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Are House Cats Nocturnal? Facts & FAQ

Written by: Emma Stenhouse

Last Updated on January 12, 2024 by Catster Editorial Team

cat at night

Are House Cats Nocturnal? Facts & FAQ

If your cat has been keeping you awake with their night-time antics, you might be wondering if cats are truly a nocturnal species. Another reason to wonder is the sheer amount of time that most cats spend snoozing during the day!

The short answer is that cats can display nocturnal behavior, but a more accurate definition for most cats is that they’re crepuscular. That means they’re mainly active at dawn and dusk. As is the case for many behaviors we see in our feline friends, it’s not a black-and-white situation.

Some cats alter their behavior to better fit in with the schedules of their human friends. They may spend more time being active during the day and then sleep more at night. Let’s find out more about exactly why our feline friends love to play in the evenings and into the night.

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Nocturnal, Crepuscular, or diurnal?

Before we dive into the details about your cat’s behavior, let’s take a quick look at the terminology. There are three terms that can be used to describe the times of day that your cat is most active.

  • Nocturnal: Most active at night
  • Diurnal: Most active during the day
  • Crepuscular: Most active at dawn and dusk

Most house cats display behavior that’s more accurately described as crepuscular rather than nocturnal. For those animals, their most active periods coincide with sunrise and sunset.

cat at dusk
Image by: mohamed_hassan, Pixabay

Why Are House Cats More Active at Night, Dawn, & Dusk?

As sweet and cuddly as our cats sometimes seem, there’s no denying they’re descended from wild animals. It’s thought that the African Wildcat, or Felis silvestris lybica, was the first domesticated feline. All breeds can trace their ancestry back to those original cats. House cats still retain their hunting instincts from their wild ancestors, and this, in turn, also influences the times of day that they’re most active.

Many species that cats kill and consume, like rodents, feed from dusk until dawn. Dusk and dawn are prime times for small prey animals to make the most of the safety that low-light conditions offer them in terms of not being seen while also having enough light so they can still see.

Therefore, it makes sense that many cats’ natural rhythms coincide with when their prey is likely to be most active. Even if your cat doesn’t need to hunt their food, those ingrained habits haven’t gone anywhere.

A cat’s anatomy is far better adapted to night-time activities, too. Consider how well adapted a cat’s eyes are to seeing in low-light conditions than human eyes. They can find their way around with ease while we stumble into things.

Cats also possess incredible hearing, helping them locate their prey from the smallest sound. Their whiskers are incredibly sensitive so that they can navigate their way around obstacles.

cat sleeping
Image by: Mammiya, Pixabay

Do Cats Sleep at Night?

Yes! You might have noticed that your cat sleeps frequently during the day, so you’d be forgiven for thinking it means they’re active at night. But that’s not necessarily the case. Cats sleep more than many other animals; on average, they will sleep roughly 15 hours per day. Some cats will even sleep for 20 hours out of every 24.

The reason that they sleep so much is another evolutionary throwback. In the wild, cats evolved to sleep frequently to conserve energy when they weren’t hunting. Once they woke up, they had the energy to stalk, chase, and kill their prey. Your domestic house cat might not need to hunt for dinner every night, but they still have the instinct to conserve their energy and sleep a large part of the day away.

The typical cat sleep cycle lasts for 15 to 30 minutes, which is where our term for a short sleep, a “cat nap,” comes from. Your cat might look like they’re fast asleep, but in fact, they’re just dozing. They’ll be fully awake in no time if they hear a noise. Cats have a natural rhythm that goes something like this:

  • Hunt
  • Catch
  • Kill
  • Eat
  • Groom
  • Sleep

Your cat may sleep more during the day and spend more time playing at night, which fulfills the “hunt, catch, kill” part of their rhythm. There are ways that you can encourage your cat to follow more of a diurnal or crepuscular routine, however.

cat hiding
Image Credit: PollyDot, Pixabay

Tips for Managing Your Cat’s Behavior

If your cat’s night-time activities keep you awake, the good news is that there are a few ways to keep them happy while also getting a good night’s sleep! Take the time to play with your cat as part of your evening routine.

The idea is that you line up the “sleep” part of their rhythm with your bedtime. Make sure your cat has toys and food to keep themselves occupied if they wake in the night.

You can invest in an automatic feeder or leave a treasure hunt of kibble for them to find. It’s also a good idea to remove a few toys you know your cat loves and only put them out when you go to bed. If possible, keep your bedroom door shut; otherwise, your cat will come in and wake you up if they want to play.

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Conclusion

While some house cats display true nocturnal behavior, most will be more active at dawn and dusk than in the middle of the night. Therefore, we can more accurately describe them as crepuscular. Of course, cat owners know that it’s never as simple as that, and some cats will even display diurnal behavior and be more active during daylight hours.

That’s a response to living with humans and gradually adapting their natural rhythms to be more in line with those of their owners. After all, that means they’re more likely to get fed when they want to!


Featured Image Credit: mariavp, Pixabay

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