Why does my 14-year-old cat sleep so much? Is it a health concern?

It sounds like she is in good health for her age, but that being said, any abrupt change in behavior is a good reason to go to the vet for an exam and senior labwork, if you haven't had that done lately. Cats are excellent at hiding symptoms of illness, so this could be an early warning that she might be developing a medical condition that needs attention. If you're concerned enough to ask about it, then it is a significant enough change to warrant investigation.

Older cats do tend to sleep more than younger cats, but if this is a sudden increase in lethargy, then I would recommend that you have Smokey checked out by a vet. After a thorough physical exam, the vet will probably recommend bloodwork to check for internal medical illness, such as diabetes, infection, kidney disease, etc. If the bloodwork is normal, they may discuss changes that have occurred around the house, or may recommend a trial of pain medications in case Smokey is painful from arthritis.

Hello, that is a lot of sleeping! Sleeping all day is pretty normal for an older adult cat, but I would not consider it normal for a young cat like Leo - a 10 month old kitten should be active and playful. Since Leo is new to you and you're just getting to know each other, it's possible he's just a lazier kitty - but I would recommend having him checked out by a vet to make sure there isn't a health issue that needs to be addressed. If he were my patient, I would recommend running bloodwork, including a FELV/FIV test, to screen for any illnesses. If bloodwork was normal and he is eating & drinking well, then I'd reluctantly conclude he may just be a lazy cat....but, again, it's worth having him seen, if you aren't seeing the normal activity and playfulness that kittens usually have! Hope that helps!

Certainly as cats age - and at 10 years old Jack is considered a "senior" cat - they start to sleep more. However, cats often give us almost no real signs that they are experiencing illness other than an increase in the amount of time they are asleep. So it's easy to write off what is truly "lethargy" as just more sleeping. It may sound like an unimportant distinction, but in a species that is so difficult to interpret, I'd always default to getting a checkup before just assuming that this is a normal change associated with aging.

Good on you getting Loki's rabies vaccine! That's very important to have because there's always a chance he could accidentally get out. Given that he's otherwise acting normal, I wouldn't be too worried about him sleeping more. Cats do tend to slow down a bit as they grow up, and it's good he still wants to play. It's probably cold where you are now, and he may want to sleep more due to the cold. Keep an eye on him, and if the lethargy gets worse, he stops eating or drinking, or develops other signs, then I would be worried and have him seen by the vet. Best of luck and happy holidays!

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is normal for cats to slow down as they age. If you are concerned about your cats activity, I recommend having her seen by a vet to make sure she doesn’t have an underlying medical issue. You should also make sure your cat has not lost weight recently, as that is a common symptom of illness. A respiratory rate of 25 is relatively normal for cats, but if you think she is having trouble breathing, she should be seen by a vet immediately. I hope all is well and am happy to answer any other questions you may have!

Ajax is an older boy and while he can slow down with age, this increased sleeping could be due to a medical illness such as arthritis (it's painful to move), a systemic illness, or infection. I would have him seen by a vet today if possible for a health check.