How Much Do Kittens Sleep? Do Kittens Sleep a Lot?

If you are the owner of a new kitten, you may be wondering about some points of care and what you can expect about their sleeping habits. Having a new kitten can be challenging because you will have to make sure they are sleeping enough and also be sure that they are not oversleeping or potentially experiencing ill health. Monitoring for the signs of them being sick and checking to see how much they are sleeping can be significant. In this article, we are going to cover more on how much kittens sleep.

How Much Do Kittens Sleep Usually?

Cats of all ages are known for being quite heavy sleepers. You may find yourself surprised if you have never had a cat before with the amount of sleep they get especially when they are younger. Cats at any age are known for spending a lot of their time napping, and on a good day, a cat might be asleep for 12 to 20 hours.

Depending on their age and activity levels, the average is about 15 hours a day.

Dr. Linda Simon

Kittens have a reputation for being heavy sleepers, with the average newborn kitten sometimes sleeping over 22 hours a day. Kittens need to mature and grow beyond the newborn stage to stop napping so much, but in the earliest stages, you can only expect to see them awake for 1-2 hours per day as they feed and grow. This wakeful period will be used to nurse and empty their bowels, and they will wake for short windows every so often, rather than in one big block.

Newborns:

Newborn cats sleep the most out of any cat. They are constantly feeding and growing. During this stage of life, a kitten may only be awake for 1-2 hours per day in total. This is the stage of their lives that they will always need the most sleep.

2-week old kittens:

2-week old kittens will sleep a little bit less, but it will still be from 16-20 hours per day on average. This continues to last until your kitten reaches at least 6 months of age.

6-month-old kittens:

6-month-old kittens will start to see more of a regular pattern with their sleep. They are more likely to sleep for 16 hours per day on most days. After 6 months, kittens can continue to mature and they will usually cut their nap time down to between 12-16 hours as they age. There are still some cats that really love their sleep and continue to snooze for longer. You may also find your cat has some days that they are more active and others where they spend more time in bed. For example, cold weather or rain may make for a lazy day.

READ MORE: Kitten Development Stages

Why do kittens sleep so much?

Kittens need to sleep so much because their bodies are growing extremely quickly. Development is occurring throughout their body, in their organs, bones, muscles, and central nervous system. Your cat will need many frequent naps to strengthen its muscles and bones and further their development. If your kitten cannot get enough sleep, they will be at an increased risk of getting sick and experiencing various forms of infections or illness. They may also experience stunted growth.

The sleep required by cats and kittens is written into their genes. The ancestors of your kitty were large cats (tigers and panthers). As with our domestic kitties, these larger cats sleep the day away and are awake for a few hours at night to prey on animals more easily. When they are young in the wild, Kittens will also sleep with their parents during the day and make sure that they are hidden from predators in a den. For you see, sleeping enables vulnerable animals to hide away, well out of the sight of dangerous animals.

How to improve a kitten’s sleeping habits:

Kittens will sleep anywhere, whether it is crawling into a kitchen cupboard or next to you on the couch. What is most important is finding a sleeping pattern that will work for your family. If your kitten tries to wake you up regularly in the night, try to schedule dinner before bed or have enriching activities planned through the daytime to exhaust them. You want to aim to tire your little tiger out both mentally and physically.

Kittens will need time to adapt to your sleeping habits, so keeping a consistent bedtime can be important. If you regularly change up your schedule, it can be very difficult for your kitten to know when the best time to sleep will be. Kittens will also wake up more in the night than adult cats do, so be prepared to ignore them so you can sleep or have your kitty pouncing or meowing at you at 2 am regularly. This behavior can be prevented if you don’t wake up to be with them at these times. If your kitten regularly tries to wake you up for food early or in the middle of the night, do not give into this behavior or you will start a new habit! While it can be tricky to ignore their plaintive meows, giving into them will create an unhealthy situation and you will soon wish the habit had never begun.

As long as your kitty is fully weaned and has access to water, a bed, and somewhere to the toilet, they do not need nighttime company!

Dr. Linda Simon

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Monitoring their health:

If unwell, the number of hours that a kitten sleeps may start to seem excessive and you might notice a dip in their energy levels as well. Oversleeping,  or a lack of energy in kitties, may indicate that there is a problem with them. Monitoring their health is important as signs of ongoing lethargy could point to anemia, an infection, a congenital disorder or other forms of sickness or disease. If your kitten seems to be sleeping too much, lacks energy, or has pale gums, there is a need for immediate veterinary care. Sleep disorders can occur but they are extremely rare in kittens too.

Why is my kitten so active at night?

Cats are active at night because of the evolutionary link to their ancestors. Felines are traditionally nocturnal due to having improved success with hunting as predators in the wild. It may take some time to make sure that your kitten leaves you alone in the wee hours while they are up and active.

RELATED ARTICLE: How to Make Kitten Sleep?

My kitten is sleeping more frequently. Why?

There is a good chance that your kitten may just need to catch up on their sleep some days. There are going to be certain days that they sleep more. What is important, is to monitor for signs of low energy, signs they are not eating or other signs of poor health. If they are exhibiting pale or dry gums, fast breathing, vomiting or loose stool, these could be signs that they are sleeping because they are sick.

Most of the time, the reason a kitten sleeps more frequently is simply to catch up on sleep as they are growing and maturing. A kitten will need a lot of extra sleep as their body grows larger and as their brain is developing. However, when awake, these kittens will be playful and active. They will be eager to eat and drink and growing nicely. If there are indicators that your kitty is unwell and you’ve noticed they’re sleepier than usual, a prompt vet visit is in order.

FAQ:

Keep some of these top ideas in mind about kittens and their sleep. Remember that a kitten sleeping part of their normal growth and development!