If you already own a Bengal cat, then you most probably have noticed that your precious pet spends a lot of time sleeping.
This isn’t uncommon – most animals (cats included) sleep an awful lot compared to the average human.
They are lucky enough not to have to worry about things like work – or taking care of pets!
But how many hours a day do Bengal cats sleep?
In this article we are going to look more at Bengal cat sleep patterns and what you need to be aware of.
Average Amount Of Sleep Per Day For A Bengal Cat
On average, a Bengal cat will sleep around 12-14 hours per day. Now the number of hours does depend greatly on the individual cat, as well as the age (younger cats and older cats tend to sleep more than “middle aged” Bengals – just like with humans).
Compared to other domestic cat breeds, it has been observed that Bengal cats actually sleep less on average. However, as I outlined above it is very dependent on the individual cat.
For example, our Bengal (Kala) is now 13 years old and seems to spend almost all of her day asleep!
Why Do Bengal Cats Sleep So Much?
The answer to this can be found in the evolution and physiology of the Bengal cat.
In the wild, cats had to hunt for their prey.
Hunting requires substantial energy and focus, so sleeping for much of the day allows the cat to have the energy it needs to hunt.
Furthermore, sleeping also conserves energy, meaning that a cat can go longer periods between eating.
This “evolutionary trait” is still present in all domesticated cats. Despite the fact that owners tend to feed them on a regular basis (with many modern cats enjoying 24/7, on-demand access to food) it is hard-wired into the nature of the cat to spend lots of time sleeping.
Perhaps in many more generations domesticated cats will lose this trait and sleep less (as they no longer need to hunt for food).
However, that won’t happen in our lifetimes!
We now know how many hours Bengal cats sleep per day – let’s cover briefly how Bengals sleep and dream.
How Do Bengal Cats Sleep?
As mentioned at the start of this article, you’ll usually find your Bengal cat sleeping away multiple times per day. However, your Bengal isn’t always properly sleeping.
Around 75% of the time that Bengals spend asleep is actually just snoozing/napping.
In this state the Bengal is able to get the rest it needs but also remain very alert – ready to wake at a second’s notice to escape a predator.
You can observe this behaviour in your Bengal if it has twitching ears and the eyes are not fully closed. In this state, your Bengal is getting a well-deserved rest but not truly asleep, ready for anything that mother nature may throw at it.
This is an obvious evolutionary trait, designed to keep your cat safe from predators that may sneak up on it.
The other 25% of the time is when your Bengal is truly asleep. This is a deep, regenerative sleep. Your Bengal will be far less alert and far harder to wake when they are in this state.
You can usually determine this by the position in which your Bengal is sleeping.
When your cat is in a deep sleep, he/she will be curled up with their eyes shut tightly. Their tail may also be over their face.
If you see your Bengal like this, it is best to leave them alone and not interrupt their sleep as it is vital for their health.
Do Bengal Cats Dream?
Yes, Bengal cats do dream.
We don’t know exactly what they dream about, but you can often tell if your cat is dreaming if their whiskers and/or paws are twitching while they are asleep.
Conclusion
To conclude this article, let’s recap on the main points:
- How many hours a day do Bengal cats sleep? 12-14 on average
- Why does my cat sleep so much? As with all creatures, Bengals sleep to regain energy – it is essential to the regenerative process of us all. The amount of time that cats (including Bengals) spend sleeping is an evolutionary throwback, designed to keep them in the best possible condition for hunting and also to conserve energy.
- Do Bengal cats dream? Yes, they sure do!
