Do you become curious while looking at your cat when she smiles and moves her paws in sleep? Is she dreaming about something? But, Do cats dream? Well, the answer is yes, they do dream. Cats sleep almost two-third of the day in a relaxing position. You may see her smiling in sleep. Maybe she is dreaming about mice dancing all around her.
Now the question here is that what do cats dream about? Some researchers have shown that they have dreams similar to mammals. To understand cat dreams, you have to know the sleeping process of cats.
Reading this article will help you to have an idea about REM sleep, cat sounds in sleep. How to know if your cat is dreaming, and about her nightmares? You will also understand about sleepwalking in cats and if they dream like humans.
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What Will I Learn?
Do Cats Dream?
The answer to this question is yes. Cats do dream. While sleeping, a cat’s brain is busy in electrical activity, which is similar to mammals. For many years it was not sure if the animals dream. But in some experiments, the brains of animals were monitored, which showed some activities similar to mammals.
After these experiments, it was confirmed that animals could dream. Similarly, cats can also dream. But to get complete details, you have to understand the process of sleep.
What is REM Sleep in Cats?
REM is one of the sleep cycles in cats. This is a phase in cats in which there are most likely chances for her to dream. You can identify it by noticing the different behaviors of your cat. For example, you can see your cat twitching her ears, eyes, or maybe her tail. She may have a loss of a muscle tone, which is called Atonia.
The chattering of teeth is also a sign that your cat is in a REM sleep cycle.
How to Know if Your Cat is Dreaming?
There are different signs that you can notice in your cat to know if she is dreaming. Researches have shown that cats mostly dream during the REM phase of their sleep. To identify the REM phase, you have to notice certain signs such as twitching or squeaking sounds. You may see her twitching her ears or eyes. She may even twitch her tail.
These are the signs of the REM sleep cycle, which help you to identify that your cat is dreaming.
What Do Cats Dream About?
Many experiments have been done about cats dreaming. Every cat owner is curious about what her cat is dreaming about. Well, according to some veterinary neurologists, while the cat is in the REM phase, she may mover her head. It may seem that she is following someone. Moving her head is an indication that she may be watching someone or is following them.
Also, a cat can dream about hunting or is watching some incident of the past. Different researches were done in the USA. According to them, a cat can dream about anything that happened during the day.
Cats have the same dreaming process as the dogs have. The dreams can be about the distant past or maybe about the present-day happenings. Cats can also dream about something that happened with another cat, or she can simply dream about you while snuggling with her on the sofa.
Do Cats Have Nightmares?
Like human beings, cats can also have nightmares. Waking up suddenly and showing a sign of distress is a signal that your cat may have a bad dream. Moreover, you may feel that she is frightened with wide-opened eyes. If your cat is having a nightmare, she will make stressed sounds during sleep. Some nightmares have led different cats to traumatic events.
Do Cats Dream Like Humans?
Cats sleep almost 15 hours a day, which means that they sleep more than humans. Cats probably dream like humans. Both just have different life experiences. Humans may dream about their daily life routine or about anything that just happened on that particular day. Or they can dream about their favorite things or anything of interest.
Similarly, cats can dream about anything that they just have watched that day. Or they can dream about their favorite thing, such as hunting a mouse or catching a bird. Therefore, there is no reason to say that cats and humans have different dreams. They dream like each other.
Should I wake My Cat Up if it is Dreaming?
Sleep is essential for your cat to build up her energy. It is not good to wake up your cat while she is dreaming or is in a deep sleep. This is because your cat may become lazy. Sleep is also essential for restoring the immunity of your cat’s body. So, if you will try to move or wake her up, it will disturb her sleep. As a result, your cat can be irritated and may become lethargic.
Sleepwalking in Cats
Everyone knows that humans can sleepwalk. But cats have a different case. Cats can move paws, and they can also get whiskers while sleeping. But it does not mean that they cant sleepwalk. Cats that have some kind of brain damage can walk during sleep. But a normal and healthy cat cannot sleepwalk like humans.
Cat Sounds While Sleeping
Have you noticed your cat snoring while she is sleeping? Well, there is nothing to be worried about. It is just a sign that your cat is relaxed and is in a deep sleep. There is a reason behind these snoring sounds. When your cat is completely relaxed, her soft palate is also relaxed. The relaxing position of the soft palate produces snore like sounds.
Cats spend most time of the day sleeping peacefully. They can dream like mammals and have a sleeping process similar to humans. Cats mostly dream during the REM sleep cycle. They may produce some snoring or squeaking sounds while having a dream. The signs of REM will help you to know when your cat is dreaming.
Moreover, cats dreamlike human beings. They can have bad dreams, as well. But they cannot sleepwalk like humans. A cat can dream about anything she watched during the day or about her past. It is not good to wake up your cat while she is sleeping because it will make her irritated. Sleep is essential for building up immunity.