How and how much does a cat sleep

Cat owners have probably noticed that their pets rest most of the time: they lie or sleep. How long does a cat sleep and why does she sometimes move and make sounds in her sleep?

In the photo: the cat is sleeping. Photo: wikimedia

As a rule, a cat sleeps for at least 16 hours a day, and the cat falls asleep several times during the day. Cat sleep is divided into several phases, from nap to deep sleep.

During deep sleep, the cat relaxes completely, stretching out on its side. At the same time, you may notice that the cat is having dreams: the animal at this time twitches its tail, ears and paws, and the eyeballs move sharply. This is typical of many other animals that take long naps between eating and hunting.

In the photo: the cat sleeps on its side. Photo: wikimedia

By the way, kittens in the first month of life sleep only in deep sleep.

Despite the movement of the ears, tail and paws, the cat’s body in the deep sleep phase is completely motionless and relaxed. In this case, the cat can make various sounds: growl, something unintelligible “mutter” or purr.

The periods of deep sleep of a cat are short: their duration rarely exceeds 6-7 minutes. Then comes the stage of light sleep (about half an hour), and then the purr wakes up.

Photo: maxpixel

Cats sleep well. Even if it seems to you that the pet is fast asleep, as soon as she hears a slight noise that seems suspicious or worthy of attention, the purr immediately wakes up and becomes active.