Cats are nocturnal creatures and thrive on activity. When we try to sleep, they want to play. Albeit adorable, this frenzied bundle of fur can be not so cute. Once awake, he or she will play until its eyelids droop too much to stay open any longer – but only long enough to recharge those batteries and do it all over again the following night.
The main reason why your kitty prowls the hallway in the dead of night is due to them being crepuscular, which is an animal that is most active at dawn and dusk. This period of time is when your cat will be most active, looking to hunt, play, eat, or even disturb your sleep for attention.
Your cat’s sleep cycle is also different from yours. While your cat may be asleep, it doesn’t necessarily mean that he or she is resting. Your cat’s sleep cycle consists of two types: REM and NREM. REM is the rapid eye movement stage of sleep in which dreams occur and the heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure increase while muscles are relaxed.
This is the period where your cat can be seen twitching and blinking in his sleep, while NREM is a non-rapid eye movement stage of sleep during which dreams do not occur, heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure decrease, and muscles become tense.
Unlike humans, cats are able to achieve REM sleep without having to progress through stages 1 and 2 first. They enter REM directly from wakefulness or from a short period of NREM sleep. Because cats have this ability to transition from wakefulness to REM so quickly, they are able to spend more time in this restorative stage of sleep than we do; about 16 hours out of 24!
Now that you have learned a little more about the world of kitties and what it takes to successfully own them, perhaps you will be more apt to adopt one. Cats are wonderful creatures to keep as house pets—it will only make your life better once you add one!
At Life of Riley, we provide grooming services for dogs of all sizes. Our comfortable facility has a spacious waiting area where you can relax while you wait for your pet to be groomed. With years of experience providing dog grooming, our staff is highly trained and very well versed in canine behavior. When your pet comes to us, they will receive individualized attention while they are being groomed. If you want your dog or cat to look its best, call Life of Riley.
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