What Is ‘Shrimping’ and Why Do Dogs and Cats Do It?

Are you even a pet parent if your heart doesn’t swell every time you catch your dog or cat snoozing in a cute position? Honestly, if my dogs got hold of my phone, they’d immediately call the police due to 90 percent of my camera roll being pictures of them sleeping. What can I say? I’m obsessed. Our pets have many weird and wonderful ways of resting but to me, the most curious of all, is the shrimp – which my dog Sherlock adopts regularly. “The what?” I hear you cry. 

Shrimping is a super common sleeping position where a dog or cat sleeps on their side, with their straight back legs tucked up underneath them and their paws often touching their face. As the name suggests, it leaves them resembling a giant shrimp (or a high diver mid-flight). But what does this position mean when it comes to our pets’ health and well-being?

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What is shrimping?

Like us humans, dogs and cats have a multitude of ways of sleeping, depending on personal preference and their current mood. Shrimping is a variation of the doughnut position, where a dog or cat curls up into a tight ball with their limbs tucked in and their tail touching their nose. However, the shrimp position is a more linear version of this, where they’re almost folded in half.

Dogs and cats might also choose to sleep on their backs, on their sides with their limbs stretched out, or on their front splayed out like Superman or tucked in like a lion. The choices are endless.

Why might dogs and cats adopt the shrimp position? 

If you’re anything like me, you love to find meaning in everything, and pet sleeping positions are no different. Does sleeping like a shrimp mean they’re happy? Sad? Sick? Relaxed? Unfortunately for us curious deep divers, there’s not a huge amount of research on the topic.

“We can keep hypothesising around specific sleeping positions and what they mean but there’s a lot of variability and crossover in preference in dogs and cats,” says veterinary surgeon Simone Ginwala. “I haven’t personally come across any studies that go into this subject in great depth or accuracy.”

However, there’s no harm in hypothesising if we take it with a pinch of salt… and science. 

Temperature regulation

One explanation why your cat might be shrimping is that they’re simply feeling a little chilly. “Shrimping is unbelievably cute, and sometimes I think cats shrimp simply to amuse us,” explains Stephen Quandt, a certified feline behaviourist. “But we believe one of the real reasons is to conserve body heat.”

The same goes for dogs, so says Caroline Wilkinson, certified canine behaviourist at Barket Place: “Maybe it’s at times where your dog’s just come in from a walk and they’re a bit more chilly, or overnight when the heating’s turned off.”

Research shows that being warm and cosy can shorten the time it takes for mammals to fall asleep – humans will snuggle up under a duvet, while dogs and cats might seek warmth by curling up. This warmth then facilitates non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, which includes one of the deepest sleep stages. This is where body temperature drops, heart rate and breathing slows down, and muscles relax, allowing the body to repair itself and strengthen the immune system. So, shrimping might help your pet get better quality sleep – winner.

Evolutionary protective instincts

It’s easy to forget that domesticated cats and dogs evolved from wild ancestors who’d spend their days hunting and avoiding predators, curling up to sleep in the dirt rather than in a house on a fancy bed. Our pets still carry these instincts from the past and adopt certain behaviours when feeling anxious. One of these is curling up and covering the belly, which Stephen tells us is a way of protecting the vital organs.

“Sleeping in a tucked position like the shrimp or doughnut could indicate a pet that’s more anxious than relaxed,” adds Caroline.

“It could be after they’ve had a bit of excitement from charging around at the park or they’ve had an anxious experience like not feeling comfortable on a walk.”

She explains that we might see this sleeping position a lot in puppies, newly adopted animals who are getting used to being in a new home, or pets with anxious behavioural conditions. 

Moulding to furniture

Another reason for discovering your pet has morphed into a crustacean is that they’re simply moulding to the shape of the bed or chair they’re sleeping on. This is the most obvious reason for my dog, who sleeps like a shrimp when he’s snoozing on his round rattan chair.

“Sometimes these round positions are forced by the beds we offer our dogs,” explains Caroline. “If your dog does sometimes lie out it’s important to give them a bed that they’re able to do that in, so they can choose their sleeping position.” 

Cats might have much smaller bodies than most dogs, but they’ll still often choose to contort their liquid-like frames into some pretty bizarre – and tiny – locations.

“Many cats like to hide in small spaces, so the shrimping position enables our feline friends to ease themselves in these spaces,” explains Samantha Prior, training and behaviour advisor at Woodgreen Pets Charity.

What can your pet’s sleeping position tell you about their health?

Unless we get a cheeky nap in, us humans get our sleep in one big go overnight, whereas cats and dogs sleep polyphasically, which means they enjoy multiple shorter sleeps over a 24-hour period. This stems from their time as wild animals where they needed to stay alert to avoid being eaten. Yikes.

Most adult cats sleep between 12–18 hours per day, and this increases as they get older. The amount of time a dog spends snoozing also varies depending on their age and activity level, but typically it’s between 8–16 hours a day. There isn’t a huge amount of research on our feline friends’ shut-eye but it’s believed that their wake-sleep cycles last for around 104 minutes (based on a very old study from the 1970s). The average wake-sleep cycle of a dog is shorter, coming in at 83 minutes.  

Healthy vs concerning sleeping positions

Cats and dogs are all different, so a healthy sleeping position for one might not be normal for another. 

“Most cats and dogs have their favourite positions to sleep in depending on the surface texture, height, temperature and how safe they’re feeling,” says Dr Ginwala. “When they deviate from these it could potentially be a sign of abdominal discomfort or generalised pain. For example, sleeping in a tight, curled up ball is normal for some, but for others it could be a sign that they’re cold, in pain or fearful etc.”

She also warns that a cat sleeping on their front with their elbows away from their body is a sign of breathing difficulties. A dog or cat sleeping on their back and panting excessively may indicate heatstroke, which requires immediate veterinary attention. 

Are there any dog breeds that are more likely to shrimp?

Most healthy dogs should physically be able to shrimp, but some breeds may find it more comfortable than others based on the shape of their bodies. 

“We often see the shrimp effect with breeds like Whippets, Greyhounds, Chihuahuas – where they’ve got stiffer legs rather than floppy bodies,” explains Caroline. “You might be less likely to see it from say, a Cavapoo, where they may tuck more into a rounded doughnut shape, without the stiff legs.”

Samantha also suggests that smaller dogs or those with shorter fur may be more likely to sleep in this position more frequently as they might feel the cold more than their larger or fluffier counterparts. 

Frequently asked questions about shrimping

Is shrimping a sign of illness?

No, shrimping isn’t a sign of illness. However, it could indicate that your cat or dog is feeling cold or maybe even a little anxious. This tucked-up position is great for conserving body heat in chillier temperatures, as well as protecting the vital organs, which is an evolutionary behaviour dogs and cats do when feeling stressed. 

Do all cats shrimp?

Cats have their favourite sleeping positions just like we do, so while all healthy cats can shrimp, it doesn’t mean that they will. “A cat’s sleeping position will vary, and they’ll generally sleep however they feel comfortable and safe,” says Samantha.

When should I be concerned about my cat’s sleeping position?

A cat sleeping on their belly with their elbows splayed could be a sign they’re having issues breathing. Panting excessively while sleeping on their back is a sign of heatstroke. In general, you should keep an eye on your cat if you notice any significant changes to their sleeping behaviours as this may indicate underlying health issues.

References

Harding, Edward C., et al. “ The Temperature Dependence of Sleep.” Frontiers in Neuroscience, vol. 13, Apr. 2019. 

Patel, Aakash K., et al. “ Physiology, Sleep Stages.” StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf, 26 Jan. 2024.

Bálint, Anna, et al. “ Noninvasive EEG Measurement of Sleep in the Family Cat and Comparison With the Dog.” Journal of Mammalogy, vol. 105, no. 2, Jan. 2024, pp. 300–11.

Parker, Marine, et al. “ Daily Rhythms in Food Intake and Locomotor Activity in a Colony of Domestic Cats.” Animal Biotelemetry, vol. 7, no. 1, Dec. 2019.

Sordo, Lorena, et al. “ Prevalence of Disease and Age-Related Behavioural Changes in Cats: Past and Present.” Veterinary Sciences, vol. 7, no. 3, July 2020, p. 85. 

Bódizs, Róbert, et al. “ Sleep in the Dog: Comparative, Behavioral and Translational Relevance.” Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences, vol. 33, Dec. 2019, pp. 25–33.

Lucas, E. A., and M. B. Sterman. “ The Polycyclic Sleep-wake Cycle in the Cat: Effects Produced by Sensorimotor Rhythm Conditioning.” Experimental Neurology, vol. 42, no. 2, Feb. 1974, pp. 347–68. .