The pets I’ve known all had their quirks – including when it came to sleep. Patches the cat would sleep on my head. Sammy the dog would rest on the couch, only to wake herself with a fart. And Macaroni likes to sleep upside down, his corgi legs aimed at the ceiling.
But what they have all had in common was this passion for napping – seemingly, all the time. This is to be expected: pet dogs and cats typically cycle through daily periods of sleep and rest, explains veterinary behaviorist and University of Pennsylvania professor Dr Carlo Siracusa. Some pets might spend 40% to 80% of their time resting, he says, especially dogs.
As with people, pet sleep can vary and is a bit of a mystery, explains Meg Crofoot, director of the department for the ecology of animal societies at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior. All animals sleep, which “suggests sleep is deeply and almost definingly important to animal life”, says Crofoot.
Understanding pet sleep can help us support our furry family and create a more restful home for everyone. Here’s what to know, according to experts.
How long does a pet typically sleep?
What’s “normal” for a pet can vary based on species, environment and personality, says Siracusa. There’s no “optimal amount” of sleep, he says.
Normal is difficult to establish for almost all creatures. Domestication has fundamentally changed what’s “normal” for pets, says Dr Cori Blair, a veterinarian and owner of Feline Health NYC in New York City. Plus, most sleep research takes place in a controlled laboratory setting, explains Crofoot; this complicates our understanding of sleep because a lab isn’t the norm.
Although there’s no “normal” amount of sleep to expect, estimates from the American Kennel Club have puppies sleeping 18 to 20 hours a day, and grown dogs about 12 to 14 hours. Older dogs tend to sleep more overall, but they have shorter, more frequent naps during the day compared with younger dogs.
Meanwhile, some estimates suggest cats sleep an average of 12 to 16 hours a day, meaning they spend about 60% of their lifetime napping. That said, owners often assume their pets are sleeping when they are just resting, Siracusa explains.
Why do pets sleep so much?
While researchers are still working to understand pet sleeping patterns, it’s speculated that dogs and cats sleep throughout the day because multiple short cycles of sleep throughout the day helped their ancestors remain alert for threats and have the energy to find food.
What’s certain is that quality sleep is linked to a healthy pet. Like humans, pets that sleep well are better at managing anxiety and fear. Some research suggests that dogs that sleep less than six hours while their caregivers are sleeping or are easily disturbed from sleep during the daytime show more behavior problems, probably because of poor control of emotional arousal.
Márta Gácsi, a senior researcher at Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest, has also found that sleep can help with dog memory consolidation, and that dogs with higher ADHD scores tend to have less efficient sleep. Older research found that cats undergo REM and non-REM sleep cycles, which suggests sleep also strengthens and consolidates their memories.
What are some issues to look out for?
If a cat is sleeping much more than expected, it might indicate they are experiencing some physical discomfort like dental pain or arthritis, explains Blair.
But don’t apply human standards to pet slumber. People often expect their pets to sleep when they sleep, which can be a problem when schedules are unaligned, says Blair. Cats are crepuscular, meaning they’re most active at dawn and dusk. Early morning meows might be requests for breakfast, but they are also naturally awake at that time.
Blair often hears from owners whose cats are keeping them awake. “They’re going to be up whenever something interesting is going on, and then they’ll take naps when they feel like it,” says Blair. One cause is the environment – city noises can lead to restlessness, for example. A change of routine can also disrupt sleep: if your cat is used to sleeping with you, shutting them out of the bedroom can cause anxiety.
When a pet has sleep issues, start with a medical check from your veterinarian, says Siracusa. If you think your pet is sleeping too much or too little, pay attention to their patterns. Keeping a record can help you understand whether something is abnormal. A sudden switch in behavior could indicate there’s been a change in health or environment.
How can you help your pet sleep better?
In nature, an animal’s rest is often interrupted by the need to search for food. Replacing this natural disruption with stimulating activities, such as enrichment food bowls, can decrease anxiety, says Siracusa.
Owner-pet relationships can also affect sleep. Some research suggests that dogs that are more attached to their owners spend more time in a restful phase of sleep, which is critical for good health. Gácsi, a co-author of this research, says it’s likely this positive attachment makes dogs less stressed.
Calm, familiar environments can help pests rest. Pets may overreact to suddenly being awakened or disturbed, says Siracusa. This stems from a fear of and a need to avoid predators.
Cats may instinctively seek high places to sleep, which might be an inherited behavior. A cat tree can provide this, says Siracusa. Routine – like consistent feeding times – and playing twice a day for 20 to 30 minutes can help a cat sleep well, says Blair. Meanwhile, some dogs prefer to rest where they can observe their surroundings, while more fearful dogs tend to seek out smaller, more confined spaces, explains Siracusa.
Small dogs and cats are drawn to warm, cozy areas since they lose heat more rapidly than larger animals. A heated bed can help if your pet often wanders at night, says Siracusa. However, in the summer, pets tend to seek out colder areas. Leaving the door open to a tiled area - such as a bathroom or laundry room – can help.
Older pets may have trouble reaching their typical resting spot, such as the couch. You can provide a pet ladder or alternative safe places.
And while it’s tempting to give them a gentle boop or smoosh, “when animals sleep, they should be left undisturbed”, says Siracusa.
If behavioral interventions and a medical check-up don’t provide a solution, you can discuss medication with your veterinarian, says Siracusa and Blair. Medications for anxiety or sleep issues may be helpful, but attempt these other approaches first.
Do pets like to sleep with people?
Some pets enjoy sleeping with their caregivers, says Siracusa. It allows them to be with their social group, it’s cozy and it potentially helps them feel safe. But how enjoyable it is depends on the animal and the person.
Dogs often want to sleep near or with their owners. They evolved from wolves, which sleep socially, so it’s reasonable to theorize a link there, says Crofoot.
Cats especially enjoy staying close to people because we’re a good source of heat, says Siracusa – though that’s not the only reason. “Proximity to other individuals is the main way that cats show they really like you,” he says.
Meanwhile, research on the benefits for human caregivers is mixed. Some studies indicate that people who sleep with their pets are less rested because they wake more frequently. But other research shows people who sleep with their pets have less anxiety.
Your pet may wake up because your snoring bothers them. Or they may show aggression when startled by your sudden tossing. If there are any signs that bed sharing is unsafe, it’s essential to reassess, says Siracusa.
It can be easy to forget how much we still don’t know about pets, says Crofoot. If you’re wondering why some dogs sleep on their backs, that mystery remains unsolved, says Gácsi: “It would be cool to know.”
