The duration of the cat's sleep can not leave anyone indifferent. In some people, the ability of an animal to sleep all day is surprising, in others - bewilderment, in others - sincere envy. Some inexperienced owners are worried that their pet can spend a significant part of the day in a peaceful sleep. This fact should not be alarming.
Why do cats sleep so much?
The ability of cats and cats to spend a significant part of the day in a dream is laid in them by nature itself. In their natural habitat, felines spend a very small amount of time hunting, but they need a huge amount of energy for this. Sleep also allows animals to recover wasted resources, providing them with the energy required for the next search for food.
Despite the fact that domestic cats and cats do not need to extract food for themselves, natural instincts influence their daily routine. Having spent a part of energy on active games or food intake, cats recover their strength through sleep. It is noteworthy that the duration and frequency of sleep in representatives of the feline family depends on a number of specific factors.
The sleep and rest mode of a pet is largely dependent on its age. As the animal grows older, the duration of sleep, which is necessary for recuperation and energy reserves, also varies.
So, the smallest activity during the day is shown by small kittens and individuals of old age. Most of the time during wakefulness, kittens and elderly cats spend on eating, caring for themselves and playing. In turn, cats and cats of young reproductive age prefer to play and actively learn about the world around while they are awake. Another factor affecting the duration and frequency of feline sleep is the state of the animal's nervous system. This factor may depend on the breed, and on the individual characteristics of the pet. So, professional breeders claim that the most active cat breeds include such as:
- Abyssinian;
- Siamese;
- Turkish van;
- oriental;
- Bengali
- Egyptian.
It is believed that animals of these breeds are characterized by increased activity during the day. They are distinguished by a special curiosity, mobility and playfulness, therefore, movement and games are more preferred to sleep.
Quite a strong effect on feline sleep and the current state of the nervous system. If the animal has been subjected to a stressful situation or has spent too much time in active games during the day, then it will be difficult to fall asleep. With regard to the susceptibility and tolerability of anxious circumstances affecting the nervous system, cats are really very similar to humans. Environmental features and conditions of detention - another significant factor that can influence feline sleep.
It is known that an animal that finds itself in unfamiliar conditions (for example, in an apartment after a shelter or at a dacha after a city apartment) will experience anxiety and anxiety until it finds a secluded place for itself.
Adult animals
The duration of a cat's sleep in adulthood is a rather relative quantity, depending on the individual characteristics of the animal, its state of health and the conditions of its maintenance. Observations show that the average sleep time of an adult healthy pet can vary from 12 to 20 hours.
If a cat or cat sleeps longer than 20 hours a day, but at the same time they eat normally, show curiosity and interest in the world around them, then the owners should not be worried about it.
A more alarming symptom is a loss of sleep in adult animals, accompanied by restless behavior, a plaintive meow, weight loss, vomiting, and problems with the stool. The researchers calculated that for an average healthy cat that lives for about 15 years, it takes a little less than 9 years to sleep. Consequently, the active part of life accounts for slightly more than 6 years.
Kittens
Due to their physiological characteristics, kittens need prolonged sleep, which can take up to 22 hours a day. During wakefulness, babies usually communicate with their mother, play, learn about the world or eat food (mother's milk). The older the kitten becomes, the less it takes him to sleep.
Thus, a newborn baby is able to sleep about 23 hours a day, a monthly kitten - up to 21-22 hours.
By two months of age, this figure is reduced to about 20 hours per day. Usually at this stage of life, kittens are taken away from the cat and given to new owners. The daily routine of a two-month kitten usually includes 5-6 meals, after each of which the baby falls asleep for 2-3 hours. Awakening of the baby after feeding, most often, occurs when the next feeling of hunger or urge to the toilet.
Experienced cat breeders claim that Kittens spend about 3–4 hours a day to be active. The breeder may well devote part of this time to games with the little ones, encouraging their curiosity, activity and interest in the surrounding world. By about 4–5 months old, the kittens begin to gradually switch to the daily routine of adult animals. To this stage of life, their sleep duration can vary from 16 to 18 hours a day. By 9–10 months old, young animals are almost completely in adult mode.
As the kitten matures, you need to carefully watch him. If a baby spends much of a day in a dream, you should not worry about his health. However, if the kitten shows nervousness, sleeps little and restlessly, mournfully or constantly dwells in search of a secluded place, it should be shown to a veterinary specialist.
Often, disturbed and worsened sleep in kittens can be symptoms of serious illness and neurological disorders.
At different times of the year
It is curious that the season and weather conditions can also influence the duration and frequency of sleep of domestic cats and cats. It is noticed that in winter, as well as in cold, rainy and inclement weather, animals sleep stronger, more often and longer. Of course, the cats do not hibernate in winter. Increasing the duration of sleep in the cold season, experts usually associate with a slowdown in metabolism.
After the autumn molt, in most animals a thick and dense undercoat begins to grow, and the metabolism slows down. In anticipation of the cold, the cat's body gradually begins to build up fat.
All these processes are caused by nature itself, because in winter a living organism needs more energy for self-heating. However, in the cold season, most predators in their natural habitat have problems with food prey.
Here, resources of one’s own organism come to help, which releases energy from fat reserves and at the same time reduces its use in order to save, as if switching to the “energy-saving mode”. For these reasons, in the cold season, domestic cats and cats not only gain weight, but also reluctantly expend energy. Any activity in the winter they prefer a full and prolonged sleep.
Interesting Facts
It may seem funny, but cats and cats are capable of dreaming.Felinologists (specialists studying the physiology, behavior and characteristics of domestic cats) state that dreams in these animals can be quite plot-based. This, in particular, indicates the behavior of pets in a dream. Based on the characteristics of the dream, sleeping animals can paw, move their ears, frown, and even make sounds.
Some cats sleep with their eyes open, which often scares their owners. In some cases this may be due to the peculiarity of the posture in which the animal fell asleep. Sometimes in a dream, cats take a position in which the eyelid or eyelids are pulled off under the weight of the animal. Often this happens with a very deep and sound sleep.
If a cat sleeps occasionally with open eyes, then this should not cause anxiety. However, in the case when such a phenomenon is noted regularly, the animal must be shown to a veterinary specialist. In some cases, sleep with open eyes may indicate the development of such problems as glaucoma, increased intracranial pressure, facial nerve paralysis. Many cats prefer to sleep on their backs, which cannot be called the most comfortable and physiological posture for them.
This position of the body during sleep indicates that the animal fully trusts the people around him and feels close to them in complete safety.
The duration and frequency of feline sleep are very individual parameters, depending on the unique characteristics of the animal. If the pet leads a measured lifestyle, preferring to doze a significant part of the time, curled up in a corner, you should not worry about his health. Moreover, you should not wake the cat, considering that she sleeps too much during the day. Such actions can disrupt the natural biological clock to which the animal's body is used.
The most detailed information about the cat's sleep mode can be found in the following video.
