Question:

Why do cats have to sleep so much?

by  |  earlier

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I read cats sleep up to 20 hours a day.

What do they need all that sleep for? What's the science behind it?

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  1. Nobody is sure why cats sleep so much. Cats evolved from a long line of hunters and predators – and their sleep patterns reflect that. For one thing, they are crepuscular (most active at dawn and dusk), since most of their prey is active at these times. This gives them plenty of time to sleep during the middle of the day.

    The cat's diet may play an important role in its sleep patterns. Large grazing herbivores must graze for hours to supply their bodies with enough food. But the protein-rich diet of the cat does not require such an investment of time, and allows him plenty of time for napping.

    Of course, today's modern indoor cat sometimes sleeps out of boredom. You can help your kitty by providing plenty of stimulation during the day – this can be in the form of toys, a companion, or by spending quality playtime with you. If he has plenty to do during the day, he may prefer to stay awake then, and sleep more during the night when you do.


  2. they usually get 16 hours of sleep almost a day.thats why they call it cat nap LOL

  3. Cat's sleep 16 hours a day on average.  They need this sleep for these reasons.

    They need to conserve energy for hunting mice and other prey, (playing with toys for house cats).  This takes up a lot of energy because, as we all know, cats play with their food.

    Also, a cats brain is almost just as active while sleeping as it is while it is awake.  They are constantly taking in extreme amounts of information through many senses.  If you watch a cat sleeping, watch it's ears, they are always scanning for sound.  This also uses energy, so they need more sleep than most other animals to repair, and conserve energy for these needs.

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