Sleep Tracking for Dogs and Cats

Make sure your dog or cat gets enough sleep—track their health and wellbeing—get peace of mind.

Dog sleeping
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GPS & Wellness

Tractive, the world's most trusted GPS pet tracker, doubles as a sleep and activity tracker.

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“Tractive gives me peace of mind. Love the fact that it shows activity, calories burned and how much sleep they’ve had. You know exactly where your cat is at any given moment.”
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Julia

Dog with owner
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Keep them healthy

Discover sleep insights and so much more

How important is sleep for pets?

Good sleep is essential for dogs and cats alike. Sleep helps puppies and kittens grow into healthy adults, and supports memory and learning, among other things.

Talk to your vet if their sleep seems off—interrupted sleep in pets could be a sign of medical, behavioral or cognitive issues.

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How does sleep tracking work?

Tractive records your pet’s movements and then transforms the data into helpful insights about your pet.

So you can get to know your pet’s usual rest and sleep routines, spot changes, detect issues early and help them stay in good health.

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A Basenji Dog with Tractive GPS Dog Tracker
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A Cat with the Tractive GPS Cat Tracker
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A Cat with the Tractive GPS Cat Tracker
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A Dog with the Tractive GPS Dog Tracker
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Frequently Asked Questions

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Considering how active they can be, dogs need a lot of rest. On average, adult dogs sleep 12-14 hours a day, but it depends a lot on age, breed, and condition. Puppies, older dogs, and large dogs need even more sleep.

During the first 6 to 12 months of their lives, puppies need more sleep than adult dogs. Expect your puppy to sleep about 18-20 hours a day.

Dogs sleep a lot for various reasons—it may have to do with their breed, size, age, activity level or physical condition. For example, puppies sleep so much because it helps them grow into strong, healthy adult dogs. And old dogs might sleep a lot because they’re not feeling so well. Like us, dogs need a good amount of sleep each day to function. Sleep plays an important role in memory and learning, among other things.

A good night’s sleep is important for dogs too; according to veterinarians, about 75% of a dog's sleep usually occurs during the night. Yet many factors can cause sleep disturbances and prevent your furry friend from getting the rest they need. To help your dog sleep through the night, stick to a routine, make sure they get plenty of exercise, and ensure they have a clean, cozy sleeping spot. It's also a good idea to take them to the vet to check for health issues.

Besides sleeping, dogs spend about 50% of their waking hours just lounging around, relaxing. It’s what they do when they don’t feel like being active, but aren’t sleepy either. Usually this is no cause for worry. However a dog who suddenly becomes lethargic might be sick or even depressed, so talk to your vet if you’re concerned about your dog’s behavior.

We dream—but do dogs dream too? Studies show that when a dog is sleeping, their brain activity is similar to that of a human sleeping. So it’s safe to assume that dogs dream too! During REM sleep, dogs can have vivid dreams, just like us. They likely dream about their day—and their favorite humans, too.

You might have wondered if your dog’s sleeping position can tell you something about your furry friend. Generally, yes—a dog’s body language communicates a lot. Read more about dog sleeping positions on our blog.

As previously mentioned, dogs need a lot of sleep—puppies can even sleep up to 20 hours a day. But if your dog sleeps all day, or suddenly sleeps much more than usual, it could be a sign of illness. When in doubt about your dog’s sleeping behavior, talk to your vet.

Cats need even more sleep than dogs—about 15 hours a day on average. Some cats even sleep up to 20 hours in a 24-hour period. Kittens, senior cats, and sick cats sleep longer than the average adult feline.

Getting enough sleep is essential for a cat’s wellbeing. Our little roamers need to save energy after all, and a good day’s sleep restores them for the next. It also supports memory function and the immune system. Read more about why cats sleep so much.

Unlike dogs and humans, who sleep most at night, cats sleep all throughout the day whole 24 hours. Cats nap several times throughout the day, with naps lasting anywhere from 50 to 113 minutes, or 78 minutes on average1.

Is your cat extra active before bedtime? It’s normal; cats are crepuscular, meaning that they’re most active in the morning (before sunrise) and evening (around sunset). Researchers think that this natural cycle developed so that cats can be awake to prey on birds in the morning, and rodents at twilight. Even the most domesticated of cats will follow this “hunter’s rhythm”.

Remember, cats just aren’t designed to sleep at the same time or in the same way we do. But to help your cat sleep better at night, you can try: 1) Keeping your cat busy during the day. 2) Feeding them a small meal before bedtime. 3) Giving them a comfortable sleeping space. And 4) Take your cat to the vet to rule out any potential health issues.

Research suggests that cats may dream like we do. Cats experience both NREM sleep (light sleep where they’re ready to wake at a moment’s notice) and REM sleep—the sleep phase where dreaming most often occurs in humans. Veterinarian Dr. Bustamante says, “You can see cats dreaming when they twitch or move their paws or mouth while sleeping.”

If you notice your cat sleeping more than usual, it could be a sign that something’s wrong. Reasons for a cat sleeping too much include: obesity, boredom, lack of vitamins, feline depression, infection, arthritis, diabetes and poisoning, among others. Keep in mind, sleeping too little can also be a sign of illness in cats. Talk to your vet if you are concerned about your cat’s sleeping behavior.