Cats Sleep 70% of Their Lives—Here's Why

If you've ever wondered why your cat seems to be perpetually napping, here's the answer: cats sleep for roughly 70% of their entire lives. That means a 9-year-old cat has been awake for only about 3 years. The average house cat snoozes 12-16 hours per day, though some cats—especially kittens and seniors—can rack up 20 hours of sleep in a single 24-hour period.

This isn't laziness. It's evolution at work.

Predators Need Their Beauty Sleep

Cats are obligate carnivores and natural-born hunters. Even though your tabby's biggest conquest might be a catnip mouse, her body still operates like a wild predator's. Hunting requires intense bursts of energy—stalking, pouncing, sprinting—and all that activity demands serious recovery time. By sleeping most of the day, cats conserve energy for those critical moments when prey (or a laser pointer) appears.

Wild cats like lions and cheetahs follow the same pattern, sleeping up to 20 hours daily between hunts.

The Power Nap Experts

Cats don't sleep like humans do. They're polyphasic sleepers, meaning they cycle through multiple sleep sessions rather than one long stretch. Most of their sleep is light dozing—what scientists call "slow-wave sleep"—where they remain alert enough to spring into action if needed.

About 33% of cat sleep is REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, the deep phase where dreaming happens. Cats enter REM more frequently than humans but for shorter durations, likely an evolutionary adaptation to stay vigilant against predators even while resting. If you've seen your cat twitching, paddling her paws, or making tiny chirping sounds while asleep, you've witnessed feline dreams in action.

Age Matters

Sleep needs shift throughout a cat's life:

• Kittens: Up to 20 hours daily—growth hormones are released during sleep
• Adult cats: 12-16 hours on average
• Senior cats: Back up to 18-20 hours as metabolism slows

When to Worry

While marathon sleeping is normal for cats, sudden changes in sleep patterns can signal health issues. If your typically active cat becomes lethargic, or your sleepy senior suddenly can't settle down, consult your vet. Conditions like hyperthyroidism, diabetes, and arthritis can all affect feline sleep habits.

Otherwise, let your cat enjoy those 16 hours of daily shut-eye. She's not being lazy—she's being exactly what millions of years of evolution designed her to be: a perfectly calibrated energy-saving predator.