🐱 Two-thirds of Cats Sleep on Their Left Side. Here's why
Neuropsychologists recently conducted an unusual study to determine if cats have a preferred sleeping position. Turns out, 65.1% of house cats were caught snoozing on their left side.
The researchers analyzed 408 YouTube videos of sleeping cats. They only included clips where the cat was visible and sleeping on its side for at least 10 seconds.
❔ So, Why the Left Side?
The researchers think it's a built-in survival instinct. When cats sleep on their left side, the left eye has a better view—their body doesn't block their visual field.
And since the left eye connects to the right hemisphere of the brain—the part that handles fast reactions and threat detection—the cat might be better prepared to spot danger or a tasty pigeon if it suddenly wakes up.
The authors acknowledge that the study has its limitations—it didn't account for the cats' age, sex, or other factors that might influence their sleeping habits. For instance, pregnant cows are known to lie on their left side more often. But let's be honest—unless YouTube is flooded with pregnant cat videos, that's probably not the reason.
Either way, the researchers plan to keep studying the phenomenon.
Which side does your cat sleep on?
❤️ — Left side
👍 — Right side
🤔 — Both sides!
