So why do cats cover their face when they sleep?

Have you ever wondered why do cats cover their faces? Are they trying to look adorable or is it a favourite cat sleeping position? This is common behaviour with all cat. Just like us humans cats also have preferences in how they like to sleep and covering their face is one of them.

If you’ve ever used a face mask while sleeping, you will know the comfort it can give you resulting in a better sleep. A mask keeps light out and the gentle pressure on the eyes results in a “comforting” feeling. Cats also enjoy covering their faces for the same reasons as we do. In this article I’ll share with you why cats likes to do this so much.

Cats find covering their face really comfortable

Just like us humans, cats also have favorite positions when sleeping. Cats find covering their face while they sleep, really comfortable. Their legs and paws are long and soft thanks to their grooming which makes them the ideal cat eye mask. When cats lie on its side, they often bring their paws up. One paw will act like a pillow and the other naturally will cover their face. This is naturally comfortable position that cats really like.

A cat sleeping positions that makes them feel secure

We often refer to cats as hunters and predators. Sometimes, we forget that they also are prey. In the wild, cats are often hunted by a variety of other animals. Because of this, cats like to feel secure when sleeping. They will seek out places that feel safe to them and they will also assume a sleeping position they feel is the safest. It’s not known for sure why they like to cover their face but, if you look at it from a human perspective, we also like to cover our face when feeling exposed and probably so do cats too when they sleep. It seems to be one of cat sleeping positions that they really like. Children will often cover their face then they are scared. People will often feel the face is the most important part of the body to protect since it protects your vision, hearing and smell which are critical senses that help you stay alive. It may be that cats also realise the value of those senses.

Blocks out the light

Most animals are programmed to sleep at night. Even us humans, the lack of light promotes sleep. Just like when we wear a eye mask to keep the light out, cats also enjoy the sensation of a darker environment. This is not always possible so they bring their paws over their face to cover the light. Apart from their paws, they will also push their face under a cushion of find some nooks that they can cover their face with. If they are on your lap, they will often push their face up against you to get the same effect.

Keeps things quiet

It may look like they are only covering their eyes but, quite often they also cover their ears. This is to keep things quiet. Cats are super-sensitive to noises. They can be in a deep sleep and yet awaken and be on full hunting mode in a second once they hear a noise. When they are trying to keep the noise down, they will often push their face into or under a pillow or cushion. Basically, any position that either covers or folds their ears to cover them up.

It’s nice and warm

A sign of a healthy cat is when they have a wet nose. This means that they are hydrated and it indicates good health. Unfortunately, a wet nose can also mean a cold nose which can result in your cat feeling cold, so sometimes, a cat will cover their face by either using their paws over their nose, or push their face up against a blanket or cushion. If they are on your lap, they may even push their nose up against your skin to gather some of the warmth from you.

I cover my face because I’m so tired!

Even though cats look like they don’t do much during the day, they are actually quite active. While we sleep is when they are often the most active. We don’t get to see this of course because this is when we are asleep ourselves. Cats are very clean animals and self grooming is a big part of their personality. This can be exhausting for a cat. A cat will often clean their face whilst lying on their side. This is the perfect position to do this. They will lick the inside of their paw and then rub it on their face. This also seems to induce sleep in a cat and so often, they just don’t bother to move and simply leave their paw over their face. This is a sign that your cat is enjoying their nap.

Conclusion

Cat’s love to sleep! According to the Sleep Foundation, cats can spend up to 18 hours of each day sleeping. Wild cats need to get plenty of sleep to conserve energy for chasing and hunting their prey. Their survival depends on them being able to have enough energy to get their kill.

Although domesticated pet cats don’t need to go hunting to get their next meal, the wild behaviour is still very much present. This is just they still behave as if they were out in the wild. It is important that they get enough quality sleep so they are rested and full of energy for their next hunt.

Covering their face is a good way for a cat to get into the comfortable sleeping position. It blocks the light, makes them feel secure, keeps them warm and helps to block out all those annoying morning sounds from the early risers in their home. They are the ideal conditions for your cat to have the best sleep ever!