What Cat Sleeping Positions Say About Your Feline

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Your cat loves to nap, and take long, kitty siestas, and you find her in the most crazy places, and most crazy positions, too. Cats are notorious for putting themselves in all kinds of twisted and contorted positions that to us, they may look very uncomfortable, but for a cat, there is a reason for everything, including how they sleep. Yes, these funny little sleeping positions cats get themselves into are meaningful. If you have ever just looked at your cat and wondered why they were curled up the way they are, we have the answer as to what some of those adorable sleeping contortions they get themselves into, mean. Take a look at what sleeping positions really mean for a cat so that the next time you see your cat splayed out on the top of the bookshelf, you’ll know why.

The Crescent

The crescent is a shape cats will often create out of their body when they are feeling a bit chilly and want to keep warm, perhaps in a chilly house on a chilly autumn or winter day. They put themselves into a half-moon, or crescent shape and curl their tail around their body to preserve body heat. They also use this position to keep their little bellies tucked out of sight and hidden away from the world around them.

Tucked in and under something

All cats love the security they feel when they’re tucked away from the world, hidden out of sight from the world so that they feel safe enough to sleep the day away. Cats love to crawl into and under things, like a blanket, behind a stack of pillows, under a blanket, anywhere where it is safe and warm. This is a protective measure, as well as a warmth and comfort measure. The next time you find your cat sleeping under the bed, behind the floor-length curtains, or under a couch blanket, you’ll know she just feel safe and warm there.

Half-closed eyes with ears spread open

If you have ever owned a kitten, or adopted a new cat, you probably have seen this position multiple times. This is often the position that a cat who is on high-alert, will sleep in – if you want to call it sleep. New cats to a household, who don’t know what the noises in their environment are yet, often sleep in this position. They’re ready and waiting for anything that may pose a threat to them. Some cats will start off sleeping in the high-alert position, but will doze off into a deeper sleep within minutes, if all stays at peace around them.

Belly-up

Belly-up is a happy and trusting cat. If you have walked in the room and found your cat laying on the couch or bed on his back with his belly up, legs in the air or casually dangling above his belly, you’ll know that your cat feels totally comfortable, content, happy and secure. He doesn’t have a worry in the world and is more than happy to show you that he is as relaxed as a cat can be.

Crouched down – paws pressed together

Cats can sleep on all four legs, a kind of crouched down position with paws pressed together. This is a sign of one or two things, but typically this…your cat is feeling uneasy about something. He feels the need to remain in a “ready-to-run” position so that if anything happens while he close his eyes, he is ready to pounce, attack, or boogie out of there. He also is more than likely not in a very deep sleep for this reason, too – just cat napping. The other reason a cat may sleep in this position is due to a possible health issue. Cats with pneumonia or asthma find it more comfortable to be in this position for better breathing. If your cat always seems to be in this position when sleeping, you might want to have him checked by his vet.

These are just a few cat sleeping positions, but are common ones. There are many more positions cats get themselves into when they sleep, some that have real meaning, while others are positions cats just happen to fall into once they fall into a deeper slumber. Kittens are even more prone to getting so relaxed during sleep that they don’t even realize some of the positions their body gets into while they sleep off their day’s worth of hard play.

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