Senior cats will tend to have less energy and reduced mobility which means they will sleep more than younger cats. An older cat sleeps a lot, for as long as 18-20 hours a day.

YOUR CAT MAY NOT ACTUALLY BE ASLEEP

Cats do sleep deeply but not always. Much like people, cats are often just snoozing. Light sleeping makes up about 3/4 of your cat’s sleep time, with just 1/4 of their sleep time being devoted to deep sleep.

When cats snooze lightly, they get the rest they need while remaining alert. When your cat is sleeping or snoozing, you may notice that its eyes are slightly open or that its ears twitch and rotate in response to noises.

YOUR CAT MAY BE OBESE OR LACKING IN VITAMINS

Obesity is a very likely reason why your cat sleeps a lot. Apart from overfeeding, obesity in cats may also be caused by an imbalanced diet and lack of exercise. An average cat should be fed three to four small meals daily. Feed him a lean, protein-rich diet. Some cats that are left alone for most of the day with all the food they can eat are more likely to become overweight. If you have to leave for long periods, make use of feeders with portion control so your cat doesn’t overeat. If your pet is an indoor cat, you may want to consider securing your garden with a ProtectaPet system so that they can exercise outside and exhibit their natural behaviours such as roaming, playing and stalking bugs! A cat fence barrier or enclosure keeps your cat safe from harm by controlling their territory.

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