Most of our cute furry pets are real sleepers. We can see them in various sleeping positions, such as curled up in a ball, lying on their backs, or even sleeping with their eyes half open.
Many cats will also love to sleep on you, or at the foot of your bed. But, some owners might notice their cat sleeping face down.
Are there any exact reasons why your pet would choose this particular sleeping position?
Yes, there are. In fact, there are 3 most common explanations for this.
Let's find out more about them!
1. Super Tired Cat
If your cat is sleeping face down, she might be exhausted and longs for a long rest.
Maybe she was so tired she just fell asleep like this, without having the strength to change her sleeping position.
Why would your kitten be so tired? Maybe she had a lot of exercise! Perhaps she was dealing with new interesting toys, or you had some guests over that couldn’t resist playing with your cute ball of fur.
Maybe she will change her sleeping position even tomorrow. If this happens, you’ll be sure she just had a day full of activities that made her sleep with her face down!
See Also: 7 Reasons Why Is Your Cat Sleeping More Than Usual
2. A Comfortable Position
We all have our favorite sleeping positions. For example, the best kind of rest for me is when I lie fully stretched out on my back, while my husband prefers to sleep on his stomach. This is not at all clear to me!
Of course, everyone has their preferences and it's pointless to discuss them. The same thing goes for cats – if your pet likes to sleep face down, this might just be the position she's most comfortable in!
If everything else seems perfectly fine with your kitten, comfort is the most probable reason for her to choose this sleeping position.
It might seem strange to us – but, it clearly makes perfect sense for felines!
3. Hating The Light
Are you, like me, one of those people who have to close the curtains completely to even fall asleep? I know in advance that the first ray of the sun will wake me up at dawn, and I want to be sure to avoid that!
A similar case could be with cats that sleep face down. We know that cats do not only sleep at night, but that they often like to rest during the day, when the sunlight is strong and illuminates our homes.
They might sleep with their faces down to hide from the light. So, this is just a perfectly natural instinct of cats to make them more comfortable and get better sleep.
Should You Be Worried If Your Cat Sleeps Face Down?
Usually, this shouldn’t be a reason to be concerned.
Sometimes your cat might prefer sleeping on her back, in some other situations she will choose to sleep pressed against you, and, in some others – she would just like to put her face down while resting.
But, it’s important to be aware of a possible occurrence in felines, known as head pressing.
PetMD explains how head pressing in felines presents the compulsive act of pressing their heads against a wall or other object – for no obvious reason.
This act indicated potential damage to the cat’s nervous system, which can happen for many reasons, such as poisoning or prosencephalon disease.
All cat parents should know how to differentiate between cats sleeping face down and sleeping with head pressing.
In some cases, a cat will not only head press when she’s sleeping, but also while awake. Also, a cat sleeping face down will usually do this lying on a soft surface, such as on a bed or a blanket.
On the other hand, a cat that’s head pressing will do this by leaning against a hard surface, such as a wall.
Take a look at the video below that shows a cat sleeping with head pressing.
If your cat is head pressing, and not just sleeping face down, she might show other symptoms of a damaged nervous system, such as seizures, visual problems, or compulsive pacing.
These symptoms, of course, require urgent medical care.
The veterinarian will need to perform magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography of your cat’s brain to make a diagnosis.
Summary
Is a cat sleeping face down a reason to be concerned?
In most cases, no, it isn’t. Maybe your kitten is exhausted, or she’s just trying to block the sunlight that’s preventing her from getting a nice nap.
It’s also possible that your cat simply likes to sleep like this!
However, it’s always good to pay attention to any changes in your cat’s behavior and routines, such as sleeping positions.
Unfortunately, some cats might display head pressing, which is a sign of serious brain issues in felines.
If you notice any symptoms such as pacing or seizures in your cat, or you cannot distinguish between head pressing from simply sleeping face down, please contact your vet as soon as possible.
Read Next: 5 Explanations For Why Is Your Cat Sleeping With Mouth Open
