How Much Do Cats Sleep By Age

Pablo, a red tabby, frequently snoozes in a contorted position on his back. With his front legs raised above his head. He appears to be making the “touchdown” sign while standing on his head. I don’t think it’s very comfortable, but I frequently find him in that position, so I guess I do. How much sleep do cats get? Pablo, a 6-year-old cat, sleeps anywhere between 15 and 20 hours per day, much like other cats his age. On some days, I want to follow him. Sigh.

Doesn’t that seem like a lot? It sometimes feels like Pablo and Pawl, my 2-year-old cat, spend the entire night batting their catnip mice up and down the hallway. Just to stand on my chest at 5:30 a.m. asking to be fed. So I was a little startled to learn this as well.

It turns out that cats only get a small portion of those more than 15 hours. Dozing and deep sleep are the two sleep states that cats rotate between. The phases of drowsiness typically last 15 to 30 minutes, with 5-minute deep sleep between.

A cat is always ready to spring up and start moving when he is dozing. Coincidentally, the term “catnap” is thought to have originated from these bouts of sleep.

These fundamental sleep patterns are shared by cats of all ages, although in terms of a cat’s health, the amount of sleep a cat requires may change slightly with age. And just like us, each cat has different sleeping requirements. This is the answer to “how much do cats sleep by age?” if they are just little kittens.

(0–6 months)

Kittens tend to sleep more than the typical adult cat. In actuality, newborn kittens sleep for nearly the whole day, only waking up to nurse for brief durations before falling back asleep. Don’t be concerned if your new kitten seems to sleep all the time if you just adopted one. When a kitten sleeps, his body produces growth hormones, so all he’s doing is trying to get bigger.

You need not be concerned if your kitten seems to fall asleep unexpectedly in the most unlikely places. Almost as soon as my daughter took up Pawl, he would nod out on her chest. He also liked to curl up in my laundry basket, which is now one of his favorite sleeping spots.

Be on guard: Kittens usually sleep well, but if you’re having trouble waking him up, take him to the vet to make sure nothing is wrong. But keep reading to find out “how much do cats sleep by age?”

Adolescents (7 months-2 years)

Although adolescent (or junior) cats don’t need as much sleep as kittens, you can always find these young adults lying out in the sun. You could also notice that your kitten is more active in the evenings. Pawl, for example, experiences what I refer to as “cat craziness” and starts running around the house when I get home from work.

I initially assumed that he was simply pleased to see me. But now I realize that it’s because cats are crepuscular. Which means they are most active around dawn and twilight. Although some cats appear to have activity bursts in the middle of the night, they are not nocturnal.

Don’t worry; your cat awakens at first light because that is when his natural prey awakens as well. He is programmed to awaken at sunrise.

Take your cat to the vet as soon as you can if he is howling through the corridors at all hours of the night since he may be suffering from a medical condition. Get an answer to the question “how much do cats sleep a day?”. Your vet will be of much help.

How much do cats sleep if they are adults?

When it comes to sleeping, adult cats basically fall into the same group as adolescent cats. Pablo, who is in the middle of his adult phase of life, and Pawl, who is getting close to the end of his adolescent stage, are my two cats. Pablo is more accustomed to napping than Pawl.

He tends to frequent his favorite napping locations at the same times every day. Whether it is the cozy “cave” of his cat tree, a sunny patch on my bedroom floor, or the nest of blankets in my son’s room.

Pawl is more erratic. He prefers to take his naps in the handiest places. Such as piles of clean laundry, or in the quietest places, like the rear corner of my walk-in closet.

You should not be concerned.

Your cat may switch around his resting locations and adopt a bizarre mix of poses, but that is very normal.

You should be concerned if your cat appears reluctant to change positions or struggles to find comfort. He could be in pain. Have your veterinarian give him a quick examination.

How much do cats sleep if they are seniors?

Compared to their adolescent and adult cousins, older cats often sleep a little bit more. Don’t be concerned if it looks like your senior cat spends more time napping; this is a typical aspect of aging. In their later years, cats tend to sleep more. Because tissue healing is slower in insects than in humans, more sleep is needed to restore the body.

Please leave your senior cat alone if he wants to spend more time lazing in the sun.

Be worried if your cat seems to be dozing off more frequently than normal. He could be ill. Make sure everything is well by taking him to the veterinarian. Ask him/her the simple question, how much do cats sleep a day?