Cats sleep two-thirds of their life away, so understanding your sleepy cat is important. I once showcased Cookie's sleeping positions in a post more than two years back thinking they were just weird (but cute) positions.
Recently, however, I read an article in the papers showing the various types of sleeping positions and what those positions actually mean. It seems some of Cookie's weird sleeping positions aren't so weird after all.
#1 - The Donut
This relaxed donut position finds a curled up cat with its face, tail and paws tucked together. This means your cat feels safe. It's also a way to conserve heat, so expect to see this position more often if your home is air-conditioned. Yup, this looks like the donut pose and Cookie sleeps this way when the air-conditioning in our living room is on.
#2 - The One Eye Open Pose
This position is when a cat expects trouble (from dogs or other cats) which allows him to take flight easily if startled. This is probably the most common position if Cookie's outside although, most of the time, I find him sleeping with one eye slightly open (you can't see it from the angle of this photo though) even when he's indoors.
#3 - The Full Spread
Ah, the full spread....this is his favourite position. This is where your kitty lies flat on his back with his or her tummy exposed and all four paws up in the air. This is obviously a vulnerable position which also signals the most relaxed of all poses. This means Cookie is happy and contented.
A lot of kitties may do the belly up position but can they do one quite as unique as Cookie? :D This pose of his is like no other....a moment (frozen) in time! ;) P/S: This was a lucky...and priceless shot!
Cats can also sleep sitting up. Cookie likes to crawl into the cupboard (when an opportunity presents itself) and plonk himself on top of a pile of clothes. But his forty winks is usually cut short as he's shooed away from the cupboard.
These are probably the more normal sleeping positions of Cookie (just like any other cat).
But what do you call these.....???
Can someone turn off the lights? And stop looking at my private parts!
I'm a warm and fuzzy furry ball?
I'm just hanging in there?
So, what cute sleeping positions have you found your cat in? ;)
hee..hee..hee...this post made me laugh in delight! I always find Cookies antics so charming and hmm...so his sleeping positions do mean something. That last photo, was he attempting to be a contortionist? hee..hee..hee...
ReplyDeleteCookie: I'm glad to have brightened your day with laughter. Yes, yes, I have a very flexible (and sexy) body, you know. Hihihi, blowing own trumpet! ;)
Deletei love reading stuff like this, cos even though i don't have a dog or cat, i'm very fascinated by their body language ... the instincts that have been naturally ingrained into them after centuries of evolution, the stuff that they can do without being taught. i didn't know about the donut pose, but it's certainly cute :D
ReplyDeleteCookie: Since my owner named me Cookie, I should be able to do a good donut pose, don't you think? ;) Incidentally, my handler loves doughnuts, you know, but have to restrain herself since it's fully loaded/coated in sugar! >_<
DeleteHa ha... the language of love - only someone who loves a cat this much could interpret the sleeping positions. :-)
ReplyDeleteCookie: Sometimes I wished she'd under the language of cats better to be able to interpret and know exactly what I want from my meowing! :P
DeleteHow could I miss this cute post? I love cats a lot more than dogs. My sister has booked me again to feed her cats again in December. We used to have a huge ginger cat which was air flown from Adelaide after my sister graduated and later a huge grey Persian cross when her ex hubby married her without taking this cat! Your photos certainly reminded me all the cute positions the 2 cats we had before they went to rest at Rainbow Bridge till eternity.
ReplyDeleteDo you still need to cage your Cookie or he simply crawled into this shopping basket? I prefer cats than dogs as they don't bark noisily and often needed their own private time like Aristocats! LOL
That's the very reason I prefer cats over dogs...they're 'silent' and I enjoy peace and quiet in my home. Especially so when you're not experienced to handle dogs and you can't get rid of their 'unwanted' behaviour (barking non-stop is one of it), you have to live with it. Cookie gets caged only at night when we go to sleep, otherwise he'd be running around the whole house causing havoc while we sleep. This is to ensure he gets enough rest and sleep which he'll do only when he's in the cage. This is also good practice for him when I send him for boarding (as he'll be caged). Plus, unlike your sister, I don't have someone nice like you that I can 'book' to look after my cat...kekeke! ;D
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