On average, healthy, adult cats sleep between 13 and 14 hours a day. Kittens may sleep as much as 18 hours, while pregnant and aging cats may fall somewhere in between. All that being said, it is important to know that if your cat is sleeping too much because this can sometimes be a sign of illness. Dr. Kathryn Primm, owner of Applebrook Animal Hospital and the “Animal Stuff You Wonder About” blog, explains the following five medical reasons could be causing your cat to sleep more than average. According to Dr. Primm, if you believe your cat is sleeping more than is normal, you should take your cat to their veterinarian for a thorough exam and blood work.
#1 – Kidney disease
Dr. Primm explains that metabolic-type disease (such as kidney disease and diabetes) can cause kitties to sleep more than they normally would.
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#2 – Liver disease
When the liver is damaged and starts to lose function, it affects all kind of things and causes a wide range of symptoms–including lethargy.
#3 – Diabetes
As mentioned above, diabetes can cause a kitty to sleep more due to changes in their metabolism.
#4 – Osteoarthritis
This may be a reason many senior kitties sleep – it’s a great way to “escape” pain associated with arthritis. Kind of like when we take a nap to escape a migraine.
#5 – Certain cancers
Several types of cancer (including cancer in the liver), can cause your cat to sleep more and appear lethargic. Again, it’s a way to escape pain. Sleeping more often also helps the body fight whatever is invading it, which is why sleeping more is a symptom of so many different ailments.
