How much do cats sleep, and how many hours do they really need

Cats sleep an average of 15 hours per day. However, they can sleep as much as 20 hours within a 24-hour period.

In general, cats do the majority of their sleeping during the day, since they are most active overnight. If you've wondered why that is, the answer lies in their physiology.

Since cats are natural predators, their brains and bodies are made to have them hunting mostly at night, when their excellent eyesight can help them catch prey while staying undetected.

Though domesticated, our kitties still display many behaviors found in wild cats such as lions and tigers. Since hunting prey takes lots of energy, cats sleep as much as possible so they will have the energy needed to pounce on their prey, even if it is only a catnip toy or rubber ball.