Can Cats Die from Lack of Sleep?

Cats are pets that are often kept by humans because they do not require constant attention and avid affection. They can survive quite easily without having any sort of interaction with you or any other living being, even if this process tends to go on for days on end. It is very easy to keep a cat as a pet because cats are extremely low maintenance and the most you will have to give them is food on the regular and make sure to clean out their dishes every day to maintain a certain level of hygiene.

How long should a cat sleep?

When it comes to sleep, you will often find your cat sleeping at the weirdest time of the day. Your cat will likely be sleeping in the afternoon and at night. It might only stay awake for a few hours, and sooner or later, it will go back to sleep. You may look at this as multiple naps or one prolonged period of sleeping with a few breaks that are in between. Either way, cats are going to be sleeping for the maximum period of time that they are alive, and it is quite important that you make peace with that fact.

What you may have to consider, though, is if your cat is sleeping quite less in comparison to past experiences or in comparison to other cats that are of the same age as your cat and sleeping much longer than your cat is sleeping on a daily. All of these are facts that you will have to pay very heavy attention to in order to make sure that your cat stays healthy and happy. Without that, it may have a much shorter lifespan.

Can Cats Die from Lack of Sleep?

To answer the question at hand, yes, it is very much possible that a cat might die if its sleeping time is not as long or if you find that the cat is not exactly sleeping enough. You have to understand, though, that it might not always be in the way you think. Yes, your cat might die if it sleeps less, but it will die due to a shortening of lifespan or certain diseases that may be caused by lethargy or laziness within the cat. It is not entirely what is assumed that the cat might suddenly die if it starts sleeping less and less.

There can be many reasons why your cat is not sleeping long enough or not sleeping during the time that it should be sleeping or formerly sleeping. All of these are very important details that you will have to pay avid attention to in order to make sure that you are the owner of a healthy cat and you are not mistreating your cat in any way, shape, or form. If you find that you cannot take care of the cat, it is much better not to own one at all.

Reasons that your cat is not sleeping

The first and most obvious reason that your cat might not be sleeping enough can easily be some sort of disease or illness. The cat may be experiencing an upset stomach or some sort of mouth allergy. The cat might not be able to find comfort in this situation, and thus, it may not be sleeping as often as the cat is used to sleeping. In turn, the lack of sleep may worsen the circumstances, which may be why your cat will not be able to live longer than most.

Another reason could also be trauma. When a cat is traumatized or experiences some sort of mishap, it may take the cat a significant amount of time before it starts to find comfort in its surroundings. This is your responsibility. First of all, protect the cat as much as you can and make sure that it does not have to experience any kind of trauma at all. But, if it does happen by any chance, it is your responsibility to make your cat feel comfortable in the environment again, find ways to soothe the cat so it wants to sleep again.

How to cure your cat

If any of the above reasons apply, there are some steps that you can follow in order to make sure that your cat feels easy and calm in the environment that you have provided for it.

The first thing that can be done is by providing stimulation. It is easy to stimulate the cat simply by petting it or stroking it, but if that does not work, what you can do is lay down toys and such for the cat to begin to feel as comfortable as possible in its surroundings. You may also turn on sounds that may be soothing and calming for the little cat.

Another method that may be able to work when your cat feels anxious or troubled is to give it enough food, maybe a little bit more than your cat is used to. A cat will likely fall asleep once it is full. However, be sure not to overfeed the cat under any circumstances. Overfeeding in the sense that you feed the cat so much that it starts to become directed more towards obesity and such. When a cat becomes obese, it will become lethargic and lazy, ultimately shortening its life span.

The company is always a good idea to make your cat feel at home. Find a cat that your cat also feels comfortable with. Now, you have to remember that you can not bring just any old cat home. The cat might see it as a threat. What you can do is take your cat to meet some cats and bring home whichever cat your cat feels comfortable with. It is a very simple process, really.

Conclusion

A cat dying from lack of sleep may not be sudden or very obvious, but it may happen over time if the same routine continues.