It is very likely that you have heard that cats are nocturnal animals, perhaps because they prowl the streets at midnight, hunting prey, or because cats' eyes glow in the dark. The truth is that cats are not considered diurnal animals, which leads us to think that, indeed, cats are nocturnal and that they prefer the dark instead of daylight.
In this article on our site we are going to show you the definitive scientific proof that answers the question " Are cats nocturnal animals? " You should know that cats are not nocturnal animals, in fact they are animals crepuscularNext we are going to delve a little deeper into this topic in order to understand the term twilight and the nuances that this statement has.
Are cats nocturnal or diurnal?
Domestic cats, Felis silvestris catus, are not nocturnal animals such as owls, raccoons or ocelots, but rather crepuscular animalsBut what does it mean? Crepuscular animals are those that are most active at dawn and dusk, as this is the time of day when their prey are also active. However, prey can learn the activity patterns of predators, which is why adaptations sometimes occur, which translates as a change in habits in certain species.
There are many twilight mammals, such as hamsters, rabbits, ferrets or possums. However, the term twilight is quite vague, as many of these animals will also be active during the day, which can lead to confusion.
The fact that cats are crepuscular animals explains why domestic felines sleep most of the day and tend to wake up at dawn or duskLikewise, cats tend to get used to their caretakers' schedules. They prefer to sleep when they are alone and be more active during feeding times, so you may see them begging for attention at feeding times.
But we must remember that the Felis silvestris catus, despite being a domestic animal, descends from a common ancestor shared by various wild cats, such as the lion, the tiger or the lynx, animals that yes they are nocturnal They are considered specialized hunters and only need a few hours a day to hunt. The rest of the day will be spent relaxing, dozing off and resting.
On the other hand, it is considered that feral cats (domestic cats that have not had contact with people and that have spent their street life) are completely nocturnal because their prey (usually small mammals) and other food sources appear after dark.
Feral cats are totally dependent on prey for food, except those that are controlled in colonies, so they show more nocturnal patterns than domestic cats, even if they have the possibility to go outside the home freely. [1] They also adopt these night behavior patterns to avoid humans.
When are cats most active?
Domestic cats are said to be the most crepuscular animals of all felines, as they have fully adapted their predatory nature. These cats will avoid expending their energy during the hottest hours of the day, when there is a lot of sunlight, and will curl up during the coldest nights, especially in winter, to have a high peak of activityduring twilight.
Cats sleep around 16 hours a day, but in the case of elderly cats these felines can sleep up to 20 Daily hours. But have you ever wondered why your cat wakes you up at dawn? Although there are several reasons, the fact that they are crepuscular also comes into play and explains why the cat is more active and nervous at night.
Most domestic cats are used to living inside their homes, so they spend 70% of their time sleeping. The peak of activity, meanwhile, represents 3% of their time, compared to feral cats, which is 14%. This has to do with hunting behaviour, since these wild cats must spend more time moving around, searching for prey and executing.
However, it must be taken into account that not all domestic cats have the same habits, since their education and routine influence their sleeping patterns. It is not uncommon to observe that the cat meows at night and wakes up its owners. That's because your sleep pattern has changed and you need to expend energy during those hours. Likewise, we must not rule out a possible disease, so if your cat shows this behavior every night and is accompanied by abnormal behaviors, we must visit a veterinarian.
Do cats have night vision?
So, how do cats see at night? Is it true that cats see in total darkness? You may have seen a bright green hue in a cat's eyes at night, known as the tapetum lucidum[2] and which consists of a layer located behind the retina that reflects the light that enters the eye, thus making better use of the light in the room and helping to improve the feline's visibility. This factor is what explains why cats have better night vision
The truth is that, if we delve into the vision of cats, we will discover that felines cannot see in total darkness, but they do have much better vision than humans, being able to see with only 1/6 of the light that a human needs to see properly. They have 6 to 8 times more canes than we do.
