Why Do Cats Hide Their Faces When They Sleep + 5 Adorable Pics!

Cats Hide Their Faces When They Sleep

Something all cat owners have pondered is why cats hide their faces when they sleep. 

We’ve got a VERY easy Cat Trivia question for you today: What’s one thing that ALL cats.. big, small, wild, domestic.. love to do? What’s their absolute favorite thing to do? SLEEP! 

Cat’s LOVE to sleep. Cats will nap about 15 hours of the day. Younger ones will sleep for up to 20 hours. And they’re just so adorable when they’re sleeping no matter what position they’re in.

You might also enjoy reading about why cats sleep between your legs when you’re done with this article!

Cats hide their faces when they sleep for comfort and for security. That is the simple answer. But cats are very complex creatures so of course we’re going to dive in and get really specific with our explanation! And just to be extra we’re going to talk about some cool cat-sleeping facts!

Sense of Security

Cats hide their faces when they sleep to give them a sense of security. Cats are very predatory creatures, sure, but they’re also prey for the right animals. Your cat doesn’t understand that there aren’t predators in your home and their genes tell them to not sleep until they feel secure. 

This sense of security is why you might find your kitty sleeping in some strange places. They may be up super high on top of a book shelf, they may be tucked away under some dirty clothes in the laundry basket, or hiding in the lining of your box springs under your mattress. 

When cats feel safe and secure they can get good quality sleep!

Comfort

Another reason cats hide their faces when they sleep is because it’s comfortable for them. Try and think about how many different sleeping positions you might arrange yourself in throughout the night. Sometimes your hands are by your face, sometimes they’re down by your side, sometimes they’re wrapped around someone else. 

Cats have a variety of positions they like to sleep in as well. If your cat has their paws over their faces then it might just be a comfortable position for them in regards to paw placement. 

To Make It Darker

Humans, unless you’re a weirdo, love it to be dark when they go to sleep. We close the blinds, we draw the curtains, some of us may even sleep with the sheets or a pillow over our faces to make it super dark. Cats will do the same thing except they use their paws to ensure maximum light blockage.

Noise Cancelling Paws

It’s no secret that cats have very sensitive hearing. Sometimes they will go sleep with their paws covering their faces in a way that will ensure no stray noises come by and wake them up. 

Cats typically want to be alert to everything going on around them so if they’re covering their faces to block noises out then it means they are super comfortable with you and with their home! 

Cats Just Being Cats

Another reason why cats cover their faces when they sleep, according to Canidae, is because they were simply too tired to adjust into another position before falling asleep.

Cats spend A LOT of time grooming themselves. Like, A LOT. They groom themselves to stay clean, they groom themselves because they can’t hold a hair brush (but you can brush your cat!), they even groom themselves to help regulate their body temperature and keep from overheating.

So what does grooming have to do with this? Well, sometimes cats will just fall asleep in the middle of what they’re doing. 

Why do cats hide their faces when they sleep?
ig: @kristalee1111
Why do cats hide their faces when they sleep?
ig: @its_lulu_and_jojo

Do Big Wild Cats Hide Their Faces When They Sleep?

Just a little bonus tidbit here: big cats and other wildcats also hide their faces whenever they sleep! And, they also hide their faces for the same reasons that your little domesticated kitty does too. 

 

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