Comparing cat and human sleep quality. Infographic.

You will see a lot on the Internet about domestic cats sleeping for very long periods of time throughout the day and sometimes the night. The authors of these articles give us the impression that domestic cats sleep for much longer periods of time than humans. I believe this is misleading because cats nap and snooze most of the time often partly because they are full-time indoor cats with nothing to do. But evolution has created a finely tuned hunter whose purpose is to hunt at dawn and dusk.

However, in respect of the fundamentals of sleep patterns, cats and humans are very similar. The primary difference is that a domestic cat’s sleep is much more fragmented with small and frequent sessions compared to the human who sleeps in a block at night time.

The Infographic breaks down the core essential differences focusing on Non-Rapid Eye Movement (NREM) sleep and Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep. Each of these stages has distinct characteristics and plays a crucial role in the overall sleep process.

I hope you find the Infographic useful. The intention is to make this quite complicated topic very readable on the move because a lot of people these days surf the Internet on their smartphones.

The Infographic can be expanded by clicking on the icon bottom-right which may make it more readable on a phone.

More: How to tell if a blind cat is asleep or awake (✿◡‿◡)

Human versus cats on REM sleep

The total amount of NREM deep sleep that cats get compared to humans is smaller, both in terms of percentage and total duration, even though cats sleep more overall. Here’s a detailed comparison:

1. NREM Deep Sleep in Humans:

• Humans spend about 15-25% of their total sleep time in NREM deep sleep (Stage 3 NREM).
• With an average of 7-9 hours of total sleep per night, humans typically get around 1-2 hours of deep sleep each night.

2. NREM Deep Sleep in Cats:

• Cats spend a smaller percentage of their total sleep in NREM deep sleep, estimated to be around 5-10%.
• Cats sleep between 12 to 16 hours a day, sometimes more.
• Given this sleep duration, cats typically get around 30 minutes to 1 hour of deep sleep over a 24-hour period.

Summary of Comparison:

• Humans: About 1-2 hours of deep NREM sleep per night (~15-25% of sleep).
• Cats: Around 30 minutes to 1 hour of deep NREM sleep per day (~5-10% of sleep).

Key Differences:

• Humans consolidate their sleep into longer, uninterrupted stretches at night, during which they experience more extended periods of deep sleep.
• Cats, on the other hand, have a polyphasic sleep pattern, sleeping in short bursts (naps) throughout the day and night. This results in shorter, fragmented periods of deep sleep, often only lasting a few minutes during each sleep cycle.

Conclusion:

While cats sleep more overall than humans, they get less total NREM deep sleep. Their shorter, more fragmented sleep cycles limit the time they spend in this restorative stage compared to humans, who experience longer and more consolidated deep sleep during their nighttime rest.

Humans versus cats on NREM

The total amount of NREM deep sleep that cats get compared to humans is smaller, both in terms of percentage and total duration, even though cats sleep more overall. Here’s a detailed comparison:

1. NREM Deep Sleep in Humans:

• Humans spend about 15-25% of their total sleep time in NREM deep sleep (Stage 3 NREM).
• With an average of 7-9 hours of total sleep per night, humans typically get around 1-2 hours of deep sleep each night.

2. NREM Deep Sleep in Cats:

• Cats spend a smaller percentage of their total sleep in NREM deep sleep, estimated to be around 5-10%.
• Cats sleep between 12 to 16 hours a day, sometimes more.
• Given this sleep duration, cats typically get around 30 minutes to 1 hour of deep sleep over a 24-hour period.

Summary of Comparison:

• Humans: About 1-2 hours of deep NREM sleep per night (~15-25% of sleep).
• Cats: Around 30 minutes to 1 hour of deep NREM sleep per day (~5-10% of sleep).

Key Differences:

• Humans consolidate their sleep into longer, uninterrupted stretches at night, during which they experience more extended periods of deep sleep.
• Cats, on the other hand, have a polyphasic sleep pattern, sleeping in short bursts (naps) throughout the day and night. This results in shorter, fragmented periods of deep sleep, often only lasting a few minutes during each sleep cycle.

Conclusion:

While cats sleep more overall than humans, they get less total NREM deep sleep. Their shorter, more fragmented sleep cycles limit the time they spend in this restorative stage compared to humans, who experience longer and more consolidated deep sleep during their nighttime rest.