A&M researcher says cats are good at sleeping

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A Texas A&M University researcher confirms what cat owners know: Felines are superb sleepers.

Many cats sleep 16-20 hours a day, more than any other animal, says Bonnie Beaver, a veterinarian at Texas A&M's College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences and a former president of the American Veterinary Medical Association.

Beaver says cats have evolved to become natural sleepers.

"Early on, they had to hunt for food to stay alive, and that desire for food can require a lot of energy," Beaver said. "So sleeping helped cats conserve their energy, and even though the common housecat does not have to hunt for its next meal, a cat is still conditioned for sleep."

Cats also probably dream, Beaver says. She knows this because dreaming happens during REM sleep and cats definitely have REM sleep. They also twitch their whiskers and paws during sleep, another sign they're probably in dreamland.

"They also exhibit movements during REM sleep, so it is possible they can dream," Beaver said. "What are they dreaming about? Since we can't ask them, we really don't know."