Normal Aging Changes In Cats
Your adult cat is considered a senior when she reaches around 11 years of age. While not all cats begin to show obvious cognitive and physical declines this early, normal aging changes in cats happen gradually and are subtle.
You may first notice a soft graying around her face or thinning of her coat. Her hearing may not be as sharp, or her appetite as hearty. She may be slower to rise from resting and she may no longer have the ability to jump to heights she used to with ease. She may tire more quickly when playing and seem less interested in physical activity in general.
Its also perfectly normal for an older cat to sleep more of the day away up to 20 hours, in fact, just as she may have done when she was a small kitten.
Managing Nocturnal Behavior In Cats
You may feel that getting up and calming or feeding your cat will help, but its best to ignore your cats behavior as much as possible. Attention in the night rewards the behavior and your cat may learn to stay awake for food and attention.
Even though you may feel tired or frustrated, remember that night activity is natural for your cat. Avoid punishing your cat for this normal behavior as it may create more stress. If your cat wont let you sleep, its best to change your daytime schedule to give your cat more exercise and play.
Helping An Elderly Cat See Better
Its often easy to forget that cats are considered seniors when they hit about 11 years old. I have cats that are 21 and 19, so I know what its like to have a couple of old age pensioners around.
Just like us although in very different ways when cats get old their senses arent as sharp. One of my cats is just about stone deaf, and Im sure both of them cant see as well as when they were in their prime.
We actually have a night light in our upstairs hallway for our toddler, and Im sure my cats make use of the extra dim light it emits too.
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Indoor Vs Outdoor Cats
While some cats are perfectly content with never going outside and reigning supreme over their indoor kingdoms, other cats live duel indoor-outdoor lives. This can pose different threats.
Maniet says outdoor cats are exposed to more disease carriers. This includes other outdoor cats, feral cats, prey, worms, fleas, ticks, mosquitos, and a plethora of other insects.
All of these carriers have the potential to transmit diseases such as viruses, bacteria, parasites, and many other infections, Maniet said. Also important to note is that the litter box of indoor cats can also present a risk of disease for humans in the household.
What kinds of diseases? Gastrointestinal worms, giardiasis, ringworm, toxoplasmosis, plague yes, that plague and hantavirus infection, Maniet says. This is on top of typical allergens pet dander can create.
During the summer months, when ticks and other parasites are more active, pet professionals recommend regularly checking your cats fur and skin for potentially disease-spreading piggy-backers. This is good for both feline and human health.
The best way to reduce the risks of contracting these health risks from your cat, the CDC recommends, is for pet owners to regularly take their cats to the vet so theyre up to date on their immunizations.
Cats Sometimes Sleep More When They’re Sick
Cats sometimes sleep more and become lethargic in general when they’re sick. Once you get a better idea of how much sleep your cat normally needs, you’ll be able to tell if she seems to be sleeping too much. If she’s feeling ill, she might also act listless, have less energy and not play around the house like she normally does. Sick cats might eat or drink less, which can leave them feeling more tired. If you think your cat is sleeping too much, set up an appointment with your veterinarian right away.
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How Much Do Cats Sleep Specifically How Many Hours A Day Do Cats Sleep
Cats are sleepy creatures, and chances are, your furball is curled up snoring happily right now. Sweet dreams! But how much do cats sleep exactly? According to veterinary experts, cats normally sleep anywhere from 12 20 hours a day1. Thats right. Your cat sleeps twice as long as you.
As for the exact amount of hours a cat sleeps, that depends on factors such as:
- Age: senior cats have less energy and tend to sleep more than younger cats. Kittens, like babies, require lots of sleep to grow.
- Activity level: cats tend to need to sleep more after a high-action day.
- Health condition: if your cat is suffering from a disease, for example cat dementia, their sleeping cycle may be affected.
Did you know? You can track how active your cat has been, and how much sleep theyve got, with a GPS tracker and activity monitor for cats.
Before we explore the warning signs sleeping patterns which may indicate your cat might need to see a vet lets answer the big question. Namely, why do cats sleep so much?
Why Do Cats Lay On People
For those cats who do get affection by coming over and lying on their humans, they keep doing it because they know what the result will be . If youre not as fond of your cat lying on you while you sleep, consider creating a special bed for him in your room so he can be near you if he chooses but not directly on you.
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Stalking Inanimate Electrical Cords
My cat is fascinated by electrical cords. Every night as we sit and watch television, I see him make the rounds around the living room. He bats at the tags attached to the cords. Then he grabs the cords and tries to bite it.
You would think that by now he would be bored with the game. Why would he keep doing it?
A reason may be that he might have learned that playing with the cord was a good way of getting my attention. Playing with the cord may also be fun because it moves in different and unexpected ways, which piques his interest.
Best Why Does My Cat Watch Me Sleep Secrets Revealed
After that there are the cat fans that are ostensibly pleased, confident, and happy. They might not show any one of the qualities of either withdrawn or extroverted, yet they do show favorable sensations towards their pet dogs. Favorable sensations can have an influence on a individuals habits. A cat with positive feelings towards their owners can be extra pleasant and also outgoing than one that really feels adverse toward them.
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Should You Be Concerned About Your Cats Sleep
There are a number of natural reasons your cats sleep habits may change. For example, if your cat has had a lot of activity for an extended period of time, they may require more sleep than usual. A change of environment, such as a move or addition of a new family member, may impact your cats sleep habits. As your cat ages, they also require more sleep.
However, unusual sleep or excessive wakefulness patterns may indicate an underlying health condition. If they are experiencing illness, you may observe other changes in your pet, such as a change in bathroom habits, signs of disorientation, or unusual weight gain or loss.
Consider How Active Your Cat Was While You Were Sleeping
If you notice your cat sleeps all day, it might be because he’s not really sleeping through the night. Some cats will curl up with you at night, then get up after you’ve fallen asleep and have adventures throughout the house.
If your cat is active at night while you’re sleeping, then he has to make up for that time by sleeping during the day while you’re awake. It will look like he’s sleeping more than he really is. If you think this might be the case, try setting up a camera in your home to record while you’re sleeping. Check it when you wake up to see if your cat was active at night and is catching up on his sleep during the day.
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No Sleeping On The Job
Dogs that have a job like those working with police or providing a service to humans will sleep less often. These dogs will be at the ready of their owners to perform their duties when needed.
A dog that services a blind person will be ready to guide that person whenever they need to go somewhere. Active dogs are not bored dogs. They arent looking for a time to sleep. Their first inclination is to do their work.
Sheepdogs and Great Pyrenees are dogs that have been bred to work passively guarding livestock. They are alert to the dangers to the herd, but overall are slightly less active than active working dogs.
Passive working dogs may nap more during the day than working dogs. This may be because they have learned to be more alert at night in guarding their herd.
Cats have been categorized as crepuscular. This means they like to do most of their stalking at dawn or dusk. Cats will sleep more during the day so they are ready to begin their hunt at night. Their instinct is to be active when their prey is.
Obviously, a pet will adjust their sleep schedule to fit their parents schedule.
If you think your pet is sleeping too much during the day, you need to find ways to keep them more active during the day. Daily exercise and toys will keep them engaged and stimulate their minds. The more active a pet is, the less they will sleep. The more bored a pet is, the more likely they are to take naps during the day.
Whats The Average Age Of An Indoor Cat
Generally speaking, indoor cats live between 13 and 17 years, while outdoor cats live between 10 and 14 years. This difference is perfectly normal outdoor cats are exposed to many dangers such as feral diseases, traffic accidents and other animals attacks.
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Why Do Cats Sleep So Much
Does it ever seem like every time you turn around, kitty is settling in for yet another cat nap? When you do the math 15 out of 24 hours in a day a cat sleeps nearly two-thirds of his life. And then, when youre talking about a creature thats mainly active at night , they have no choice but to work in as many cat naps as they can. If your cat is sleeping, leave him alone. He really needs that rest.
All animals sleep. While scientists dont fully understand the why behind sleep, the fact that all animals need it reveals just how necessary it is for good health and longevity. When it comes to cats, researchers believe a cats sleep habits may have something to do with their meaty, protein-rich diet: The extra rest aids in digestion, according to;VetStreet.com.
Cats Adjust Their Sleep Pattern To Keep Contact With Us
This might be the most interesting cat sleep fact of them all. Even though cats sleep for a whopping 12-16 hours per day and naturally sleep through daylight, they often adjust their sleeping schedules to fit in with us humans.
Even though they will sleep to conserve energy, they will awaken for a bit of social time with us, too. Of course, they also awaken to tell us its feeding time, or play time, or grooming time but they certainly dont ignore the fact that we are around.
So, that was everything you need to know about cat sleep. Now you know why cats sleep so much, you can stop feeling so envious of your kittys constant nap time! Talking about naps, we think we can squeeze one in right now – zzz…
Karen Wild is a Clinical Animal Behaviourist and Dog Trainer with over 20 years experience of working with family pets. She is a bestselling author of five books on pet behaviour and training, translated into eight languages worldwide, including Being a Dog, What your Dog Wants, 21 Days to the Perfect Dog and The Purrfect/Pawfect Guide to Thinking Like a Dog/Cat co-authored with well-known TV Vet Dr Emma Milne. Karen has featured on local and national media in the UK . She is known for her kind, sensible, family-centred approach to dog and pet behaviour and care.
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How Long Do Cats Sleep
Cats sleep on average 15 hours a day, with some sleepy kitties getting in up to 20 hours of shut-eye each day.
There are a few factors influencing how long a cat sleeps, age being one of the most important ones. Kittens will sleep most of the day, but as soon as they turn into teenagers youll notice a change in their sleeping patterns as they become more and more active. Senior cats tend to slow down their activity levels and turn in earlier, snooze more often and for longer periods of time than an adult cat.
You will also notice your cat dozing off longer than usual when the weather doesnt allow for proper outdoor exploration. When its cold or raining, your cat will likely try to add even more hours to their already impressive sleeping record.
Kitten Sleeping Habits After Two Weeks
As your kitten grows older, she will gradually sleep less as she becomes more active; all her senses are developing. Her sleep has a new deep phase where she is totally relaxed and breathing slowly. This alternates with light REM sleep in a cycle called sleep bout. Your kitten is becoming a typical cat polyphasic sleeper as her sleeping time goes into multiple bouts between waking phases1.
At three weeks of age, your kitten will begin to sleep alone, with longer states of deep sound sleep. She will tend to sleep on her side or stomach. As she grows, she will become increasingly bold and start to discover her surroundings. Your little feline engages with her environment through jumping, climbing, pouncing, and scratching .These instinctive behaviours are very stimulating for your kitten and require a lot of energy, which needs to be restocked during sleep.
After two months, your kitten sleeps an average of 18 hours per day like an adult. Her sleep cycle could be then split into a phase of sound sleep followed by a phase of REM-paradoxal-dreaming . She now sleeps alone, often in warm, sunny, comfortable places, high off the ground.
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Your Cat May Be Nocturnal
One of the reasons your cat sleeps a lot during the day might be because he’s up at night hunting imaginary mice. Ancient cats were nocturnal or crepuscular . Most domesticated cats have schedules like ours, sleeping for most of the night and hanging with us during the day. But your cat might be keeping to his ancient roots, acting as a predator at night, and sleeping it off during the day.
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Improve Your Kittens Sleep Habits
Adult cats learn to somewhat adapt to our sleeping patterns , but kittens take some time to learn this lesson. If your kitten attempts to wake you after youve gone to bed and chances are he will initially he may want to play, eat or just be adored. Here are some tips to help Kitty establish healthy sleeping habits while maintaining your own.
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Why Does My Cat Watch Me Sleep
All about the Question like: Why Does My Cat Watch Me Sleep , can be found here:.
- Cat enthusiasts were more shy, much less singing, and also much more sensitive than the others.
- Individuals that declared to be pet cat lovers were a lot more outward bound, vocal, as well as outward bound.
- This Why Does My Cat Watch Me Sleep question implied that they were also much more energetically as well as reactive.These results are from one study.
- While it is feasible that some personalities turn up in one more research study, it is unlikely that all feline owners will be in this manner.
As a matter of fact, one study about Why Does My Cat Watch Me Sleep , located that feline owners as well as non-cat owners were in fact fairly alike in terms of psychological intelligence. The very same pattern applies for Cat treatment.
How Much Do Cats Sleep And How Many Hours Do They Really Need
By Guest Blogger: Emily Parker,;Catological
If sleeping was an Olympic sport, your cat would probably bring home the gold medal. Theyre just absolutely expert sleepers.;Whether it’s during the day or in the middle of the night, kitties are always willing to take a catnap.
However, while you may assume there’s nothing special about your cat sleeping, there are a lot of interesting facts concerning kitties and their naps that you should know about, just in case you start to worry that your cats behavior is abnormal.
Just like humans, cats vary in the amount of sleep they need. In each circumstance, it will depend on age, health, mood, and more.
If you’re curious as to how much cats do in fact sleep, as well as how much sleep they really need, then lets dive in.
How Much Do Cats Sleep?
Cats sleep;an average of 15 hours per day. However, they can sleep as much as 20 hours within a 24-hour period.
In general, cats do the majority of their sleeping during the day, since they are most active overnight. If you’ve wondered why that is, the answer lies in their physiology.
Since cats are natural predators, their brains and bodies are made to have them hunting mostly at night, when their excellent eyesight can help them catch prey while staying undetected.
How Much Sleep Do Cats Really Need?
Cats typically sleep so much of the day for a good reason.;As mentioned above, theyre biologically programmed to do so.
Cats do go through cycles in the amount they sleep, though.
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