Fluffy’s Sleep Patterns

Is your feline pal asleep right now? There’s a pretty good chance that the answer to that question is yes. Kitties certainly are sleepy little furballs. In fact, Fluffy can sleep up to 20 hours a day. Why are cats so tired? Do they actually need that much rest? A Huntersville, NC vet discusses cats’ sleeping habits below.

Snoozing

Your furry friend isn’t sound asleep the whole time she’s napping. In fact, kitties spend most of their snoozing time in a half-asleep/half-alert state. They still respond to stimuli when dozing. You may notice your cat twitching her ears or flicking her tail if you call her name. The fact that Fluffy remains somewhat aware of what’s going on around her when she’s dozing is very beneficial in the wild.

Sleeping Spots

One of the best things you can do to please your feline overlord is to offer her lots of comfy napping spots. Store-bought beds are great. However, as you may have noticed, cats aren’t too picky about choosing napping places. You can just fold up a soft blanket for your pet, and put it on a chair or sofa. Or, put a pillow in a box or wicker basket. Kitties are always on the prowl for new napping spots. Swapping Fluffy’s beds out and rearranging them will keep her happy and purring.

Napping Schedules

Did you know that cats actually adjust their sleeping schedules to match their humans’? Fluffy will schedule her 32 daily snoozes around your routine, and then snuggle up with you when you go to bed for the night.

Weather

Weather patterns can also influence kitties’ sleep. Cats often sleep more in winter, when it’s darker out. They also tend to get very drowsy on grey, dreary days. (We can’t blame Fluffy for that one. Rainy days do make great napping weather!)

Dreams

You may have noticed your kitty twitching as she sleeps, or perhaps making little noises. In case you were wondering, yes, Fluffy does dream. Just like people, cats sleep in cycles. The cycle of deepest sleep—known as REM—is when dreams occur. As to what, your furry little friend is dreaming of, well, that’s anyone’s guess. We suspect trees, boxes, and birds come into play.

Please do not hesitate to reach out if ever we can be of assistance. As your local Huntersville, NC animal clinic, we’re here to help.