If you’re a cat lover, chances are your phone is full of photos of your feline catching zzz’s in all sorts of funny or odd sleeping positions.
Cats are natural snoozers, often sleeping up to 15 hours a day to fuel their nighttime adventures. You’ve probably noticed your cat covering its face with a paw or tail while sleeping.
But why do they do this? If you’ve ever wondered, read on to find out the reasons behind this charming behavior!
1. A Sense Of Security
When a cat is ready to sleep, it instinctively seeks out the safest, coziest spot where it won’t be disturbed. This behavior is deeply rooted in their ancestry.
Domestic cats descended from wild cats, who had to protect themselves by finding secure sleeping places to avoid predators. Even in the comfort of your home, this natural instinct remains strong.
The most vulnerable part of a cat’s body is its face, so it makes sense that they try to shield it while they snooze. You might notice your cat covering its face with a paw or tail, but they have other ways of protecting themselves too.
Some cats curl up tightly into a fur ball to safeguard their entire body, while others bury their face in a pillow, comforter, or the plush softness of their favorite cat bed. Each of these habits reflects their innate need for security and comfort while they rest.
These hidden areas mimic the safe, enclosed spaces their ancestors sought out in the wild, allowing them to fully relax and enjoy their sleep.
2. Warmth And Coziness
Cats have a well-known love for warm and cozy spots. You’ve probably noticed your own feline curling up by the fireplace, lounging on a sunlit carpet, or snuggling into a blanket.
This preference for warmth isn’t just about comfort – it’s a way for cats to maintain their body temperature. When they’re active, they generate enough heat to stay warm, but during sleep, their bodies lose heat more easily.
One of the most common reasons cats hide their faces while sleeping is to conserve that precious warmth. By covering their face with a paw or tail, they create a little pocket of warmth that helps retain heat, keeping them cozy for longer periods.
This technique also keeps their most sensitive areas, like their nose and paws, warm and snug.
To ensure your furry friend stays comfortable, make sure the temperature in your home is warm enough, especially during colder months. Providing soft blankets, a heated bed, or even a sunny perch can make all the difference.
With the perfect cozy environment, your cat can snooze peacefully, feeling safe, warm, and completely at ease.
3. Out Of Comfort
Just like humans have their favorite sleeping positions, cats also have their preferred ways to curl up and rest. These positions aren’t random; they reflect each individual cat’s personality, preferences, and need for comfort.
Some cats stretch out luxuriously, while others curl tightly into a little ball, and each choice seems to help them feel more at ease. When it comes to sleep, the key for both humans and cats is finding a position that ensures comfort and a peaceful rest.
For cats, covering their face while sleeping might simply be their version of this – it’s the position that feels most natural and cozy for them. It’s also a way for them to completely relax and drift off without distractions.
This sleeping posture does more than just provide comfort. As mentioned earlier, it keeps cats warm, snug, and secure, which plays a big role in how long and deeply they sleep.
A cat that feels warm and safe is more likely to enjoy uninterrupted, restorative rest, leaving them ready to be their playful, energetic selves once they wake up.
Whether it’s instinct or simply personal preference, covering their face seems to be one of the many adorable ways cats make sure they get the most out of their nap time.
4. Out Of Tiredness
Sometimes, your cat might doze off right in the middle of an activity. It’s not unusual to catch your feline mid-motion, paws frozen in place as they drift off to dreamland.
While it may seem funny, this behavior makes perfect sense when you consider just how much energy cats expend when they’re awake.
Cats are natural multitaskers. Whether it’s chasing toys, darting around the house, or zooming from one room to the next, their bursts of activity can be exhausting.
Add to that the fact that cats are meticulous groomers, it’s no wonder they sometimes fall asleep in the middle of the action.
When you take a closer look, grooming is no small task for your feline friend. It’s a constant cycle of licking, stretching, and reaching every corner of their fur, which can be surprisingly tiring.
It’s during one of these moments that a cat might suddenly nod off, leaving their paw resting over their face mid-lick. This adorable scene is not only entertaining but also a reminder how much effort your cat puts into staying clean and active.
5. Blocking The Light
Cats are usually more active during the night, which means that they sleep a lot during the day. As a result, they spend much of their daytime napping to recharge.
While they sleep, they prefer to create the perfect environment for rest, which includes shielding their eyes from anything that might disturb them – especially sunlight.
You’ve likely heard about cats’ remarkable eyesight, particularly their ability to see well in low-light conditions. However, this heightened sensitivity to light doesn’t work in their favor during sleep.
Bright sunlight can make it difficult for cats to fully relax, as their eyes are more sensitive than ours. This is why many cats instinctively cover their eyes with a paw or tail while they sleep – it’s their way of blocking out the light and finding a bit of shade.
Interestingly, even though sunlight can disturb their sleep, cats are often drawn to sunny spots for their warmth. Sunbathing helps them maintain their body temperature and provides a cozy, soothing environment for a nap.
So, while it might seem like a dark, quiet corner would be their ideal resting spot, cats prioritize warmth over darkness. By covering their eyes, they create the best of both worlds: a warm, sunny spot to curl up in while keeping the light from bothering them.
6. Blocking The Noise
Sunlight is not the only thing that can disturb a cat’s comfortable sleep. In the same way cats cover their eyes to block the sun rays, cats may also hide their face or head as a means of blocking out any noise.
Having a heightened sense of hearing means that even a small noise can alert your cat’s interest and ruin a good sleep.
Cats, as opposed to humans, do not engage in a lot of deep sleep. Most of the time they spend half-asleep or in a really light sleep (also called a catnap) before moving to the deeper rem stage.
This is due to the cat’s natural instinct to protect itself. The slightest sound may wake them up because they always have to be prepared to escape in case they find themselves in danger.
A domestic cat may not be threatened with the kind of danger that they might be faced with in the wild, and so these cats might try to block out the noise because they are annoyed by it and feel secure enough to block it out.
Since they are usually napping, and even a slight sound may wake them up, they try to cancel out all unwanted noises by covering their faces in order to have a normal sleep.
7. Do Not Disturb Mode
Even though cats are animals that love to cuddle and typically seek attention by purring or meowing, there are times when they just want to be left alone. Just like us, they sometimes need their personal space to relax and recharge.
If your cat is covering its face while sleeping, it might be a signal that they don’t want to be disturbed. This behavior ties into their independent nature; while they enjoy your company, cats are inherently self-reliant animals that like to do things on their own terms.
Respecting their quiet time is essential for maintaining their trust and comfort. As tempting as it may be to nudge or pet them when they look irresistibly cute, doing so might result in a less-than-warm reaction.
Cats have a way of setting boundaries, and this is one of their ways of communicating them. Rest assured, your cat will seek you out when they’re ready for affection, probably with a meow and a nuzzle, especially if it’s close to mealtime.
Until then, letting them rest undisturbed will make those purr-filled cuddle sessions even more rewarding when they decide it’s time for attention.
8. Protecting Their Whiskers
Cats’ whiskers are not just adorable features, they are vital sensory tools that play a significant role in how cats interact with their environment.
These long, delicate hairs are extremely sensitive and equipped with nerve endings that allow cats to detect even the slightest shifts in air currents, vibrations, and nearby objects.
Whiskers also help cats maintain their balance and orientation, which is crucial when they’re climbing or making precise movements.
When a cat is sleeping, they instinctively protect their whiskers by covering their face. This behavior shields the whiskers from unnecessary stimulation, ensuring that these sensitive tools are not disturbed while the cat rests.
Cats are known to be light sleepers, and even the slightest touch to their whiskers can interrupt their slumber, triggering an alertness that disrupts their peaceful rest.
By covering their face, cats create a barrier that keeps their whiskers free from external contact, allowing them to remain undisturbed and prevent sensory overload during sleep.
This clever behavior is just another example of how cats’ natural instincts work in harmony to keep them safe, comfortable, and alert.
9. Maintaining Their Grooming Routine
Grooming is an essential part of cats’ daily routine. They spend a significant portion of their day licking their fur, ensuring it stays clean, smooth, and free of parasites.
This self-cleaning ritual is not just about hygiene but also serves as a source of comfort and relaxation for cats. Interestingly, some cats may extend this grooming ritual into their sleep routine by covering their face while they sleep.
This behavior could be an unconscious way for them to simulate the sensation of cleaning their face while resting, continuing their grooming habits even when they aren’t actively grooming.
When a cat covers its face with its paw, it may be recreating the comforting action of wiping or brushing its face, much like it does during the grooming process.
This behavior also acts as a self-soothing mechanism. Just as cats lick their paws and clean their faces to feel relaxed, covering their face while sleeping can have a similar calming effect.
It’s a way for the cat to maintain a routine that brings them comfort, even when they are no longer awake to perform their full grooming ritual. In a way, it’s like a gentle, instinctual act that carries on even when the cat is in a deep, peaceful slumber.
10. Reducing Facial Discomfort
For some cats, covering their face while sleeping can be a natural way to ease facial discomfort or irritation. Cats, like humans, can experience sensitivities in their skin, and some conditions like allergies or irritations can make their faces feel uncomfortable.
This could include things like dry skin, flea bites, or reactions to environmental factors such as dust or pollen. In these instances, cats may instinctively use their paws or bedding to alleviate the discomfort they feel on their face.
Pressing their face against a paw, blanket, or pillow may provide a soothing effect, almost like a gentle self-massage, which helps calm any irritation.
This behavior can also help block out environmental factors that might be contributing to the discomfort. For example, if there’s something in the air, like a faint odor, that’s bothering their sensitive nose, covering their face may help reduce exposure.
The soft pressure from the paw or bedding acts as a natural shield while they rest. In a way, this behavior allows the cat to take control of its environment, ensuring they can sleep deeply and comfortably despite any minor irritations they might be experiencing.
By blocking out the external stimuli that could aggravate their sensitive facial area, they promote a more relaxed and restful sleep. This is just another example of how cats use their natural instincts to self-soothe and care for their well-being, even in their sleep.
11. Mimicking Their Kittens’ Behavior
If you have an older cat, you may have noticed that they sometimes sleep with their face covered, much like a kitten does.
Kittens are naturally more vulnerable during their early weeks of life, and covering their faces during sleep makes them feel safe and secure. When they are very young, they rely on the warmth and presence of their mother or siblings for comfort and protection.
Covering their faces provides them with a sense of security, helping them to feel nestled and safe, away from any potential threats. This behavior is deeply rooted in their instinctual need for warmth, care, and closeness.
As cats mature, they still carry these habits with them, even if they are no longer in need of constant protection. This means that older cats, especially those that have experienced the comfort of their early family life, may continue to cover their faces while sleeping.
It’s not always about being vulnerable, but rather about recreating the comforting feeling of being safe and surrounded by warmth, just as they were when they were young.
For adult cats, this behavior can be an unconscious attempt to recreate the feelings of security and coziness that they experienced as kittens, even in their independent, adult life.
Is It Normal For A Cat To Cover Their Face When Sleeping?
If you are a first-time cat owner, and you are wondering if it is normal for a cat to cover their face when sleeping, don’t worry, it is completely normal and most cats sleep like this at some time.
The best thing is to leave your little feline friend to do its own thing. When they get tired from all the activities they are doing, their natural instinct is to get rest by shutting out the world and catnapping.
Just as humans use blackout curtains to block out the sunlight and sleep during the day, cats use their paws to block out any disturbing elements such as light, noise, cold, and people and get into a comfortable sleeping position.
However, if you notice that your cat is covering its face in some unusual way or doing this when they are not sleeping, you should consider consulting a vet in case they are experiencing pain or discomfort.
Conclusion
Like many cat owners, you must have wondered why do cats cover their face when they sleep. We have gone over all the important reasons cats do that.
This sweet sleeping position can be because of safety, comfort, warmth, or tiredness. Or perhaps the sun and the noise bothers them. Or maybe they simply want to be left alone when sleeping.
Whatever the reason, the best thing to do is to leave your cat sleeping in their own chosen way, since there isn’t anything they love more (except maybe cat food).