
Most cats don’t have trouble sleeping, but if yours seems to be suffering from sleep deprivation you might have considered getting them sleeping pills. But this is a bad idea, especially if you are considering going into your own stash and giving them pills that are meant for human consumption.
Cats do not adhere to the same sort of sleeping cycle that we do. They don’t typically sleep for eight hours straight once per 24 hour period. What they do instead is sleep for a few minutes whenever they get the notion. If cats were human we’d say that they are narcoleptic, and the phrase “take a catnap” is used whenever someone sleeps for just a few minutes. This can make it hard to diagnose whether or not a cat is having a sleep disorder.
So the first thing you should do is take your cat into the veterinarian to see whether or not there really is a problem. They will be able to assist you in troubleshooting whether or not your cat is really having trouble getting the necessary sleep. That’s why it is important to make sure that you are documenting everything your cat does in the weeks prior to bringing them in. Note any dietary changes, or behavioral changes so you can bring these to the attention of the vet.
Can I Give My Cat Sleeping Pills? Answer: No.
From there the vet will make a determination as to whether or not your cat needs any form of intervention, or if they can be treated using natural methods. In no instance will they ever tell you that it is okay to give them sleeping pills that were prescribed to a human. Be leery of any person offering the advice that it is OK to do so, just tweaking the dosage. There is no dosage of human sleeping pills that is alright to give your cat.
If you are considering giving them a sleeping pill to calm them down for a trip, or because there’s a thunderstorm, you should look at non-medicinal ways to soothe them, for example, something like a Thundershirt can give them feelings of security without doping them up each time they get excited or anxious.
Change the Environment
Cats are very sensitive to their environment, and even subtle changes can make a difference to the way they get on with their day. If you have recently changed their environment, either by moving, or simply by changing the location of their litter box, they may be trying to adjust to the way things are now. It could also be a new addition to the family, if you recently had a child, or if someone has been staying with you that normally isn’t there.
Trying to make your home more comfortable for your cat is a good all-natural way to try to help them with their sleeping problem. You could also try getting them their own cat house so that they have a place that they feel comfortable and secure in. But most cats will plop down just about anywhere to have a quick snooze. If your cat usually joins you in bed when it’s bedtime, and you’ve noticed lately that they’re up and about when normally they would be sleeping, you can try to see if there is anything that has changed recently that might be setting them off.
Change Their Food
A cat’s diet plays a big part in their overall life, and if you’ve recently changed their food it could be resulting in feelings of restlessness, or perhaps they have indigestion. If your cat is otherwise healthy, they should be getting enough sleep on their own.
It could be that your cat is sleeping when you’re not around to see. Just because they are not sleeping in their bed does not mean they are not getting enough sleep. Or perhaps they are sleeping plenty while you’re at work and they’ve taken on more of a nocturnal lifestyle. Either way, you don’t want to start drugging your cat just because you believe they aren’t getting enough sleep. It is really hard to diagnose the problem, especially if you are not a cat expert. Be sure to get a second opinion before you start giving them any sleeping pills out of your medicine cabinet.
My cat wakes up without fail between 1 and 1:30 AM every day. I feed her and hope she will go back to sleep. She does, but only after I come downstairs.
Because of this I am getting only 5 to 6 hours sleep. The cat is in good health. Do you think a cat sleeping pill would be okay to give her?