02 December 2022 20:25 Filed in:
Behavior | CatsHave you ever wondered if your cat is nocturnal? After all, they always seem to be up and about when you're trying to sleep. As it turns out, the answer to this question is a bit more complicated than a simple yes or no. In this blog post, we'll take a closer look at the sleeping habits of our feline friends and try to understand why they might be more active at night.
Why Do Cats Sleep More during the Day?
First, let's debunk the myth that cats sleep more during the day because they are lazy. The truth is that cats are crepuscular animals, which means that they are most active at dawn and dusk. This natural tendency toward nighttime activity is due to their wild ancestors who needed to hunt for food in the cooler hours of the day to avoid the heat of the midday sun. Over time, domestic cats have retained this instinctual behavior.
So, if cats aren't lazy, why do they seem to sleep so much during the day? Well, there are a few reasons for this. For one thing, cats are natural predators. In the wild, their nocturnal activities put them at a higher risk of encountering danger from other animals or becoming prey themselves. As a result, they have evolved to take advantage of the safety and calm of daytime hours to catch up on some much-needed rest.
In addition, since they are most active at night, cats need to sleep during the day in order to restore their energy levels. If your cat seems like they're always napping, it's because they likely are! The average adult cat sleeps for around 16 hours each day. That leaves them with around 8 hours for eating, playing, using the litter box, and all of those other fun activities that keep us amused.
Why Are Cats More Active at Night?
Although we may not like it when our cats wake us up in the middle of the night with their meowing or playful antics, there's actually a good reason for their behavior. Remember how we said that cats are natural predators? Their hunting instincts kick in when darkness falls, prompting them to go looking for food even though they've already eaten their fill for the day. Of course, since most domestic cats don't need to worry about finding their next meal, this behavior is more nuisance than necessity.
Another reason for your cat's nocturnal activity is that they simply enjoy being awake when everyone else is asleep. Just like humans, cats enjoy having some alone time where they can relax and feel free to explore without interruption. When your family is asleep and the house is quiet, your cat has free rein to do whatever they please! In fact, many experts believe that this is one of the reasons why some cats meow excessively during daylight hours—they're trying to tell us humans to leave them alone so that they can have some peace and quiet!
As it turns out, whether cats are nocturnal creatures or not depends on how you define "nocturnal." By definition, nocturnal animals are active primarily at night and sleep during the day. However, since cats are naturally crepuscular—meaning that they're most active at dawn and dusk—some people may consider them to be nocturnal animals as well. Regardless of how you label them, one thing is for sure: our feline friends definitely enjoy spending more time awake when everyone else is asleep!
- Vivian van Zyl
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