The experience of adopting a puppy cat is unique and unrepeatable. It's not just about gaining a friend for life, it also takes us into the world of care and behavior of these incredible mammals. During this period it is normal for some doubts to arise as a result of possible behavior or he alth problems, such as the hours of sleep, fundamental for the development of the little one.
In this article on our site we are going to talk about how to make a baby cat sleep taking into account the hours of rest it requires.
Rest, essential for the puppy cat
Have you ever wondered how many hours a cat sleeps a day? An adult feline can sleep up to 15 or 17 hours, divided into several naps. However, a puppy cat will need even more hours to grow properly.
Baby cats, up to 4 or 5 months, can sleep up to 20 hours daily. As they get older, this rest time decreases and you can see how they spend more time eating, experimenting, playing and socializing.
Sleep not only helps replenish energy, it also strengthens the immune system, helps improve mental abilities and keeps the body he althy. That's why you should never interrupt a small cat's rest.
Make sure the environment is comfortable
To sleep well enough, the kitten must feel comfortable in its environment. If he has recently separated from his mother and siblings, you should understand that he may feel scared or sad and, because of this, he may not be resting well. This can also cause negative behaviors and depression.
It is important that the environment in which he lives is temperate, that he has a warm bed if he is very small, water and food to your reach. It is also necessary to make sure that he has relieved himself on a regular basis. We can improve and enrich the cat's environment with relaxing music and the use of pheromones, yes, we recommend removing the toys at certain times of the day to promote sleep.
Finally, and no less importantly, offering constant company to the little one should be a priority for the family. By creating a strong emotional bond with your kitten, you are helping him feel comfortable and secure.
Using music to relax dogs and cats can be an excellent idea:
Implant a routine and set schedules
Cats and many other animals appreciate certain daily routines, since it allows them to have an organization of the day to day. Therefore, we recommend planning a me altime for your cat. Of course, you should keep in mind that cats tend to ask for food. Avoid doing it at 6:00 in the morning before going to work or school, otherwise your cat will start waking you up on Saturdays and Sundays at that same time.
It may also be interesting to set a few days of the week to clean the sandbox and renew its water daily. This is not only because they are very clean animals, cats can reproach dirt by urinating in unexpected places.
Even at rest we must take this point into account. A stable routine and habits will help you fall asleep better, something very positive for you to rest properly.
Perform a relaxation exercise every night
Next we will show you an exercise to help your cat relax naturally, yes, quite a few repetitions are required for the child understands correctly:
- Create a relaxed, quiet and positive environment.
- Get a piece of clothing, such as a blanket, or a comfortable cushion and call or bring your kitten to lie down on it. It is very positive that he comes on his own initiative, you should never force him to stay there.
- Offer him a gentle and relaxing massage session. If he wants to play, ignore him for a few seconds until he understands that it is not a moment and offer him caresses again.
- Carry out a 5-minute session and at the end, remove the cushion or the chosen blanket.
You can do this exercise once or twice a day. Little by little, you will begin to observe that, just by taking out the chosen garment, the kitten will come quickly in search of relaxation and affection. At the end of the session do not forget to congratulate him and help him understand that he has done very well
Frequently asked questions and problems in kittens
To end this article we will show you some common problems that may be causing your puppy cat not to rest as it should, as well as some frequently asked questions or methods to use:
- Hyperactivity: this problem can be considered serious in adult cats, but not in kittens, since at this stage it is completely normal who actively experiment and have a high energy level. However, it is something we can work on. Some of the symptoms of hyperactive cats are lack of sleep, anxiety, stress or reinforcement by owners, who accentuate certain behaviors because they find them funny. Until a certain point. The hyperactive cat bites, scratches and plays like any other baby cat, however, it tends to get out of control more easily. Remedies for hyperactive cats are based on improving well-being through exercise, mental stimulation, emotional bonding…
- Problems at night: "My cat won't let me sleep at night!" is one of the phrases they hear the most ethologists and specialists in feline behavior. It may happen that the cat makes noise at night, meows or tries to wake up the owner in various ways. In this case, you should act by applying the advice mentioned in the article, paying special attention to routines and schedules.
- Should/can the cat be confined to sleep?: a puppy cat should not be confined in a room to learn to sleep, deprive him of access to certain places or close our door to isolate him. Remember that it is a social animal, that in a wild environment it would sleep with its congeners to obtain warmth. While we may be interested in teaching him to sleep in his bed, we must also understand that he is still a puppy and that social isolation can lead to depression and stress.
Some people send us their doubts to our site on a daily basis, some of the most common have been "How can I do put a wild cat to sleep?" in case you want to rescue it, "How to put a cat to sleep to cut its nails?", "How to put a cat to sleep to travel?", "Can I make my cat sleep with some medication? ".
We found it interesting to make a small mention and highlight some details that we consider important. To begin with, it is essential to point out that cats groom their nails themselves, for this they must be provided with a scratcher and taught to file their nails. On the other hand, in terms of putting a cat to sleep, whatever the purpose, a specialist should be consulted. An excessive dose could be life-threatening and/or cause various he alth problems. You should never self-medicate a cat