Why does a cat sleep a lot, how normal is it and when should you go to the vet?

If your kitten is lethargic and sleeps constantly, there is no need to panic. A healthy pet sleeps almost the whole day during the first month of life, waking up to eat and play a little. Adult cats are already awake 7-9 hours a day. They spend time playing, hunting and communicating with their owners.

A cat may sleep constantly not only because of pain or loss of strength. Factors that influence sleep duration :

• heat, low atmospheric pressure;
• home comfort and calm atmosphere;
• high activity while awake;
• dense feeding of the pet;
• Age: Old cats and young kittens can sleep up to 20 hours a day.

© shutterstock
If the kitten is active and eats well when it wakes up, there is no need to worry. Prolonged sleep is physiologically normal, since protein nutrition of animals requires long-term digestion.

Normal sleep duration for a kitten

Wild cats are predators that prefer to hunt prey at night. During the day they get enough sleep to regain strength. The sleep is sensitive, intermittent, the animal wakes up from the slightest rustle. Always on the alert. Pets do not have to get their own food; they live in favorable conditions, where they are fed to their fill, houses are built, and sleeping places are provided. They don’t need to hunt at night and be on “combat readiness” during the day, so they can afford to sleep longer – up to 18 hours a day. However, the life cycle features of wild and domesticated cats are similar. As for small cubs, their sleep duration is much longer than that of adult animals.

Favorite vacation spots

Cats choose a place to sleep carefully: it should be quiet, comfortable and cozy. It is important for an animal to always have access to its favorite place and know that it will not be disturbed there. That’s why your furry pet often chooses secluded corners for relaxation: armchairs, sofas, beds, and even the shelves of an open wardrobe.

Sometimes cats choose unusual places for bed

A cat's dream close to its owner speaks of sympathy and affection. Pets love to settle next to a person while sleeping: at the head of the bed, at the foot of the bed, at arm's length, or on the owner himself. Sometimes, when choosing a place to rest, a cat is guided by the desire to be closer to the warmth, and therefore settles down near the heaters.

If you notice that your pet has begun to spend much more time in an active state, you need to pay attention to its physical and mental health. During sleep, the strength of any living organism is restored, but if after sleep the cat looks sleepy and lethargic, it needs to be taken to the veterinarian.

Problems with the thyroid gland can cause a shortened rest period. If all the pet’s organs are in order, pay attention to its psychological comfort. Causes of stress can be, for example, moving or adding another pet to the house. In this situation, only time will help: in a couple of days the cat will get used to the new environment, and his sleep will return to normal.

Short rest is harmful for cats, so if you notice that your pet is not getting enough rest, make an appointment with your veterinarian

If you calculate how many percent of your life cats sleep, you will get quite frightening numbers for their owners.

Incredibly, pets devote 75 to 85% of their life time to rest, because healthy cats can sleep for 12-14 hours, periodically refreshing themselves and relieving themselves, attracting the attention of their owners.

Adult cats can sleep anywhere and on different surfaces, and they choose their owners' laps for quality rest.

The older a cat gets, the longer its sleep periods. Adult cats are sleepy for at least 16 hours a day. Some sleepyheads are ready to devote even up to 20 hours a day to this pleasant pastime.

“Old people” even fall into infancy: they sleep almost the whole day, waking up only to have a snack.

A cat's sleep, like a person's, has two stages: superficial and deep. During the deep sleep phase, animals can even dream. This is confirmed by involuntary meowing and twitching of the paws.

Healthy sleep indicates the animal’s peace of mind. If your pet sleeps little and keeps his ears sharp, this indicates that he is under stress. A nervous environment in the home stimulates restless, superficial sleep. Often cats are simply afraid to fall asleep while the rest of the household is awake.

The owner’s task is to create all conditions for the pet to fully rest. Otherwise, the animal becomes nervous, loses appetite, and loses weight. The best way to solve the problem is to establish contact with your four-legged friend and create a reliable shelter for him in the form of a house, within the walls of which the cat will feel safe.

When long sleep is a sign of illness

A kitten's long sleep should not cause concern to the owner. But you should be wary if, in addition to the constant need for rest, the kitten shows other signs of illness. For example, he refuses food and water, often visits the litter box, the coat becomes dull and brittle, and the temperature is elevated.

It is very difficult for the owner to determine why the kitten is feeling unwell based on these symptoms, so you need to contact a veterinarian. He will prescribe the appropriate treatment, after which the kitten’s sleep problems will disappear.

Increased drowsiness can be a symptom of diseases such as inflammation of internal organs, helminthiasis, viral infection, and the development of a cancerous tumor.

Prevention and timely diagnosis of diseases will increase the pet’s quality of life.

Excessive sleepiness may be a cause of illness

Do I need to wake up how to do it correctly?

If a toddler misses one feeding, it’s not a big deal. But it’s better to wake him up for the next one.

Mom herself must choose the appropriate way to wake up her sleepyhead

First of all, it is necessary to understand that waking up a child is possible only in the REM sleep phase. It is not difficult to identify it: his eyelids begin to twitch, his pupils move under them, his limbs move, and grimaces appear on his face. The following actions could be:

• apply the crumb to the chest (the smell of milk will wake him up), if there is no reaction, then drip milk onto the lips;
• lift the blanket, carefully undress the baby (only if the room is warm!);
• change the diaper (if necessary);
• Gently massage the back and legs;
• wipe your face with a soft, warm, damp cloth;
• lift the baby to an upright position;
• if the baby is more than 6 months old, you can put him in prison;
• We start talking quietly with Sonya, singing songs to him.

Please note that the light in the room at the moment of awakening should be dimmed, so that when the little one opens his eyes, he does not instinctively close them from sudden irritation.

Doctor Komarovsky's opinion: to wake up or not to wake up?

Dr. Komarovsky claims that with normal development, the baby himself is able to determine how much sleep he needs. And the forced interruption of sleep, just because the parents are convinced that the time has come for the little one to eat or do other things, is nothing more than an act against nature

At the same time, the doctor focuses on the fact that the baby sleeps for a long time, but at the same time he has no health problems. Otherwise, the mother should not come up with a way to wake up the baby, but consult a doctor for advice

Sleep disturbance

Typically, kittens sleep calmly and evenly, so excessive sleepiness or chronic lack of sleep is evidence that the pet is stressed or ill.

Kittens take about 50 breaths per minute. If this indicator is higher in a dream, then it is worth observing to understand the cause of the problem. Perhaps the kitten is emotionally disturbed by what is happening in his dream and the owner has nothing to worry about.

Fear and mistrust of the owner leads to the fact that the kitten sleeps very little. He is simply afraid to fall asleep while someone is awake in the house. This requires taking action, because lack of sleep has a very bad effect on a growing kitten.

A kitten's trembling in its sleep can be caused by several reasons - previously experienced stress, uncomfortable posture, the onset of inflammatory processes and diseases. The owner needs to monitor the pet and contact a veterinarian in time.

To determine the kitten's health status, you can watch its sleep.

Removing interference and getting ready for healthy sleep

Tight clothes and a blanket that is too warm bring discomfort to a baby at any age. Also, children at 5 months are already quite emotional. Don't play too active games before bed. Don't plan to have guests in the evening or do it after you put your child to bed at night.

On the contrary, give your baby a massage and bathe him in herbs that promote sound sleep. You can pour a decoction of mint, lemon balm, lavender, chamomile, and thyme into the bath. Naturally, a mother’s lullaby, a fairy tale told in a calm, quiet monotonous voice, has a great effect on sleep. These tips don't just apply to babies as young as five months old. You can come up with your own rituals for sound sleep for your baby from birth. He will get used to it and will fall asleep faster.

If your baby has restless sleep, it is first of all important to find out the causes of the problem, and only then look for ways to deal with it.

Causes of drowsiness in kittens

In addition to natural physiological reasons, the duration of a cat’s sleep is influenced by external factors:

1. Lifestyle;
2. nutrition;
3. weather;
4. presence of irritants.

Kittens sleep longer if they are fed and have played a lot. Prolonged sleep is needed to fully recuperate. A short period of wakefulness on hot, sultry days, before rain, when atmospheric pressure decreases, the level of nitrogen in the air increases. Hormonal levels influence sleepiness. Females sleep longer. In addition, the activity of pets directly depends on the breed. If the kitten sleeps a lot, but during the waking period shows normal activity and looks completely healthy, there is no reason to panic. When the baby grows up, gains strength, changes his lifestyle, the regime will change.

Mental stimulation

In addition to encouraging your kitten to exercise, try to stimulate his mind. Kittens are constantly interested in the world around them. The more new experiences the kitten gets, the happier he will be.

Non-hunting games are another great way to stimulate your kitten's mind. Consider a treasure hunt. Hide food around the house so your kitten will have to smell it. This is especially effective if you are away from home during the day.

Pet stores will also have a variety of puzzles and games for cats. Often they remain focused on food. Your kitten will need to learn or remember the pattern in order to receive a reward. The more your kitten studies, the more tired he becomes and sleeps accordingly at night.

Talking to your kitten is also a good way to develop its intelligence. Many cats love to talk to their owners, especially kittens. Young cats are verbose. If the kitten talks to you, answer.

What else affects sleep duration?

In addition to age, other internal factors, as well as some external ones, influence individual sleep duration. Because of this, pets of the same age require completely different amounts of time to rest.

Satiety

If a cat sleeps peacefully all day, then he does not feel hungry. He uses all this time to digest food. Animals that eat high-protein foods rest especially long.

Physical activity

The energy spent during outdoor games is restored during sleep. But this does not mean that the main couch potatoes are energetic and playful pets. In their case, the time of falling asleep coincides with the end of the game. Having recharged, they are ready for new adventures.

External (including weather) conditions

The calmer, more comfortable and quiet the environment in the room, the easier it is for the animal to fall asleep. Pets sleep the longest when their owners are away. If you install hidden cameras, you can see that the mustachioed pets get up just to drink water.

Sleep duration increases during rainy weather and hot summers. If your pet rests for a long time during the heating season, then dry air is to blame.

Some animals are sensitive to weather conditions. If it’s gray and rainy outside, the pet will sleep almost all the time, except for feeding and going to the toilet.

Breed

The character traits of different breeds are no less important. Persians, Ragdolls, Devon Rexes, Britons and Scots sleep the longest. They are quite lazy and often fall asleep immediately after eating.

More active breeds include Abyssinians, Siberians, Bengals, Siamese, Kurilian Bobtails and Egyptian Mau. Representatives of these breeds love active games with their owner and hunting, so with enough attention they are constantly on the move.

Health status

Representatives of the cat family are good at capturing other people's emotions. A quarrel between beloved owners can cause them great anxiety and worry. When under constant stress during a move or other exciting event, they will hide in secluded places and sleep longer than usual. Also, the reason may lie in the disease.

Rapid breathing as an alarming symptom

If several hours, or even a day, pass, and the kitten continues to breathe frequently, you need to take action. Under no circumstances should the situation be ignored. In adults, rapid breathing is often a sign of cardiovascular pathologies, but in kittens this is a rather rare occurrence.

After all, he is a young body, and his heart is still strong. However, there are plenty of other serious factors that cause disruptions in the functioning of the respiratory system. Among them:

1. Poisoning. Ignorant babies put everything in their mouths, and there is a risk of swallowing something toxic. In addition, the baby can be poisoned by spoiled food. If this happens, the kitten breathes heavily and frequently, in addition, he is apathetic, lethargic, loses his appetite, and does not want to play. Vomiting and loose stools are often present. These symptoms are especially dangerous, because a small body quickly becomes dehydrated, which can be fatal. The kitten should be given water and not hesitate to contact a veterinary clinic.
2. ARZ, ARVI. These sores cling not only to human cubs, but also to felines. The airways become clogged with mucus. As a result, the kitten breathes rapidly, trying to take in more air, which is difficult to reach the lungs. Usually with the mouth open, since the nasal passages are blocked. These ailments are accompanied by nasal discharge, cough, and increased body temperature.
3. Bronchitis. With it, the kitten also breathes frequently and very noisily. There is a cough and it is usually dry. You can hear wheezing in your chest. Temperatures rise to high levels.
4. Allergy. It causes swelling of the larynx, which prevents normal air flow. Therefore, the kitten breathes frequently.
5. Inflammation of the nasopharynx. It may be caused by some viruses or bacteria. The kitten's rapid breathing is accompanied by whistling sounds and noisy snoring.
6. Foreign object in the respiratory tract. This is a very common reason, especially for those babies who are just learning to eat on their own. A fluffy who does not calculate his strength and grabs too large a piece can easily and simply choke. The kitten needs to be saved: open its mouth as wide as possible and try to get the foreign body out. If this does not help, turn the animal upside down and, holding the hind legs, press on the stomach in the area of ​​the diaphragm. Usually after such manipulations everything pops up.
7. Injuries to the ribs or muscles. Sometimes their consequences are not visible to the naked eye. The fact that the kitten often breathes with its stomach in its sleep may be the only symptom. You need to carefully examine the baby's body. If there is an injury, he will not allow himself to be touched, as it hurts. He can also take unnatural positions, sleep in only one position, etc. The animal needs immediate medical attention.

There are other, more rare reasons for a kitten to breathe heavily and frequently. If time passes and the baby does not get better, you should not try to look for them yourself and risk your pet. It is better to show the baby to the doctor, find out the diagnosis and take adequate therapeutic measures.

Normal sleep duration for an animal

Like human offspring, kittens sleep almost all the time, interrupting only to feed. This is completely normal, because their body is still very weak. In their sleep they grow and become stronger. A slightly older cub sleeps less, but still at least half a day.

An adult cat sleeps about the same amount or a little less/more. It is impossible to give an exact figure, because all animals have a pronounced individuality. Much depends on the character. Some cats are energetic, active, they play a lot and have fun. Others are inert, lethargic, prone to weight gain and much less active than their vigorous counterparts. Most of the time they just sleep.

There is a popular expression: “sleeps like a cat with half an eye.” This is a very apt remark. Unlike humans, who must sleep at least 7-8 hours in a row to restore energy, cats sleep in “short intervals.” On average, they simply doze for most of the time without losing their alertness. As soon as the slightest rustle is heard, the cats immediately wake up.

All sleep in cats is divided into two phases:

1. Nap, superficial “slow” sleep – 20-30 minutes.
2. Deep, “fast” sleep – 5-7 minutes. At this time, animals, like people, dream. Cat owners are well aware of this, since a sleeping pet can twitch its paws in its sleep, “run” and even meow. All this clearly indicates the presence of dreams.

The duration of sleep can be influenced by various external factors, for example, extreme fatigue, stress, changes in temperature. Physiology also influences the duration of rest. Pregnant cats sleep much more - this is a need for the body experiencing increased stress.

How to distinguish between a healthy night wakefulness and a sick pet

When a pet screams all night, doesn’t sleep and doesn’t let anyone do it, the caring owner wonders if something is bothering him. How to understand where he is healthy and asks for attention, and where he complains about his deplorable condition.

A sick animal, as a rule, meows with altered intonation. She begins to yelp or howl. He is always looking for a place, wants to climb somewhere, walks around the house and meows, cannot sit or lie down quietly.

How long should a kitten sleep?

In the first month of life, small, still blind kittens sleep about 23 hours a day. In the second month, the waking time increases to 6 hours, and by six months the animals adapt to the adult regime, and they spend about 16 hours sleeping. They sleep mainly during the day, because cats prefer to play at night. This is the norm for healthy cats in good health.

At 3 months, the normal amount of sleep for a kitten is 18 hours.

Impact of maternal health

Does the condition of the expectant mother somehow affect the birth of a baby with floppy baby syndrome? During the research, experts noted the following:

• Some of the young patients' mothers suffered from neuromuscular pathologies. In particular, myotonic muscular dystrophy. The disease limits the natural movement of the fetus in the womb.
• Some mothers were diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. This disease also limits the movement of the embryo.
• Taking alcoholic beverages, narcotic substances, and anticonvulsants during pregnancy also in a number of cases caused the birth of a child with diffuse hypotension.

After sterilization

It should be noted that after sterilization surgery, the cat does not eat and sleeps all the time; this is a normal state after anesthesia. If this period lasts for 24 hours, then there is nothing to worry about. If a day has passed and the condition does not change, you need to urgently see a veterinarian.

During the first 24 hours, you don’t need to force the cat to get up or wake him up if she doesn’t want to. Just like insisting on food and drink. Give her a little rest, recover, and she will again delight you with her cheerful appearance.

If the anesthesia has not worn off and the cat is not sleeping, gets up and tries to move around the apartment, do not let it out of sight so that it does not accidentally get injured. It’s better to take her in your arms, calm her down, and maybe she’ll fall asleep. Sleep is the best medicine here.

Colic

Even more often, restless sleep in infants is observed due to colic. The child experiences cramping pain in the tummy. As a rule, they begin to torment infants at 2 weeks and stop at three months. Some people may experience pain for up to a year.

How to determine that a child has restless sleep due to colic? If a baby has problems with the tummy, then he cries a lot and tightens his legs. The child also has symptoms of flatulence. The baby has a swollen and dense tummy, in which gases have accumulated.

When a baby has colic, he most often refuses to eat. He takes the breast just to calm down, and uses it as a pacifier, but does not want to eat. As a rule, during this period the child either does not gain weight or its growth stops. Even if the baby falls asleep, he whines in his sleep. From the gastrointestinal tract, problems such as regurgitation, vomiting, and green stools appear.

Sleep phases

The sleep of mustachioed pets consists of two constantly alternating phases: slow and fast. During the first phase, the animal dozes. Despite the slowdown in heart rate, breathing and metabolic processes, his muscles remain tense and his brain remains active. This maintains the sensitive response to external stimuli necessary for survival.

A curled up cat quickly and easily wakes up if disturbed by its owner or a loud sound. The slow phase lasts no more than 30 minutes.

In the absence of stimuli, the first phase flows into the second. At this stage, the body is completely relaxed, so you can see twitching of the paws, eyelids and whiskers. The duration of the fast phase is no more than 7 minutes.

For homeless animals it is shorter, since it is very difficult to wake up at this time. Losing control over what is happening can result in death. Pets do not have this problem - the safer he feels, the longer his fast phase.

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Author: Pavel Chaika, editor-in-chief of Poznavaika magazine

When writing the article, I tried to make it as interesting, useful and high-quality as possible. I would be grateful for any feedback and constructive criticism in the form of comments on the article. You can also write your wish/question/suggestion to my email [email protected] or Facebook, with respect, the author.

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Changes in sleep depending on age

Experienced felinologists know that the duration of a cat's sleep varies depending on the age of the individual. The approximate duration of rest is as follows:

• Kittens up to three weeks sleep 22-23 hours, and wake up only to eat.
• Month-old babies have been resting for 20-21 hours, and spend the rest of the time exploring the world and playing their first games.
• Kittens from two months sleep for 18-20 hours.
• Adults are in the arms of Morpheus for 14 to 16 hours, which is considered the norm.
• Old animals sleep on average 22 hours, and wake up only to eat, go to the toilet and take a short walk or be close to the owner.

Sleep is an important component of a cat’s life, without which it will not be able to please its owners, frolic, run and hunt. A full, long rest, not accompanied by a lack of appetite and lethargy, is the key to health and longevity.

Location and bedding

Set up an area where your kitten will sleep. Ideally, the kitten will have a separate room. Use a room you rarely enter, such as a separate bedroom or laundry room. If you don't have a spare room, choose a corner of the kitchen or living room. Equip this area:

• Bed
• Food and water bowls
• Toilet tray
• Cat trees
• Scratching posts
• Toys and puzzles
• Dimmed night light so the kitten can see better

© shutterstock

Beds for kittens

Your kitten's bed should be in a place where the kitten wants to spend time. If your cat finds her bed cozy, she won't be able to resist going to sleep.

Kittens love pillows and blankets, so make sure your bed is filled with as many soft pillows as possible. Don't choose a bed that is too big, choose the right size for your kitten.

If your kitty is a little nervous, consider a tent in addition to a traditional bed. Even kittens need time away from their owners from time to time. A tent gives your kitten that privacy.

Familiar scents

Smells are important to all cats, but especially to kittens. According to applied animal behavior science, kittens bond with their mothers through scent. The scent of their mother and littermates is calming to young cats.

Before bringing your kitten home, ask for the blanket she slept on. This will remind the kitten of its previous home. You should also bring home some familiar toys that smell like siblings. Place them in the kitten's crib.

You can also simulate sleeping next to your cat. Your kitten would most likely want to comfort its mother before bed. Apply a heating pad or warm blanket. This will stimulate the mother cat's warmth.

You can also add a stuffed toy to the bed for your kitten to cuddle with. Placing an alarm clock under your pillows will also make a ticking sound. This will simulate the heartbeat of a mother cat.

Environmental enrichment

Outside of your kitten's bed, think about how you can enrich your kitten's sleeping environment. Put away any noisy or exciting toys at night. Your kitten may become very agitated if he has access to them.

Think about the sounds that surround your kitten. If the kitten comes from a home with children and littermates who will not silence him. This may scare your kitten a little before bed. Unfamiliar background noises, in particular, will cause anxiety.

Try leaving the radio at a low volume. This will give your cat plenty of calming voices to listen to. Alternatively, play your kitten's music. The Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery confirms that feline music calms cats.

In what cases should you contact a veterinarian?

You need to be wary if your pet cannot lie on one side for a long time and constantly changes position, looks lethargic and apathetic after waking up, and does not respond to the owner’s attention. Night and early morning are the most active periods of life, regardless of the age of the animal, so if it periodically does not run around the apartment, does not meow and does not wake up the owner to be fed, but only sleeps, you need to contact a specialist.

Sources:

https://koshkamurka.ru/4828-kot-tselyj-den-spit.html https://gafki.ru/koshki/pochemu-koshki-mnogo-spyat.html https://murkoshka.ru/zdorovye/fiziologiya/ pochemu-koshki-mnogo-spyat.html

Interesting facts for owners about cat sleep

You can endlessly look at a burning fire, flowing water and... at a sleeping cat. Moreover, these cute fluffies are big fans of sleeping - anywhere and anytime. Our pets certainly don’t suffer from insomnia: they spend two-thirds of their lives sleeping.

Cats sleep two thirds of their lives

Sleep phases

In nature, all felines, without exception, are effective predators with very similar habits. Only their sizes differ significantly, and, accordingly, their prey. The lion hunts a large antelope, and the domestic cat hunts a small mouse; but both of them do it with complete dedication. The stages of hyperactivity and concentration should be replaced by complete relaxation; this is necessary for the animal to quickly restore the nervous system and physical fitness. And at the same time - in order to properly digest a satisfying meal.

After active games, kittens fall asleep right on the spot.
Cats' sleep is very similar to human sleep - it consists of two main phases: rapid and slow (or slow wave) sleep. These phases alternate like beads in a rosary, but the speed of their “sorting” changes significantly with the age of the animal.

The state of REM sleep, as its name suggests, is filled with emotions and such vivid events that the cat’s heartbeat quickens, blood pressure jumps, and temperature rises. It is in the fast phase that cats dream. Empathizing with what is happening to her on the other side of reality, a cat can “talk” in her sleep, twitch convulsively, roll her eyes... But it is usually not easy for her to instantly return from dreams to reality.

The rate at which sleep phases change changes with age

Such an active fast phase is necessarily replaced by a slow one - the animal needs to relax and rest at least a little. That’s when your cat truly becomes “plasticine”: he falls asleep in the most incredible positions and, even if you tie him in knots, he still won’t wake up - even for his favorite treat. All processes in the cat’s body slow down, the muscles become limp.

During the slow-wave sleep phase, all processes in the cat’s body slow down.

Healthy, full sleep is no less important for a cat than for a person. This is the basis of her normal psycho-emotional and physical state. Show your pet not only curiosity, but also caring attention - perhaps she needs your help?

In sleep, cats restore energy and emotional state

The meaning of sleep positions

The position in which your cat prefers to sleep has its own meaning:

• on the stomach or on the side - the most common and natural position of a cat’s relaxed body during sleep; the animal is calm and does not experience any problems;
• on the back - a position of special trust; kittens sleep this way more often than adult animals; A cat is only capable of opening its defenseless tummy if it is absolutely sure of its safety;
• curled up - this position indicates that the cat needs some kind of protection; perhaps she is just cold, then she can also hide the tip of her nose in the fur;
• huddled in a secluded place - most likely, your cat is experiencing a certain uncertainty or feeling of discomfort; take a closer look to see if everything is fine with her;
• unusual or unnatural positions that your sleeping pet manages to assume most often indicate the special creativity of his feline personality and satisfaction with life.

Cats are not amenable to systematic scientific research - they are still as amazing and mysterious as they were many thousands of years ago, when they decided to settle next to humans. And cat dreams will probably remain one of the inaccessible mysteries that are so interesting and educational to solve by watching your pets.

There is no exact time interval for how long cats need to sleep; the indicator directly depends on the character and breed of the animal.

We invite you to read: How to accustom an adult cat to dry food quickly and easily

Cat owners will be interested in learning a few unusual facts and useful information regarding the sleep patterns of their beloved four-legged friends:

• the cat’s nervous system practically does not rest during rest and the animal sleeps lightly;
• An animal's sleep is a combination of fast and slow phases, like in humans;
• Cats dream while in a short sleep phase and can move their whiskers and make sounds.

High brain activity during rest provides cats with a quick response to any changes in the external environment.

If a pet trusts its owners infinitely, it can settle down to sleep next to them, climb onto their laps and completely relax while resting, taking various funny poses.

Cat sleep has two phases: slow and fast sleep. NREM sleep is very similar to napping. During this phase, the cat may quickly and abruptly wake up from touch or loud noises. NREM sleep is also called low-wave sleep because the animal's breathing and heart rate are slow despite muscle tension. During this phase of sleep, the cat's metabolism decreases, and blood pressure and temperature drop.

Sleep among our furry friends is divided into two completely different types.

The second stage of sleep is REM or deep sleep. During this period, the cat's eyeballs rotate rapidly. This type of sleep occurs 10–30 minutes after the start of slow-wave sleep. During REM sleep, the pet does not control its muscles and may fall if it chooses an insufficiently comfortable place to rest. But despite the relaxation, the cat may twitch, change sleep positions, grumble and, in rare cases, even extend its claws.

The opposite problem: why doesn’t the kitten sleep, how to put it to bed at night?

Those who have solved the problem of constant sleepiness in their pet may experience the opposite: healthy young animals are often especially active in the dark, when their owners, on the contrary, prefer to rest. As a result, both parties are equally unhappy. A person cannot get a good night's sleep due to the noise created by a pet, and a cat does not receive the necessary attention from an owner who is tired during the day. What to do about this and how to resolve the situation?

In order not to encounter the described difficulties, animal psychologists recommend accustoming pets to a routine that is familiar to all family members from an early age. For those who cannot figure out how to put a kitten to sleep at the right time, experts have a number of proven tricks:

• Wear down the troublemaker. A kitten tired during the day will not be able to rage at night. A session of active play with the owner 20–30 minutes before bedtime is what the pet needs for a long, healthy sleep.
• Feed your pet. Unlike people, cats fall asleep much better on a full stomach. In addition, a hearty dinner will serve as a guarantee that the owner will not be woken up by the pet (more precisely, by his persistent demands for breakfast) ahead of time.
• Communicate more with the animal. Despite their independence, cats really miss their owners if they are at work all day. By keeping people awake all night, the pet seems to be saying: “They didn’t spend enough time on me in the evening!” By talking to the kitten for a long time and taking a moment to caress the baby, the owner calms the animal, confirming its value as a member of the family, and the less the animal worries, the calmer it behaves.

Stages

The pet's sleep process is divided into the following stages:

• Nap. The body remains conscious and alert during rest. In the event of an unexpected threat, the animal reacts instantly.
• Shallow sleep. The body rests, but hearing is preserved.
• Deep dream. Muscle tension disappears, short nerve impulses may be observed, due to which the muscles contract and the paws twitch.
• REM phase. The eyes move behind closed eyelids, there is a high probability of dreaming.