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Night Time is Hunting Time

During the workday, when they're left to their own fun in a Madison, Wisconsin, apartment, Dakota and Wild Bill are on the go. The two tabbies play chase, leaving skid marks and other evidence of an active lifestyle. And when owner Nicole Saylor shows up in the evening? "Well," she says, "they sleep a lot when I'm around." Late at night, they're noisy again.

What is it with cats and their sleeping habits? Why can't they be like us and sleep for eight hours a night?

"It's just the way they're built," says Andrew Luescher, an associate professor and the director of the Animal Behavior Clinic at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. The time to hunt rodents is at night, so that's when most cats are active. When they're not hunting a mouse, or a piece of string, they're in deep sleep for just short periods at a time. Cats must face life claws first.

Can't Afford Deep Sleep

"Cats are prey and predators," Luescher says, "so they have to be alert. They can't afford deep sleep." He says studies have found that barn cats sleep only 40 percent of the time. But, notes Petra Mertens, animal psychologist at the University of Minnesota's Behavior Clinic in St. Paul, Minnesota, a lone house cat doesn't get as much excitement as a barn cat does. "So they're left with little to do," Mertens says. And that's not always good for a cat.

Need to Stay Active

Mertens recommends pet owners encourage their cats to be active. For example, rotate cat toys around the house every few days. This will give your cat a reason to move to other locations when he wants to play. Mertens suggests using a mouse-on-a-string and other toys that stimulate activity. She also recommends toys that release kibble as they roll around.

If your cat is still inactive, extra pounds could be the reason. Feeding him a lower-calorie food can help manage weight and promote an active lifestyle.

So, it is possible to get your cat out of that spot in the sun. "Giving him more to do and providing a good diet is your best bet," Mertens says. "It's good for your cat's physical and mental health so he can play hard and sleep well."