Mary Allen
Cats sleep most of the day. It’s worth taking a look: not only because sleeping cats look incredibly cute, but also because the sleeping position reveals a lot about the condition of the velvet paw.
A small sleeping cat is a picture of perfect bliss, wrote the French writer and art critic Jules Champfleury in the 19th century. A very true sentence: The sight of slumbering cats, whether small or large, triggers feelings of happiness in many people. Sometimes a bit of envy too, because who wouldn’t want to be able to do that – fall asleep, no matter where and how in the strangest positions. There are cats that snore, hanging half their front body off the sofa, and velvet paws that curl up in tiny boxes or take a nap on narrow fence slats. Some sleep so strangely twisted as if they had rubber bones. Then again they lie on their stomachs, tails, and paws tucked under their bodies. Because they are so reminiscent of a loaf of bread, this position is often referred to as “cat loaf” in English-speaking countries.
How and where the cat sleeps can reveal how she is feeling. Long stretched out on your side or on your back like a sea otter: that’s a good sign. “If a cat has its stomach and throat exposed or is lying so twisted that it cannot escape immediately, it is in a very vulnerable position,” says veterinarian Andrea Heiniger, who has a practice for behavioral medicine for dogs and cats in Wermatswil, ZH operates. “Only cats that feel very safe sleep like this.”
But even relaxed cats only stretch out all fours when it’s warm enough. When it’s cold, all velvet paws roll up into a small ball of fur in order to lose as little body heat as possible. However, if you often observe your cat in this position in the warm living room, it is very likely that it is a little unsure. Very anxious animals sometimes even hide behind a closet or in another corner to sleep. “If a cat that has always lain on the sofa or in its basket suddenly crawls to sleep, this can be an indication of physical problems,” says the behavioral doctor. The living situation may have been challenging up until now, for example, due to conflicts with fellow animals or pushy small children. But the healthy cat can still handle it. If pain or other physical problems then arise, the animal is overwhelmed and reacts by withdrawing.
Too Much Sleep is Not Good
Sick cats also often snooze in the sphinx position on their stomachs. The front paws are stretched forward or folded in front of or under the stomach, the head is not laid down, the back hair is often fluffed up. “Of course, healthy four-legged friends sometimes sit like this, so you should always look at the overall picture,” says Heiniger. Does the cat hardly lie in any other position? Has their coat condition or behavior changed? For example, is she playing less than she used to or has a reduced appetite? “In such cases, it is advisable to consult the veterinarian,” adds Heiniger.
An alarm signal is also when cats sleep excessively. “Cats sleep twelve to fifteen hours a day. If an animal sleeps significantly more, it is often due to underemployment and boredom, especially in the case of indoor cats.”
What the perfect place to sleep looks like varies from person to person. “Relaxed cats that have settled in well like to be right in the middle of things,” says Heiniger. On the other hand, cautious characters or animals that may have just moved into a large family prefer higher places. From here you have everything in view and cannot be disturbed. “But all cats like it warm and cozy. Only on very hot days do they like to stretch out on cool tiles, »explains the expert.