Few mysteries are more curious than that of your caring cat's absurd sleeping habits. Why do cats spend most of their lives in the realm of the dream gods, and do inside cats sleep more than outside cats?

There are many people out there who have noticed just how much their cat likes to sleep. To be fair, it is quite extraordinary – it can seem like cats spend more time sleeping than they spend wandering around and doing stuff.

So what on Earth is going on here? Why do cats sleep so much, and is there a point where a cat is sleeping too much? Let's find out.

Cats generally sleep for between 12 and 16 hours every day, largely because they get less of the deep and restful sleep that we humans experience. While people need about seven to nine hours of sleep when they're adults, this is only the case because we enter deep and restful REM sleep and stay like that for hours on end, while most animals sleep much lighter.

This is an evolutionary trait, as other animals have to protect themselves from the outside world, making it necessary for them to sleep lightly so that they are still somewhat aware and can react to danger. In addition, cats are predators and, as a result, need far more rest as they need to have enough energy for hunting.

All that being said, while cats need far more sleep than we do to stay awake and alert on a daily basis, they are not always sleeping out of pure necessity. Our cats are not the hunting types – they are domesticated, after all – but instead find themselves in a leisurely life that provides many opportunities for laziness.

There are a number of other reasons why cats sleep so much:

• Some cats just enjoy sleeping and like to take frequent naps throughout the day
• Boredom can cause inside cats to spend a significant amount of time sleeping
• Sometimes, they are just tired because they overexerted themselves
• Cats have their own schedules and desires; maybe your kitty has plans later!
• Stress and anxiety can cause a need for more sleep
• Illnesses that need to be addressed:
• Hyperthyroidism
• Cancers
• Heart issues
• Liver issues
• Kidney issues
• Diabetes
• Viruses
• Infections

Ultimately, it is unlikely that your cat's excessive sleep is a sign of something bad. Just pay attention and only allow yourself to worry if your cat's behavior suddenly changes.

While it isn't a big deal, indoor cats generally sleep more than outside cats. This is simply because the latter spend a lot more time exploring and having a social life, giving them less time to sleep and more energy to do things during the day. As a result, they will be able to operate on a higher level with much less sleep than their indoor alternatives.

While many people believe that cats are nocturnal, they are actually crepuscular, meaning that they are most active around dawn and dusk. This explains why you might find it strange that at the height of the day when the sun is at its zenith, your cat loves to have a nice long beauty nap.

Your kitty will likely wake you up at dawn to go outside and hang out and become overly active as the sun progresses down towards its inevitable disappearance in the evening. Again, this is super normal behavior and nothing to be worried about.

Your cat is sleeping during the day because it naturally sleeps during the day, as you would have noticed it does in the middle of the night as well. When it is dawn or dusk, your cat will become very active.

As we have mentioned previously, cats need between 12 and 16 hours of sleep on average. Older cats will need more, around 20, as will kittens, as they are still developing and need all the rest that their tiny bodies can get. Try not to worry if your cat seems to be sleeping constantly; it is probably just doing what is needed at that time.

Still, if a cat sleeps much more than 20 hours or never seems to sleep at all, something could be wrong, and you should seek out the advice of a veterinarian. Remember that you are not a health professional, much less an animal health professional, and whenever you think something is wrong, you should resort to the vet, not the internet, for answers.

Cats adore sleep and will constantly look for nice places to have good quality naps – and there's nothing that you can do about it. Look out for signs of illness and discomfort, but don't worry about a blissful, sleepy kitty.