How long do kittens sleep immediately after birth?
A newborn kitten sleeps approximately 23 hours a day, waking only to eat. During this period, the blind baby’s paws are not yet strong, the vestibular apparatus is not sufficiently developed, movement is difficult and requires enormous effort. Usually the daily route comes down to traveling to the mother's nipple.
While the pet sleeps, its body develops. It is important at this stage not to disturb the mother and her cubs, providing the animals with a secluded, warm place to rest, food and water.
How long does a kitten sleep after 3 weeks?
Starting from the age of three weeks, stronger babies try to explore the world. The strength is still not enough to wander around the house for a long time away from mom, and sleep for normal development may require up to 21 hours a day. The period between wakefulness is reduced: after about 20–40 minutes allotted for food intake and activity, the kitten falls asleep for 2–3 hours, and not for 4–5, as is the case with a newborn.
While the babies are breastfed, their regime is “guided” by the mother cat: at a certain period, she comes to the children and takes them back to a cozy place for feeding after playing.
Sleep and rest of British cats
It is a well-known fact that cats spend 65% of their lives sleeping. The British cat breed was no exception. Kittens and young cats especially need long-term sleep, since it is during sleep that they grow, so it is very important to give them adequate sleep. Adult animals also sleep a lot, during this time restoring the strength spent on playing during the waking period.
The British cat really values comfort and coziness, so it is very important to arrange a sleeping place for her. If it is not there, then be prepared for the animal to move to sleep in your bed. Place your British cat's sleeping place in a warm and cozy corner where she will not be disturbed. This could be a soft bed, a cat house or a comfortable bedding.
Favorite places for cats can be the back of the sofa, armchair, desk, empty boxes. But beyond competition, of course, there remains a cozy place on the master’s bed.
How long does a kitten sleep at 2–3 months?
If the kitten stays with its mother, its day and night routine also depends on her. If he is separated from his mother and found new owners, his daily routine changes. The cub independently distributes its hours of activity. Usually there are 5-6 meals, after which the animal almost immediately falls asleep for 2-3 hours. Only during the daytime the baby sleeps for about 10–15 hours. Don't forget about night sleep, which lasts at least 4-6 hours.
The cub wakes up when it feels hungry or needs to go to the toilet, regardless of the time. If there was not enough food in the bowl or its composition did not contribute to complete saturation, the kitten will also not be able to sleep for a long time. The owner may have to get up early in the morning or in the middle of the night to fill the bowl. The PERFECT FIT™ diet for kittens from 1 to 12 months will help: wet balanced food for healthy growth and development of the kitten, contains OMEGA-3 fatty acid, which is part of the milk of a nursing cat and promotes the development of brain activity and vision of kittens, and dry food for kittens contains balanced levels of calcium and phosphorus, which support healthy bone growth and development. The volume of one feeding is indicated on the package.
Sleep standards for kittens over 3 months
At this age, grown kittens sleep on average 2/3 of the day, approximately 17–19 hours. By approximately 6 months, the frequency and duration of sleep becomes the same as in adults - 16–18 hours.
The phases of activity and passivity of an animal depend on its lifestyle. If the cat is domestic, he has fewer needs - food, water and even a scratching post are always freely available, and their sleep, as a rule, is longer. Self-walking cats sleep less or less often; leaving home, they can spend almost the whole day on the street, where it is not so easy to sleep carefree.
The effect of cat breed on sleep duration
Cat breed has a significant impact on behavior and sleep duration. This is due to different types of higher nervous activity and temperament. Thus, easily excitable pets (mainly Oriental, Asian and Siamese-Oriental breeds) sleep a couple of hours less than the average table values.
Phlegmatic - calm cat breeds (Persian, Maine Coon, Siberian, British, Scottish, etc.) can sleep several hours longer than average.
The duration of sleep reflects the health of the pet. A caring owner should regularly monitor the pet for such violations. They are often caused by discomfort or pain.
It is especially important to monitor the sleep of newborns and growing kittens.
Why do kittens sleep so much?
Perhaps your pet sleeps a lot due to the characteristics of the biological clock or general constitution. For example, Persians or British (Scots) are not very playful and take longer to sleep. Bobtails, Siamese cats or Abyssinians are famous for their activity; they prefer active play to passive rest. But the difference will become noticeable only at the age of six months: until this moment, the need for sleep is approximately the same.
Kittens may sleep longer than usual if the house is unusually noisy: for example, there is a party, or small children have arrived and are constantly trying to play with the pet. When the long-awaited calm and calm comes, the baby will fall asleep to regain strength.
However, there are other reasons for disruption of the daily routine:
1. Unbalanced diet.
Foods devoid of nutrients, regardless of their quantity, will not bring benefits: due to an increase in the volume of lunch or dinner, the body develops an imaginary feeling of fullness.
2. Presence of parasites and infections.
The owner does not always notice other symptoms of disease; in this case, prolonged sleep may be the only sign of illness.
3. Fatigue.
Some family members or acquaintances play with the animal for too long, not allowing it to rest. Then it simply hides from the household and falls asleep.
Usually mischievous and active kittens sleep carefree and soundly for a long time during the day, and at night they begin to run around the house, meow, and scratch furniture. To restore the regime, play with the kitten mainly during the day.
Dreams
Considering how many hours cats sleep, scientists have concluded that cats dream. Dreams occur in the deep phase. They may dream of an active lifestyle: fighting and chasing their own kind, exploring uncharted territory.
- It is assumed that an animal that lives in a favorable psychological environment dreams of games and hunting.
- An animal that does not feel protected may have dreams related to protection.
- There is no evidence that cats dream about people.
- An observant owner can understand by the behavior of the animal in a dream how his pet lives in the house.
Why doesn't the kitten sleep?
Sometimes the reason lies in increased excitability: the animal has been played with a lot, and due to active physical activity it is difficult for him to calm down and fall asleep.
Possible reasons why a kitten doesn't sleep enough:
1. Lack of food.
A newborn or already grown-up cat begins to meow or squeak pitifully: due to unsatisfied needs, he cannot fall asleep.
2. Health problems.
Diseases of the digestive tract and genitourinary system especially affect the daily routine. The animal is bothered by discomfort and pain, and it cannot fully rest.
3. Fleas, other parasites, skin infections.
Due to fungal diseases, allergies and insect bites, the cat sometimes meows plaintively and twitches its paws even in its sleep. Often, severe itching prevents the animal from falling asleep. The pet constantly itches and licks itself.
The animal sleeps less or more when weather conditions or room temperature change. Rainy weather affects pets in the same way as it affects humans: cats begin to stretch listlessly, yawn and doze. If the house is cold, the kitten becomes more active in order to warm up, or looks for a secluded place that is warmer and falls asleep - this is how it saves heat. When the apartment is too hot, the animal's sleep becomes more sensitive and superficial.
If your kitten's daily routine has changed significantly, you should consult a veterinarian. At a veterinary clinic, professionals examine the animal and, if pathology is detected, they will prescribe appropriate treatment. Sometimes you just need to adjust your diet by including the beneficial macro- and microelements necessary for development. But your pet's health problems can be much more serious.
Cats sleeping problems
In cases where a cat, not exceeding its usual sleep norm, suddenly begins to constantly doze off and look drowsy, it is first determined whether this is due to pregnancy or weather conditions (excessive heat or extreme cold). If a cat spends more than 18 hours sleeping, then such drowsiness may come from some kind of disease. A cat's sleeping position can help identify the problem: a frozen posture like a sphinx or attempts to spread its limbs that are unusual for an animal indicate hyperthermia. Also, an excessive amount of sleep is an indicator of the onset of heart problems.
Other sleep disorders include insomnia. Stress caused by moving, the arrival of a new family member, or an influx of guests may be to blame here. Sometimes cats have seizures in their sleep - it’s better to film any oddities and then show it and the animal to a veterinarian.
How does a kitten sleep?
The position and place chosen for rest are clues for the owner. Follow the cub and you will discover interesting facts:
1. For example, if a baby sleeps next to his mother cat for the prescribed amount of time, interrupting for food and play, this is the norm, he is healthy.
2. If a baby is separated from his mother and cannot find a suitable place to rest in someone else’s house, he is in a state of stress.
3. If the pet is hiding, looking for a secluded place, sleeping in a “collected” position, he does not trust the owner, perhaps the person has offended him.
4. If he lounges imposingly in the owner’s arms or next to him, he trusts him. Although veterinarians adhere to a more rational explanation: the cat is warming up and is comfortable.
5. If a cat chooses completely incredible places to fall asleep, it is nervous or sick. For example, if the owner has left and the animal is placed on the doormat, it waits and gets bored. If located in the tray, he feels problems with urination and defecation.
Since kittens are strongly attached to their owner, physically and mentally healthy pets choose places to sleep next to him.
Does posture matter?
Sleeping pets can tell their owner a lot. The position in which a cat sleeps depends on several factors:
- Ambient temperature;
- Feeling of security;
- Duration of sleep.
When the room is cool, the cat instinctively curls up into a ball, tucking its paws underneath and wrapping its tail around itself. If a pet hides its nose under its paws, then the cat is really very cold. By reducing the surface area of the body exposed to external factors, the cat loses much less heat and is protected from the cold. The higher the air temperature, the more relaxed the cat's body position, which does not need to accumulate heat.
There is a popular belief: if a cat sleeps with its paw covering its nose, it means that frost will soon hit.
On its stomach or side is the most common and natural position of a cat's body during sleep. The cat is calm and does not experience any problems. Cats can sleep on their side for hours. It is in this position that animals experience the deepest and most protracted dreams.
The position on the back, which opens the belly, indicates maximum comfort for the cat. This means that nothing bothers her and she completely trusts her owner. A stretched, free pose with spread paws and an elongated torso is the best relaxing massage for muscles. This position can be enjoyed by cats with a high sense of security, who do not need to sleep in full readiness to defend themselves or flee.
A small kitten often sleeps in the most unexpected places and in unusual positions. Often babies fall asleep literally on the go, with their nose buried in their own paws or on the floor.
If a cat tries to sleep sitting up with its paws tucked under its body, then something is bothering it. From this position, the cat can jump up on all fours at any time. Cats use this position for short naps when they feel insecure. In addition, this may indicate health problems.
Unusual, unnatural positions most often indicate a cat’s non-standard personality and satisfaction with life.
