Cats are reputed to be some of the best nappers around, thus the term catnap. But do they ever get a really good night’s sleep? Do cats hunker down and get some good z’s? It seems as if their sleep is easily interrupted—that a cat only surface-sleeps…as the term indicates, take many, but brief catnaps.
Not so, say the experts. A cat, especially one who feels safe in a quiet home, will fall into a deep sleep at least a couple of times in a twenty-four hour period. Actually cats curl up and appear to be sleeping for hours each day. Some cats will sleep more than others. It’s one of the things cats do best. But they typically do so in short spurts. Cats don’t generally sleep for long periods at a time like humans do.
And cats can have sleep disorders—sleep apnea…even narcolepsy and insomnia. A normal, 
healthy cat, however, will sleep as many as 16 hours a day. However, as you know, your cat seldom reaches a deep state of sleep. Cats can remain quite alert—or return to an alert state, it seems, instantaneously from a period of sleep. If you watch a sleeping cat, you will sometimes see her ears twitch and her eyes are open slightly. This indicates a light sleep—a snooze, if you will.
A cat that is curled up with her tail or paw over her face, perhaps, her eyes tightly closed, is probably in a deep sleep. You still won’t have to spend several minutes nudging her awake, however. One touch or a sound and she can spring to her feet and appear wide awake.
One of my favorite parts of the day is watching Lily’s early morning stretch. Does your cat do this? Lily sleeps with me–against my leg on top of the covers. When I turn on the bedside lamp, she immediately stands up, stretches her back legs, then her front legs, then yawns. Every morning, the same routine.
Aside from changes in eating habits and behavior, a change in your cat’s sleep pattern can indicate a health issue. Here are a couple of sites with some interesting facts about cats and sleep. https://www.petcarerx.com/article/common-cat-sleep-disorders/893
http://www.catbehaviorassociates.com/why-do-cats-sleep-so-much/
