Why do cats sleep so much? Is it sick?

Cat owners can easily find that cats are either sleeping or sleepy most of the day.
Why is this happening? Is it because the cat is sick?
There must be some special reasons why cats are so sleepy. Today we will discuss it.

Reason 1: Age determines bedtime

The average sleep time of adult cats is 12-15 hours per day, and the average sleep time of kittens is about 20 hours per day.
The sleep of cats varies with age.
Generally, kittens spend the most time sleeping, this is because they need sleep to promote growth;
Adult cats sleep less than kittens, because they spend some time playing;
Old cats need more time to sleep well, because at this time their body functions are not as active as when they were young, so they want to fall asleep every day.

Cat owners who raise a cat for the first time may be surprised that the cat sleeps so long, especially when the kitten sleeps almost all day.
But don’t worry, this is actually normal, just play and drink well when the cat is awake.

Reason 2: Inherited vigilance

Regardless of how gentle cats are to their owners, they have inherited some things from their ancestors at heart, so their wildness is still much stronger than that of dogs.
In the past, cats lived in the wild, which meant that they were always in danger.
They would not dare to go into deep sleep to protect themselves (or hunting), and can only wake up as soon as they move.
This living environment indirectly lengthens their sleep time.

Reason 3: Cats are carnivores

Cats are real carnivores. Despite the fact that they eat some vegetables and fruits after living with the cat owner, they are still carnivores at heart.
If cats want to eat meat, they have to keep hunting. After all, meat does not stay in place like plants.
So they are always ready to catch prey, so as to fill their stomachs. Sleep helps to store energy, and then use this abundant energy to catch prey.
But cat owners don’t need to think that cats don’t trust this safe family. This is just their habits and has nothing to do with whether they trust you.

Reason 4: The schedule is different from human beings

The term "night owl" is very suitable to describe cats. Cats are night owls among animals.
They like to be active at night and sleep during the day. Humans are used to work during the day and sleep at night.
Therefore, when two creatures with completely opposite work and rest times meet together, they will definitely make each other feel that they sleep so long.
In fact, cats are not so active all night, their active time is mainly concentrated in the morning and evening.
And these are also the two periods when most people are sleepy, and if they are woken up, they must not be very comfortable.

Of course, the cat sleeping too long is not completely irrelevant to the disease.
If the cat owner finds that the cat's sleep time is significantly different from that of the usual, or if the cat is still tired after sleep, then it may be sick. Then you need to take it to a professional vet.