Senior Pets and Sleep: What's Normal, What's a Signal
More sleep is normal
Seniors genuinely need more rest — 16–18 hours for old dogs and cats isn't laziness. Deep, comfortable, easily-roused sleep in a warm spot is healthy aging at work.
Restlessness is not
Night pacing, panting at rest, repeated repositioning, or a pet that can't settle usually means something: pain (arthritis aches loudest at night), needing the toilet more (kidneys, bladder), or cognitive changes. 'He's just old' delays fixable problems.
The reversed clock
Sleeping all day and wandering, whining or staring at night is the signature of cognitive dysfunction in dogs, and in cats often pairs with loud night yowling (also a thyroid and blood-pressure flag). Both deserve a vet visit — treatments and management genuinely help.
What helps tonight
A richer daytime (walks, puzzles, sunshine) rebuilds the day-night rhythm, a night light and predictable pre-bed routine reduce confusion, a final toilet trip and an extra-cushioned warm bed handle the physical side. Log the pattern for your vet — frequency and timing are diagnostic gold.
Something with their name on it
We press your pet’s name onto a small paw print keychain by hand, in one of ten colours, and post it anywhere in South Africa. R299 plus R73 delivery, or two for R449 delivered free.
See the keychain →