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My elderly cat is sleeping more in strange places. Is he sick?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Male | neutered

Hello. I have a cat who is about 13 years old. He has recently started sleeping almost all the time and is doing so in very strange places. He's still eating, but I hardly ever see him up and about except to eat. I pick him up and he just goes back and lays down. This behavior is very odd, I'm concerned he might be sick or dying. Is this normal for an elderly cat or do you think he may be sick?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Jenna Beyer, DVM, MBA, cVMA

Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist

Published on October 14th, 2017

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.

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Other Answers

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    Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

    Veterinarian

    Published on October 15th, 2018

    It sounds like your cat is lethargic. Lethargy is a non-specific symptom of many illnesses, and it's good that she is eating fine and everything else is normal. To be safe, however, make her an appointment at the vet for this week to get a check up. I recommend getting a geriatric blood panel and urinalysis to see how her body and it's organs are functioning. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

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