Our question this week was:

Dr. Jon – I've always had dogs and am new to having a cat. I adopted an older stray cat – that is probably about 8 to 9 years old. He seems to sleep a lot. Is that normal?

Sarah Miller

Answer

Hi – thanks for your email. You wrote asking why your cat sleeps so much. Generally indoor cats do sleep more than dogs. Many cats will sleep for 13 to 16 hours a day. Some cats will sleep more if they are sick or bored.

Make sure your cat has plenty of toys, windows to look out of, scratching post, cat trees and playtime. Play with him at least once a day. Also – make sure he is eating and drinking well.

If you have not done so, a good physical examination by your veterinarian is a good idea to ensure there is not an underlying health problem that is causing the sleep.

An article that might be helpful to you is Sleep Behavior of Cats.

Best of luck!

Dr. Jon





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