Quick Answer
It is normal for cats to sleep 12-16 hours per day. Allowing your cat to sleep as much as it wants supports its health and wellbeing. However, you should also make sure your cat gets daily activity through playtime and enrich their environment to promote natural waking periods. Consult your vet if excessive sleeping could indicate an underlying medical issue.
How much should cats sleep?
Cats are natural sleepers and tend to sleep 12-16 hours per day on average. Some cats may sleep up to 20 hours in a 24-hour period. The amount of sleep a cat needs depends on factors like age, breed, personality, and activity level. Kittens and senior cats need more sleep. Breeds like Siamese are more active and sleep less than calmer breeds. Lazy or less playful cats sleep more. Overall, the normal range is considered 12-16 hours per day.
Is it normal for cats to sleep all day?
It is generally normal for house cats to sleep the majority of the day away. In the wild, felines like lions and tigers also spend huge portions of the day sleeping to conserve energy for hunting. Domestic cats retain this instinct to sleep many hours at a time, seeking out safe, warm, and comfortable places to nap such as sun spots, cat beds, and laps. Though they sleep more than humans, keep in mind that cats sleep much lighter. Their sleep consists of short periods of waking for grooming and checking surroundings before falling back asleep. So even a cat that seems to sleep all day still wakes periodically to move between napping spots. As crepuscular animals most active at dawn and dusk, cats tend to sleep more during midday and nighttime hours.
Why do cats sleep so much?
There are several theories as to why domestic cats spend so much of their day asleep:
Energy conservation
Cats sleep a lot to conserve energy since hunting requires brief bursts of high physical exertion. Sleeping allows cats to quickly replenish their energy stores. In the wild, predators like lions make few successful kills, so they must preserve energy between hunts by lounging and resting. Domestic cats retain this tendency to sleep many hours to conserve energy despite not having to hunt for food.
Light sleepers
Cats sleep more than humans but have much lighter, more intermittent sleep cycles. They awaken more easily and do not go into deep sleep for long periods of time. This allows them to quickly react to potential threats. So even as cats sleep nearly the entire day, they are stillsemi-alert and able to wake at any moment if necessary.
Nocturnal nature
As natural nocturnal hunters, cats are most active at dawn and dusk. They sleep more during the midday when prey is scarce and less active. At night they would spend time hunting, patrolling territory, and engaged in other activities. Domestic cats retain some of these natural tendencies to be most lively in mornings and evenings and sleep more during midday and night hours even when living indoors.
Boredom
Lack of stimulation and activity can lead cats to sleep more out of boredom. Outdoor cats provided with adequate hunting opportunities and environmental enrichment are more active. Indoor cats that lack playtime, toys, cat trees, and other forms of enrichment may resort to excessive sleep out of boredom and lack of other outlets.
Benefits of daytime cat naps
While it may seem like cats spend an excessive amount of time asleep, their frequent daytime napping provides many benefits:
Improves mood
Like humans, cats can become grumpy, irritable and stressed without adequate sleep. Daytime napping helps maintain a stable mood and keeps cats feeling happy and content.
Supports immune system
Sleep allows the immune system to function properly and defend against illness and infection. With enough rest, cats are better able to resist and recover from common feline health problems.
Increases lifespan
Research suggests cats who get adequate sleep through daytime napping tend to live longer than those deprived of sleep. Napping supports all aspects of health that contribute to longevity.
Enhances learning
Sleep has been shown to improve learning and memory consolidation in both humans and animals. After napping, cats are better able to retain information like training cues, rules, routines, and where favored items are located.
Reduces stress
Sleep helps activate neurotransmitters and hormones that counteract stress and induce relaxation. Daytime napping prevents buildup of stress over time that could lead to issues like illness and destructive behaviors.
Recharges energy
Frequent napping allows cats to recharge their energy stores and be ready for important activities like hunting prey, patrolling territory, or play sessions. After proper rest, cats awake feeling refreshed and energized for expending energy in beneficial ways.
Potential problems with excessive sleep
While daytime cat naps are normal, excessive sleep can sometimes indicate an underlying issue:
Lethargy or depression
Sleeping significantly more than normal could mean a cat is lethargic or depressed, which requires veterinary attention. A sudden increase in sleep coinciding with mood changes warrants a checkup.
Underlying illness
Certain diseases like kidney disease, hyperthyroidism, diabetes, and cancer can cause dramatic increases in sleep. Excess sleep paired with other symptoms merits medical tests.
Poor diet
Nutritional deficiencies from poor diet quality can leave cats lacking energy and sleeping more. Check that food contains adequate protein, nutrients, and calories.
Obesity
Overweight and obese cats tend to sleep more because the excess weight makes movement difficult and tires them out faster. Consult your vet on safe weight loss options.
Insufficient playtime
With inadequate outlets to expend energy during wakeful hours, cats may sleep excessively out of boredom. Increase interactive playtime and environmental enrichment to promote wakefulness.
Changes in home environment
Sudden changes to the home environment like moving, new pets, construction, or different people can induce stress that causes cats to sleep more to cope. Minimize changes when possible.
Effects of medication
Certain medications like sedatives or pain relievers cause side effects like drowsiness as the body processes them. Ensure doses are proper if medication causes excessive sleep.
Tips for healthy daytime sleeping habits
To make sure your cat’s daytime sleeping habits remain healthy and beneficial:
Maintain a consistent schedule
Keep feeding, playtime, nap times, and bedtime on a regular cycle. Cats thrive on consistency and predictability.
Ensure proper diet and exercise
Prevent obesity and lethargy by feeding species-appropriate food in proper portions and encouraging active playtime. Puzzle feeders with cats’ daily allotment of food provide mental stimulation and force them to work for their food.
Rule out illness
Note any sudden increases in sleep and check for other symptoms. Seek veterinary advice to diagnose and treat potential underlying conditions.
Provide a quiet, comfortable sleeping area
Cats like sleeping undisturbed in warm, soft spots. Offer beds, blankets, cat trees, and sunny patches ideal for promoting quality sleep. Separate these spots from high traffic areas.
Respect normal sleep cycles
Avoid unnecessarily waking cats when they follow their natural tendency to sleep during midday hours. Allow cats to wake naturally on their own terms.
Prevent boredom
Rotate toys to keep them interesting. Try puzzle feeders, catnip, and playtime when cats seem overly sleepy to provide mental and physical stimulation. Offer access to outdoor spaces like enclosed “catios” for enriching sights and sounds.
Use pheromone plugins
Products mimicking feline pheromones promote relaxation and can reduce excessive sleepiness caused by stress or anxiety. Try Feliway or Comfort Zone plugins.
Consult your veterinarian
If excessive sleeping persists alongside other concerns or disruptions in usual habits, seek expert advice to address potential underlying issues.
How much sleep is too much for a cat?
There is no definitive cut-off for how much sleep is too much, as each cat varies. In general, sleeping over 20 hours per day on a regular basis could indicate an issue requiring attention. Dramatic sudden increases from the normal 12-16 hours warrant a trip to the vet, especially when accompanied by changes like appetite, activity level, or odd behaviors. Note that some cats like older kitties, Persians, and Ragdolls do tend to sleep more than 16 hours normally. Pay most attention to sudden unexplained changes in sleep patterns for your individual cat. Maintain strong awareness of your cat’s regular habits so increases become quickly apparent.
Why does my cat sleep all day but is active all night?
Cats evolved as nocturnal hunters, so they often retain tendency for nighttime activity and daytime sleep even as house pets:
Instinct to hunt at night
In the wild, nighttime offered cover and the chance to catch sleeping prey. This instinct persists in domestic cats who often get the “nighttime crazies” and zoom around at night.
Sensitive to natural light cycles
Light cues from sun and moon regulate cat circadian rhythms, causing them to sleep more during daylight. Artificial lighting indoors can disrupt these natural rhythms.
Temperature differences
Cats dislike hot midday temperatures and prefer cooler nights, leading them to sleep more during the afternoon heat.
Noise and activity levels
With households busier and noisier during daytime when humans are awake, cats may avoid disturbance by sleeping instead.
Lack of daytime stimulation
Boredom from being alone all day without adequate playtime or enrichment may cause cats to sleep instead and release pent-up energy at night.
To reduce unwanted nighttime activity, block light, provide interactive toys and puzzle feeders during daytime, create a reassuring bedtime routine, and avoid inadvertently rewarding nocturnal behavior with attention.
How to stop cat from sleeping all day
If your cat is sleeping too much due to boredom, lack of stimulation, or avoidance of daytime activity peaks, try these tips:
Schedule interactive playtime
Make play sessions a part of your cat’s daily morning and evening routine to dispel energy and tiredness. Use fishing pole toys and laser pointers to get cats actively moving and engaged.
Provide puzzle toys and feeders
Food puzzles like treat balls and timed feeders force cats to work for meals using their brain and body, preventing excessive sleep between meals. Rotate puzzles to keep cats interested.
Offer new objects to inspect
Introduce new boxes, paper bags, and exploring spaces frequently so the environment stays interesting for curious cats.
Consider catnip or cat grass
These natural forms of stimulation get cats actively sniffing, chewing, and rolling during their awake times.
Establish a consistent schedule
Cats thrive on predictability. Maintaining set mealtimes, playtimes, nap spots, and bedtime helps regulate sleep cycles.
Use natural light to promote wakefulness
Ensure cats have spots to sleep and play bathed in natural sunlight during daytime. Bright light helps regulate circadian rhythms. Open blinds and shades.
Provide outdoor access
A secure enclosed catio or leash walks offer enriching outdoor sights and sounds that encourage waking to observe surroundings. Supervise for safety.
Visit the veterinarian
If excessive sleep stems from an undiagnosed medical issue, identify and treat the problem to restore normal sleep patterns.
How to wake up a sleeping cat
When you must wake a soundly sleeping cat, use these gentle techniques:
Make intriguing sounds
Crinkle treat bags or toy packaging, knock softly, or use a clicking noise to pique your cat’s curiosity to rouse and investigate further.
Stroke gently
Lightly run your hand along your cat’s side, neck, cheek, or chin to mimic a mother cat’s grooming to guide kittens from sleep. Avoid areas that may startle like their belly.
Talk or sing softly
The calm, low sound of your voice speaking or humming can pull a cat from slumber without shocking them awake abruptly. Say their name and loving words.
Wave a feather toy
Wiggling a feather wand in your cat’s line of sight triggers their prey drive and gets them poised to pounce and play.
Use favorite treats
Gently wave or drop a tasty treat like chicken or fish near your cat to tempt them to exit sleep for a snack.
Start meal prep sounds
Cats attune to sounds signaling imminent feeding. Rustling a food or treat bag or pouring kibble into a bowl often gets cats moving.
Avoid rough handling
Never startle cats awake by touching them unexpectedly, shaking, shouting, or rough petting. This frightens them and risks defensive aggression.
Allow cats to wake slowly
When possible, let cats rouse gradually on their own. Forced wakings can disrupt nap routines and leave cats grumpy.
Signs your cat is sleeping too much
Watch for these indicators your cat may be sleeping excessively:
Sleeps over 20 hours per day regularly
Sleep exceeding the typical feline range of 12-16 hours daily could point to an issue requiring attention.
Sudden unexplained increase in sleep
A sudden dramatic rise from normal sleep patterns, especially alongside other changes, warrants a vet visit to identify cause.
Sleeping more soundly than usual
Cats normally sleep quite lightly. Difficulty rousing could mean overly deep sleep due to illness.
Hiding and sleeping more than normal
Excessive hiding and sleep may indicate depression, pain, or other distress requiring medical care.
Cat lethargic when awake
If your cat seems abnormally tired and disinterested in play or food when awake, investigate excessive sleeping as the cause.
Weight changes
Increased sleep paired with weight gain or loss points to improper diet, undiagnosed illness, or other issues to address.
House soiling outside litter box
Excessive sleep can cause cats to miss trips to the litter box. Medical issues and pain should be evaluated.
Disinterest in favorite toys or activities
If your formerly playful cat loses interest in interactive play or cat trees, evaluate whether excessive sleepiness is suppressing natural habits and behaviors.
Conclusion
Daytime cat naps are a healthy, natural feline behavior. On average, expect cats to sleep 12-16 hours per day in short intermittent periods. Allowing cats adequate rest supports happiness and wellbeing. However, dramatic increases in sleep could indicate an underlying issue. Signs like over 20 hours of sleep daily, hiding and lethargy, and weight changes should prompt an exam. Discuss any concerns over your cat’s sleep habits with your veterinarian to rule out illnesses. In the meantime, maintain a consistent schedule, enrich your cat’s environment, provide ample exercise and playtime, and monitor their sleep patterns for changes. Balancing ample rest with sufficient daily activity and stimulation will keep your cat’s sleep habits healthy.
