How and how much does a cat sleep? And why does the cat move and “talk” in a dream?

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Owners of cats probably noticed that their pets rest most of the time: they lie or sleep. How long does a cat sleep and why does it sometimes move and make sounds in a dream?

In the photo: the cat is sleeping. Photo: wikimedia

Typically, a cat sleeps at least 16 hours a day, and the cat falls asleep several times during the day. A cat’s sleep is divided into several phases, from a nap to a deep sleep.

During deep sleep, the cat completely relaxes, stretching out on its side. At the same time, you may notice that the cat has dreams: the animal at this time twitches its tail, ears and paws, and the eyeballs sharply move. This is typical of many other animals that sleep long in between food and hunting.

In the photo: the cat is sleeping on its side. Photo: wikimedia

By the way, kittens in their first month of life sleep only in deep sleep.

Despite the movement of the ears, tail and legs, the cat's body in the phase of deep sleep is completely motionless and relaxed. At the same time, a cat can make various sounds: to grumble, something to inaudibly “mumble” or purr.

The periods of deep sleep of a cat are short-term: their duration rarely exceeds 6 - 7 minutes. Then comes the stage of light sleep (about half an hour), and then the purr wakes up.

Photo: maxpixel

Cats sleep sensitively. Even if it seems to you that the pet is sleeping soundly, if she heard a slight noise that seems suspicious or worthy of attention, the purr wakes up immediately and becomes active.