Do cats sleep at night? Explaining nighttime cat behaviour

Ever wondered: do cats sleep at night? Cats are known for their love of napping, but when they’re not snoozing, they can be extremely active. Unfortunately, this can often be at night when their human is trying to sleep. If your cat has decided that the wee small hours are the perfect time to play, what can you do? 

Here at Burgess Pet Care, we care about all animals, including your furry feline. With a wide variety of high-quality dry cat food, you can find exactly what you need for your pet cat to thrive. In this blog, we’ll find out why cats are so active at night, and how you can rest peacefully without worrying about their antics! 

What do cats do at night? 

Cats are, by nature, nocturnal animals. Their instinct is to hunt and eat primarily at night, just like their ancestor, the African wild cat. Even though studies have shown that domestic cats adapt their activity cycles to their environment and to human activity to become more diurnal (awake during the day), for many cats, the call of the night still dominates. 

Some common nighttime behaviours include: 

• Patrolling - Cats are territorial by nature. They might walk through your house at night to check their space and make sure everything is safe 
• Catching the midnight zoomies - Cats can often get a burst of playful energy in the dark, which is their natural hunting instinct telling them to move about
• Hunting and playing - Indoor cats might chase bugs or toys, while outdoor cats often hunt small animals like mice or moths 
• Grooming - Nighttime hours can be a popular time for a bath or fur cleaning! 
• Being more vocal - A cat might meow more at nighttime because they are bored, hungry, or wanting your attention. Or, you might just have a chatty cat! 

>> Questioning your pet's behaviour? We’ve got a full cat behaviour guide, breaking down their weird and wonderful traits… << 

How to manage active cats at night 

The good news is that cats can learn to let their owners doze in peace. To prevent your cat from disturbing you while you sleep, we’ve got some feline-friendly strategies to try out. Here’s what you can do:

Play before bed - Try to engage your cat in 15 to 20 minutes of vigorous play before bedtime, using wand toys, laser pointers, or feather teasers. This will tire them out nicely right before it’s time to tuck up into bed. 

Adjust their feeding schedule - Rather than free-feeding your cat, split up mealtimes into 3 to 5 smaller meals throughout the day, with the last one being right before bedtime. This can prevent any hunger-induced wakeups during the night! Find more by reading our cat feeding guide. 

Keep your cat separate from your bedroom - It might sound obvious, but keeping your cat away from your sleep environment will ensure that they aren’t bothering you. Even if they are meowing, don’t react, as every time you respond, you’re giving them attention. 

Let’s explain this in a bit more detail… 

Stop rewarding undesired behaviour 

By waking you up, your cat achieves certain goals: 

• They have made something exciting happen, even if it's only grumbling or movement 
• They get social interaction, no matter how you respond 
• They get fed 

Whatever technique your cat employs -jumping up and down on you, attacking your feet, pulling your hair or swiping at your face- if you relent and get up to feed them, you’re simply rewarding the behaviour you don’t want. 

The key is breaking this cycle. If you manage to stop responding to your cat’s attempts to wake you up and get you out of bed for two weeks, you should succeed, but it will take a lot of determination. To help things along, introduce the second part of the strategy. 

Use your cat’s natural cycle to your advantage 

Here’s what else you can do to get your cat to sleep better at night, leaving you to your own peaceful slumber: 

• Incorporate a variety of enrichment activities, such as interactive feeders, which encourage your cat to ‘work’ to get their food, to keep your cat busy during daylight hours. The more active your cat is during the day, the more likely they’ll sleep at night. 
• Play them music. It might seem far-fetched, but cats actually enjoy listening to music, and it can help them relax. Play it right before bedtime to see if they wind down. 

For happy, healthy cats, it has to be Burgess 

And there you have it… ‘Do cats sleep at night?’ Yes and no. Cats are crepuscular - they are most active at dawn and dusk - but they still wake up, play, and patrol while you sleep. Remember to be patient - it is possible that both you and your cat can enjoy a good night’s sleep together! 

At Burgess Pet Care, we have your pets' best interests at heart. From kitten food to senior cat food, find a variety of recipes that aim to give your cat enough energy they need throughout the day before falling into a peaceful sleep at night. Make sure you read our cat care guides for more advice when it comes to cat behaviours! 

Got any questions? Then get in touch with our expert team.