As a cat caregiver you have probably noticed (😃) that your cat can sit or lounge for ages without any health detriments whereas the medical experts of the world say that it is bad for human health to sit for long periods. The human body needs to work and be active to be healthy as that is how we evolved.
And this is about evolution. Here is some more detail explaining why our beloved cats get away with being supreme loungers.
It is bad for human health to sit down for long periods. The same does not apply to cats it seems. Why?
You’re right that sitting for long periods can be harmful to human health. It can lead to issues like poor circulation, back pain, and even long-term problems like obesity or cardiovascular issues. But cats seem to get away with it, and there are a few reasons for that:
- Natural Resting Behavior: Cats are crepuscular animals, meaning they’re most active during dawn and dusk. The rest of the time, they tend to sleep or lounge around in short bursts. While they may sit or lie down for long periods, their bodies are designed to take frequent short bursts of intense activity (like pouncing or chasing), which helps keep their muscles and joints limber.
- Flexible Spine and Muscles: Cats have an incredibly flexible spine and strong muscles that allow them to curl up comfortably and move fluidly when they need to. Their bodies are built for comfort in various resting positions without the strain that humans might experience from sitting in one position for too long.
- Metabolism and Resting States: Unlike humans, who need to balance sitting with movement to maintain circulation and health, cats’ bodies are more adept at recovering from periods of rest. They also tend to sleep for longer periods in different phases, giving their bodies time to rest and restore energy, without the same consequences as human sedentary behavior.
So, even though cats rest a lot, their biology is more attuned to it. However, if a cat were to be inactive for too long, such as due to illness, that could still lead to issues. In contrast, humans need to move regularly to prevent health problems associated with a lack of physical activity.
So this is about evolutionary differences?
Yes, exactly! The differences in how humans and cats handle long periods of sitting or resting come down to evolutionary adaptations. Humans and cats evolved under very different circumstances, which shaped how their bodies are designed to rest and move.
For cats, evolution has favored a high degree of flexibility and agility, because they are predators that rely on short bursts of intense activity to catch prey. Their evolutionary ancestors needed to conserve energy for hunting, so they adapted to spend a lot of time resting in order to be ready to pounce when necessary. This “rest-to-activity” cycle is part of what makes them so efficient hunters, and their bodies are built to handle long rest periods without ill effects.
Humans, on the other hand, evolved as endurance hunters and gatherers. Early humans would have spent more time walking, running, or engaging in physical activities throughout the day. Our bodies evolved to handle a variety of movements, but we are not as naturally built for long periods of stillness. When we sit for long periods, it can slow down our circulation and cause discomfort because our bodies aren’t designed for static positions for extended times. Movement is key for maintaining our health and preventing the negative effects of prolonged inactivity.
So, in short, it’s all about how each species adapted to its environment and way of life over millennia. Cats evolved to rest and conserve energy for brief, intense bursts of activity, while humans evolved to stay active throughout the day, requiring regular movement to stay healthy.
More: animal health
“Lounging” means relaxing or reclining in a comfortable, often lazy way—usually without any particular purpose or urgency. It’s what cats do so well: sprawled out on a windowsill, stretched across a sofa, or curled up somewhere soft, just taking it easy.
For humans, it might be lying on a couch watching TV or sunbathing in a garden chair. The key idea is comfort, stillness, and no pressure to move.
Ever caught your cat doing the full body stretch and flop into a sunny patch? Classic lounging.
