How Much Do Kittens Sleep?

Bringing a new kitten into your home is always an extremely exciting time, but first-time cat ownership can also leave you brimming with questions, especially when it comes to figuring out how exactly to best take care of your new family member.

​But don’t worry, it’s not too difficult to learn how to care for your new kitten, just make sure you always seek advice if you need it!

One of the most popular questions about kittens is how much do kittens sleep? When we think of kittens, we often picture them curled up and asleep, but is this always true? Learning how much sleep your kitten needs is essential to taking good care of them.

So, if you’re unsure about how much sleep your new kitten needs, then read through our guide to learn everything you need to know about kittens and their sleep patterns!

​Do Kittens Sleep At Night?

Much like when you have a baby, it’s probably best to be somewhat realistic about whether or not your kitten is going to sleep overnight, of course, you would hope that they would simply get comfortable and sleep in the night just like we do, but the reality is that your kitten might find themselves awake in the night whilst you’re asleep. 

It’s also actually quite common for younger kittens to be awake during the later hours, so if you find that your kitten is awake overnight, then there’s no need to panic too much. 

Kittens do sleep a lot, but this doesn’t necessarily mean that this is done whilst you sleep too, so it's likely that there will be a period of time where you’re asleep and your kitten is actually wide awake!

In fact, dusk and dawn are probably your cat’s most active hours, and when you factor in that your cat is in an entirely new environment, you have to give them some time to settle into your routine and sleeping hours!

​How Much Should My Kitten Be Sleeping?

The reputation of kittens sleeping for large amounts of the day is actually true, so don’t worry if you think that your kitten is sleeping too much, as they need that sleep in order for them to grow!

How much your kitten sleeps will depend on how old they are, as younger kittens will tend to sleep much more than a kitten that’s a few months old will, so don’t be too surprised when your young cat begins spending less and less time asleep. 

Typically, your kitten will spend anywhere between 16 to 20 hours sleep per day, so you’ll quite commonly find them asleep somewhere warm, but if you feel like your cat is exceeding that amount of sleep and you’re concerned, then don’t be afraid to take them to the vet, because even if nothing is wrong, at least you’ll be able to rest easy knowing that everything is okay. 

Between being a newborn and two weeks old, a kitten will average about 22 hours of sleep a day, and then from three weeks to a month, your cat’s senses will begin to develop, which is why they’ll tend to sleep a lot less. It’s at this point that they’ll sleep for around 18 hours a day, which is similar to an adult cat. 

It is worth noting that if your cat is asleep that you don’t disturb them too much, as this can have a detrimental effect on their health if it’s done repeatedly. 

So to recap, don’t be surprised if your kitten ends up spending a lot of the day and night sleeping, as it’s quite natural for them to sleep for anywhere up to 20 hours a day! But if you do feel like your kitten isn’t getting enough sleep you take them to the vet and get them checked over!
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​What Should I Do If My Kitten Isn’t Getting Enough Sleep?

If you feel like your kitten isn’t sleeping enough, there are a few things that you can do to help boost their sleep, but a visit to the vet should also be the first thing you do. 

If the vet has given your kitten the all-clear but they still aren’t sleeping enough, then thankfully there are a few ways to help ensure that they’ll get the sleep they need. So try some of these steps to help your kitten sleep:

• With kittens being as sleepy as they are, then it means that they can’t really just sleep when you want them to sleep. But, you can help by creating a routine for your kitten, and sticking to it, you’ll help bolster their sleep! 

 

• Ensuring that your cat has a comfy place to sleep is important, keep it warm and cozy and the chances are your cat will love it! 

 

• You can help to tire your kitten out by playing with them whilst they’re awake, just be sure not to overdo too much, so if your kitten seems exhausted, then let them get some sleep. 

 

• If your kitten isn’t sleeping through the night it could be due to hunger, so try feeding them their dinner a little later on in the day. 

 

• Sleep toys are a good idea, a toy or blanket that smells like their mother or their previous home is a good way of getting them to sleep as they adjust to their new home. 

It is important that no matter how tempting it is, you don’t let your cat sleep in bed with you, as you may accidentally injure them if you move in your sleep!

​Conclusion

Overall, it’s common for your kitten to sleep for most of the day and the night, especially when they’re still very young, and if your cat is struggling to sleep, then you can follow some of our helpful tips to help them out!