My Kitten Never Seems To Sleep!

by James Glover
View Biography

My 7 month old kitten is in perfect health with a great appetite, but the only problem is he just never seems to sleep. He is up all night running around and in the day he's the same. He sleeps for about ten minutes and then gets up again. Is this normal? (Julie Davenport - California)

This is a very good question. There are real physical conditions which could be causing this behavior, such as hyperthyroidism (over active thyroid). While normally seen in older cats, it can occur in younger cats. You need to have your cat thoroughly checked over by your vet.

However, sometimes this kind of behavior is caused through cats acting out their predatory instincts. This often happens at night and at the beginning of the day when cats are usually at their most active. You may just be missing the 3 or 4 hours that your cat actually does sleep.

More Kitten Care Questions & Answers

Disclaimer: This service is meant to provide advice only and is not meant to replace an appointment with a registered veterinarian. Users should always seek a second opinion. Unfortunately we are only able to answer several questions per week so not everyone gets a published answer. And, unfortunately we can't answer by email.

Readers' Comments (Newest to Oldest)

There are currently no comments for this topic.