The average adult cat sleeps approximately 12 to 16 hours a day. Meanwhile, kittens and senior cats tend to spend 80% of their lives taking naps. Researchers theorize that the habit may be due to ecological factors.
At the same time, sleep is vital to memory formation. In kittens, brain development and long sleep periods go hand in hand.
Feline Sleeping Habits
At around 7 to 8 weeks old, cats have developed adult sleeping patterns where they spend anywhere between 50% to 70% of their day asleep. Peak daily activity varies depending on when prey is available, which means that cats are ready to play or eat during "inconvenient times."
If you have a feline friend, you've probably noticed that they search for food or ask to be let out during odd hours, especially around 5 in the morning.
A cat's sleep cycle is relatively variable with multiple short naps during both night and day, rather than one long continuous sleep.
The reticular formation, a part of the cat's brainstem, is considered a vital role in feline sleeping patterns. It sends nerve impulses to the cortex that keep the cat awake. These nerve impulses are influenced by sensory observations such as potential threats.
Hunger and thirst have also been seen to suppress sleep in our feline friends.
While cats are awake, rhythmic brain activity varies depending on the level of activity the cat is engaged in. When they sleep, rhythmic patterns reach a lower frequency, where cats usually enter a 10-30 minute sleep but will wake up immediately when stimulated.
After, the cat enters a higher frequency of brain patterns similar to wakefulness. The period of paradoxical sleep is considered by the scientific community as Rapid Eye Movement (REM) for cats. After roughly 10 minutes, the cat returns to lower-frequency rhythmic patterns.
Cats have the ability to maneuver in and out of several sleep stages during long naps, according to the book "The Behaviour of the Domestic Cat by John Bradshaw."
During cat's paradoxical sleep cycle, they may move their tails, twitch, move their whiskers, and blink, which has led scientists to theorize that cats have the ability to dream. Although there is no concrete evidence to the hypothesis, paradoxical sleep is greatly more important than normal sleep.
Feline Walking Hours
In their natural habitat, cats in the wild are opportunistic predators that coordinate hunts to the time of peak activity where prey is readily available. Thus, cats have the ability to change their schedules to accommodate their owner's schedules.
Because of the different sleep levels, felines are typically awake while owners are sleeping or away, according to a research article published in PNAS.
For domesticated cats, it is vital for owners to replicate the cat's natural activity providing interactive toys and play every so often. This is more true for cats that do not have outdoor access.
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