Research shows that cats often experience a period of alertness and activity before becoming drowsy and then falling into NREM sleep. Cats experience both non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Similar to humans, cats cycle through different stages of sleep. A cat’s crepuscular nature allows it to be awake at daybreak to prey on diurnal birds, and at twilight to prey on nocturnal rodents. Common prey animals for cats have different sleep cycles. Researchers hypothesize that a cat’s crepuscular sleep cycle is driven by their predatory natures. They experience two peaks of activity, one in the early morning before sunrise and one in the evening around sunset. In humans, the sleep cycle is diurnal, meaning we are naturally prone to stay awake during the day and fall asleep at night. The circadian rhythm is the internal biological clock that guides the 24-hour sleep-wake schedule. Like humans, cats have a circadian rhythm. However, cats commonly sleep for periods of time ranging from 50 to 113 minutes. These cat naps average 78 minutes in length. How Long Do Cats Sleep?Ĭats have a polyphasic sleep pattern, which means they sleep multiple times each day rather than in one, long period, like humans generally sleep. As they grow older, a majority of cats sleep for more hours each day than they did in their younger years. More than half of cats sleep between 12 and 18 hours a day, and nearly 40% of cats sleep more than 18 hours per day. Learn more about natural cat sleeping patterns to better understand your cat, recognize when your cat is feeling less than their best, and know when it is time to call your veterinarian. Your cat may also be more lively in the early morning or evening hours, perhaps even waking you from your sleep.Įven though your cat’s sleep behaviors might seem unusual compared to yours, they could be completely normal for a cat. If you have a cat, you may have noticed that they appear to spend a lot of the day sleeping.
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