- Not a substitute for professional veterinary help.
As the days grow shorter, darker, and colder, and you bust out fuzzy socks, hot cocoa, and pine-scented candles, you might notice your cat making some changes, too. For example, maybe they seem to be sleeping a whole lot more than they typically would.
Cats do tend to sleep more in winter, and this is usually perfectly fine. Often, your cat’s snoozing habits are a natural response to the decrease in daylight, says Dr. Kevin Puzycki, DVM and spokesperson of Solid Gold. As a cat’s natural circadian rhythm readjusts, they’re likely to sleep more—some cats can sleep up to 20 hours a day in the winter.
Read on to explore the link between cold weather and catnaps, plus get a few tips on when it’s time to talk to a vet about your cat’s sleep habits.
Why Do Cats Sleep Longer In Winter?
“Cats are polyphasic sleepers,” Dr. Erica Thiel, DVM, IndeVets Midwest Area Medical Director, says. “A typical cat will sleep 12 to 13 hours a day with a typical sleep phase of around 78 minutes.”
Beyond circadian rhythm changes, a few other factors can play a part in how much cats sleep in winter, including their lifestyle.
Outdoor cats—especially those who aren’t spayed or neutered—are typically more affected by the colder, darker winter days than their indoor counterparts, according to Dr. Thiel and Molly DeVoss, a Certified Feline Training and Behavior Specialist and founder of Cat Behavior Solutions.
Here are three scientifically-backed reasons why cats sleep more in winter.
They’re responding to reduced daylight hours
Cats are crepuscular, which means they’re more active at dawn and dusk.
Cats living outdoors who rely on natural prey to survive will shift their hunting and sleeping hours during the winter, DeVoss says. In the winter months, outdoor cats need to change their daily routine due to the shifting dawn and dusk times.
They also need to work harder to get their prey because many bird and rodent numbers plummet due to migration, hibernation, and lower breeding levels.
What’s more, intact female cats stop entering heat when there are less than 12 hours of daylight. Since outdoor intact cats are driven to reproduce, they’re less active during the winter months with the most limited daylight.
Indoor spayed and neutered cats living with humans have the same biological makeup, of course, but their lives, behavior, and health depend greatly upon routine. If you don’t change your habits in the winter, your cat probably won’t either.
Cats are quick learners, she says, and once they understand your routines, they’ll come to rely on them.
As long as you wake up at the same time year-round and feed your cat first thing, they probably won’t choose to sleep in over having their breakfast, just because it’s a cold December morning.
They’re conserving energy
Outdoor cats, especially intact ones, are more likely to sleep more during the colder months than indoor cats because their bodies are trying to conserve energy and fat resources. This is amplified in the winter since they have to expend more energy in lower temperatures hunting for scarce prey, according to DeVoss.
If you notice your indoor cat is sleeping longer, it might be due to stress, boredom, or underlying medical issues. Spayed and neutered indoor cats have reliable food sources, indoor heating, and artificial light.
They’re less likely to need to conserve energy due to the cold—and more likely to respond to changes in the household routine, for instance, if you go to bed much earlier in the winter months.
The cold reduces their sleep quality
Some research suggests that cats, especially seniors, can have increased periods of arousal and interruptions during sleep when the temperatures in their environment drop.
Dr. Thiel says this can lead to lower-quality sleep, which can leave your cat feeling lethargic and likely to sleep more. Since they don’t experience restorative sleep like they typically would, their bodies naturally respond to that interrupted sleep cycle.
Your cat may then try to compensate for the loss of sleep by taking more naps during the day or sleeping for extended periods.
Do Cats Sleep Longer Because They’re Sad?
“When cats spend more time sleeping, this does not necessarily mean they are bored, sad, or disengaged,” Maggie Shuter, Feline Behavior Consultant and President and Founder of Refuge Chatopia, says. “As with humans, cats’ sleep schedules may fluctuate based on various hormonal and environmental factors.”
“Humans are diurnal, which means we are most active during daylight hours. When those daylight hours are reduced, we tend to feel deprived of enough time to do the things we want to do,” DeVoss says.
If you’re going to sleep earlier in the winter, there’s a good chance your cat is responding by imitating your sleep patterns.
“However, because the amount of light indoors is not as dramatic as it is outside, some indoor cats’ sleeping patterns may hardly vary,” Shuter says.
Does my cat have seasonal depression?
Dr. Thiel says there haven’t been any proven cases of seasonal depression in cats.
If you notice signs of depression in your cat, DeVoss says, these may be due to disruptions in their routine, changes in their environment, or other sources of stress.
Along with increased sleeping, other signs of depression might include:
- Decreased appetite
- Hiding
- Agitation
- Changes in play habits, litter box use, or vocalizations
If you notice any of these signs, it may be worth making a visit to your vet.
How to Keep A Cat Happy In Winter
“The best way to keep your cat happy and active through the winter is to engage them in a variety of physical and mental exercises,” Shuter says.
Shuter shares five tips to keep your cat happy this winter:
- Daily aerobic exercise: Play with your cat with toys they can chase and run after, such as stuffed plushies or feathers on strings or bouncy springs. Shuter says this exercise lets your cat use their hunting instincts.
- Change up their environment: Small, simple changes can stimulate your cat more. Moving a chair to a new spot and hanging a crystal or stained glass suncatcher in a window that gets plenty of light can keep your cat’s environment fresh and exciting.
- Try new environmental enrichment ideas regularly: Enhancing your cat’s living space with hiding places, vertical spaces to climb, and maybe even an outdoor enclosure can help improve their well-being and quality of life. You can ask your vet or a cat behavior expert—or do some research online—for more ideas for environmental enrichment.
- Add mental stimulation: Plenty of mental activity can also help your cat thrive. You might, for instance, try a puzzle feeder to help your cat stay engaged as they eat.
- Give them opportunities for exploratory play: Exploratory play engages your cat physically and mentally. Cat towers and shelving units are great for this activity. You can also set out some cardboard boxes and paper bags to get your cat interested in engaging with their surroundings.
How to Keep A Cat Warm In Winter
Just like indoor cats, outdoor cats seek out warm and cozy places for their naps. When the weather gets frosty, they can unknowingly put themselves in danger by tucking themselves into unconventional “beds”—like cars.
In winter, cats commonly crawl into the wheel wells and engine compartments in cars, says Dr. Brian Collins from Cornell’s College of Veterinary Medicine.
“It’s a good idea to check the wheel wells of your car and to either honk your horn or bang on the hood of your vehicle before starting it to prompt any cats seeking shelter in the engine compartment to leave,” he says.
Outdoor cats also face deadly cold weather risks like hypothermia and frostbite on their sensitive paws, ears, and tails. Other wintertime hazards include antifreeze and snow melts, which contain toxic ingredients.
In short, the best way to keep a cat warm and safe during the winter is to keep them indoors!
If cats have to stay outdoors, it’s essential to set up a winter-proofed shelter to protect them from the cold, wind, and snow. The best shelters are raised off the ground a few inches and have bedding, like straw, to retain heat.
Some evidence suggests that indoor cats prefer room temperatures between 86 to 100°F. You probably don’t want to crank your heat up that high, of course, but you can create plenty of warm and cozy snooze spots with soft blankets and cat beds!
When To Ask Your Vet About Your Cat’s Sleep Schedule
Dr. Thiel says if you notice your cat sleeps more than usual and seems less active during the day, this lethargy might point to an underlying health issue.
Talk to your vet right away if your cat:
- Has less appetite
- Vomits
- Loses weight
- Spends a lot of time hiding
- Eliminates outside of the litter box
- Yowls, cries, or strains when trying to urinate
- Has blood in their urine or feces
Do cats get seasonal illnesses like humans?
Outdoor cats who spend a lot of time in the cold can have weaker immune systems, and they may come down with a case of the sniffles, Dr. Puzycki says.
Indoor cats may also have respiratory symptoms in the winter. Dr. Puzycki says a lot of cats in his practice get dry, non-productive coughs in winter.
Dr. Thiel adds that indoor cats can also get various contagious upper respiratory infections.
Research hasn’t found evidence to suggest that winter causes more seasonal illnesses for indoor cats. These symptoms may actually relate to stress and indoor heating, which can dry out the air.
The holiday season can be hectic and chaotic, for cats as well as people. Some cats travel across the country with their families, spend time boarding, have a cat-sitter, or temporarily stay with a new family. These changes can be monumental for cats.
Along recognizing these sources of stress and doing what you can to ease your cat’s discomfort, you can also use a humidifier indoors to provide some relief from the dry air. Dr. Thiel recommends keeping your cat updated on their vaccines and minimizing their contact with other cats.