Do cats dream of catch prey and eating food ? Do they have nightmares of being frightened by a bigger animate being ? Do they dream of their owners ? Feline - loving veterinarian share their thoughts on what felines might be imagining when they ’re lie down there , twitching and wiggling with their eyes closed .
Your cat ’s eyes are closed . Her body is contorted into some weird curlicue , with caput and paws mildly nip , and you marvel , " Do cat have dream when they sleep ? "
Experts think so . And they back up the debate , strangely enough , with research into the sleep patterns of one of the many humble animals that cats ( sometimes ) catch and deplete : rats . research worker have studied enough of rotter brains to approximate that rats dream of what they do during the Clarence Shepard Day Jr. in the lab . In their eternal sleep , ratsnavigate a mazeorremember sounds they heardorhave tough aspiration .
Daily Paws / Corinne Mucha
Cats probably do the same , tell Kelly St. Denis , DVM , current chairwoman of theAmerican Association of Feline Practitioners . ( Incidentally , dogs do , too . )
" quat , like most other mammal , do dream , " St. Denis sound out . " Studies on the electric brain patterns in lowlife when they ’re asleep compared to performing regular tasks when alert show striking similarities . These study suggest that the kat are dreaming about the same tasks . It is probable that our CAT are experiencing the same dream sleep , as do detent . "
What Do Cats Dream About?
Because researchers think rats woolgather about what they do during the day ( see above ) , it ’s a fair surmisal that cat do the same matter . You do the same matter . Your family and friends , your weird encounters with stranger , your daily drug abuse , and your anxiousness about workplace and life all strain into your brain ’s nighttime games . That ’s in all likelihood true for your big cat , too . Do cats woolgather like humans ? Probably , in some way .
" Like humans and crumb , it ’s likely that our cats are dreaming about their day - to - day activities , " St. Denis says . " These may be distorted inside their aspiration life , as our dreams sometimes are , but as with puke , they likely show similar Einstein shape natural process as see when they ’re awake and performing these tasks . "
Do cats have bad dreams ? Because research worker think rats may have nightmares , quat credibly do , too . But because we ca n’t ask , and cats ca n’t answer , we just do n’t know , says Verna Serra , DVM , with the national hospital chainVeterinary Emergency Group . ( Too bad cats ca n’t keepdream journalsyet . )
" kat are hunters , so they wish to predate on affair , " Serra read . " They may be dream about their favorite toy dog , a smelly meal , sharpening their nails on a lounge , or being petted . They likely dream about a variety of thing , just like we do . "
St. Denis agree , but pose in a honorable word that perhaps you show up ( in a good way of life ) in those nighttime adventures , too .
" Most likely they have dreams of hunting and playing , " she say , " as well as cuddling and bang their housemates and human companion . "
What Does It Mean When Your Sleeping Cat Makes Noise and Moves or Twitches?
Do n’t be alarmed , say vet . Just like people ( and rats ) , cats likely do most of their most vivid dreaming during theREM ( speedy oculus cause ) level of sleep . These are moments when a quat ’s oral fissure may move , she may make lilliputian sounds , or her paw and peg may twitch . It may mean your CT is deep in a expert ( or weird ) dreaming . That ’s all normal .
If your bozo ’s a good sleeper goby , you know you ’ve done a great problem making her feelsecure in your nursing home .
If you ’re disquieted that your cat ’s dormancy is unhealthy or your cat ’s sleeping habit suddenly switch , considerthis list of reasonsand check with a veterinarian for further information .
Now , sit back , curl up with your favorite dormancy CT , and watch those hair nip and those little paws go .
