Hello, two-legged readers! This is Lucinda the literate cat, and at the request of my CCL (Cantankerous Cat Lady) I will submit this post about a cat’s sleeping habits. I hope that you find it enjoyable.
I feel that a need exists for this post. I have read reports and listened to you talk, and find that many of you have a serious misconception concerning our sleeping habits. I think it’s time to set the record straight. No, we are not lazy — far from it. We accomplish some serious things during the time when you think we sleep.
Of course, in the wild we had to hunt for all our food, and that required a great deal of energy. Therefore, we slept whenever we could find a quiet, secure spot so we would be ready to go out and find supper when necessary.
Now, many of us live with you, and do not have to expend all that energy finding food. You feed us. It’s one of the major reasons we do not mind being your prisoners — as long as the meals taste good and keep our bodies strong and healthy.
Because we do not have to work so hard at storing energy, we can use our sleep-time in other ways. Though you think we sleep, or at least nap, you still have much to learn about how our cat minds work. Now, instead of sleeping to build up energy for the hunt, we find ways to help you, as a return favor for your care.
Here’s how it works:
A cat enjoys three different kinds of sleep. Let’s call them Seriously Sleeping Cat, Watch Cat, and Spirit Cat. Now, let’s talk about each of the three, and perhaps I can help you understand.
1) Seriously Sleeping Cat: This one has a simple explanation. Of course, during part of the time we sleep or nap, we do just that. We believe in the rejuvenation that good sleep can give us. We rest our bodies and help keep them healthy.
Even when we sleep fully, though, if the need arises we can come awake in seconds. We have a great built-in alarm system that can wake us up in plenty of time to react to whatever peril awaits. It’s hooked up to our excellent hearing ability and phenomenal sense of smell.
Once the danger passes, we have the ability to go back to sleep quickly. No insomnia for us! I would have never learned that word, “insomnia,” if I hadn’t learned to read. It’s one condition that does not affect us.
2) Watch Cat: This category and the next one, the Spirit Cat, can keep our kitty minds really occupied, though you think we nap away the hours.
The Watch Cat has several functions. You see closed eyes, but you do not see all the activity going on in the brain.The kitty consciousness in this sleep pattern acts as a caretaker. If your cat senses some danger, such as a fire inside a wall, an earthquake about to rock the world, or a volcano about to erupt, kitty will wake up instantaneously and do his best to wake you up as well.
At these times I seriously wish we could speak. Let me give you a suggestion: Watch your cat when he seems agitated or upset, and if you cannot find the reason, he may know something you don’t.
In the Watch Cat mode, we might become aware of some serious health concern you face, at times without your even being aware of it. When we “nap,” we check out your mind waves and what we can read from your body.
If you are in pain, we can tell, and may do what we can to help. If you might find yourself in danger of something like a heart attack, we try to warn you, and if we have a close-knit relationship, we might find a way to get you to visit a doctor to figure out the problem.
Thus, the role of the Watch Cat becomes just that — the one who watches over you. If you would like to read some stories of Watch Cat accomplishments, read “Super Cat — True Tales of Extraordinary Felines,” by Ashley Morgan. You will read about some amazing members of our cat fellowship.
Click on the blue highlighted “Super Cat” to take you to a post with some stories from the book. At the end of the story you will find a link to Amazon, where you can order the book. If you purchase, as an Amazon associate, my CCL will receive a small commission.
3) Spirit Cat: The Spirit Cat may appear to sleep in your bed, but instead, he may cruise through the spirit world, in what you two-leggeds would call the dream state. Your cat may look like he sleeps close by, but his spirit could be anywhere.
Just as you do, your cat may use some “Spirit Cat” time when he first retires for the night for reviewing his day to sort it out so he can make sense of it.
Then, his Spirit Dream might take him anywhere. Perhaps he revisits a hunt he attended that seemed super satisfying. He might try to plan a similar hunt to take place soon.
Perhaps he has a secret desire to visit a certain place. In his Spirit Cat sleep, he can make that visit. He can look the place over and decide if it’s worth a waking visit.
Maybe he wants to revisit some of the places where he grew up. Yes, we cats can become rather sentimental. Such a visit may bring a happy-cat smile to his face.
Perhaps he needs to learn some things to resolve a situation he’s in. In his Spirit Cat sleep, he can visit the places where he can find his answers. You two-leggeds have the internet — we cats have Spirit Cat mode.
Now, perhaps you should take back what you said about our being lazy. It’s not the case. We may look like we’re sleeping, but don’t be too sure.
We know how to accomplish many things in our sleep. You might want to thank us for our sleeping abilities, especially when we lapse into Watch Cat mode. You may never know for sure in what ways we have helped you, when you thought us to be time-wasters.
One of our jobs involves protection from evil forces. If you see no evidence of this harmful energy, you can give thanks that your Watch Cat does not shirk his duties.
Be glad you have a cat! Accept that you still do not understand us fully, and be willing and ready to learn what new secrets we may teach you.
