What Do Cats Dream About?

cats dream

Considering the fact that cats sleep up to 15 hours every day, it’s natural to wonder what in the world goes on in those sleepy little minds of theirs. Of course, your cat looks like a precious angel when it’s curled up on the bed or stretched out in a sunny spot on the floor. It’s why you have so many pictures of them taking a snooze. But what happens when they twitch, swat, and murmur in their sleep? Science has already proven that cats are perfectly capable of dreaming. What cats dream about, however, is a little more complicated to determine.

cats dream

When Cats Dream

Feline and human brains are different. Brain structure and activity during sleep, however, are relatively the same. Several scientific studies have monitored feline brain activity while awake and asleep, and animal scientists agree that there’s little difference between a cat’s and a human’s dreams.

For example, cats and humans dream during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. This type of sleep zone is where heart rate and breathing get faster and the eyes move around quickly beneath closed eyelids. The brain is also active during this type of sleep, leading to the longest and most detailed dreams.

One difference between human and feline REM sleep is how often it occurs. Cats sleep much more than humans, but their sleep cycles are usually shorter. While humans experience REM sleep about every 90 minutes, only when they fall into a considerably deep sleep do cats slip into REM sleep about every 25 minutes. Cats can even be in REM sleep during quick cat naps, suggesting they could dream a lot more often than humans.

There’s also evidence to suggest that younger cats spend more time in REM sleep than older cats. This could be because their brains are still developing. It suggests that cats dream less often when they get older.

Why Cats Dream

If you want to know what a person dreamed about, all you have to do is ask. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way with cats. Because we can’t ask and haven’t developed technology to turn cat thoughts into moving pictures, the best we can do is make educated guesses about what cats dream about.

Scientists agree that both cats and humans dream for the same reasons: to process experiences and solidify long-term memories. Dreams are when your brain finally has a chance to analyze everything that happened during the day. That’s why, in addition to all those crazy dreams, we often dream about mundane life experiences. It’s safe to assume that it’s the same for cats.

cats dream

What Cats Dream About

One of the most notable studies about cat dreams occurred in the 1960s. A series of experiments showcased how when cats entered REM sleep, they expressed physical signs of dreaming and increased brain activity. Instead of lying there peacefully, the cats twitched and moved their limbs. REM sleep essentially turns off body movement to prevent the sleeper from acting out dreams, but when dreams are intense enough, they can manifest in twitches and specific body movements. In the 1960 study, researchers observed cats often acted as if they were hunting in their sleep. They arched their backs, swatted their paws, and sometimes acted like they were running. This supports the theory that cats dream about their favorite activities.

Cats may have the occasional crazy dream, but they’re more likely to dream about the things, activities, and people in their waking lives. They could be chasing a mouse, tormenting the dog, or even receiving pleasurable head scratches from their favorite human. Dreaming is their way of reviewing the day’s events.

It’s also possible for cats to have nightmares. You might think your cat lives extraordinary without worries, but stress or fear could manifest as a nightmare. It’s hard to think about our precious cats feeling scared in their sleep, but it’s best to let the dream play out. Waking them in the middle of an intense dream could scare them even more, and they might even lash out with claws without realizing what’s happening.

The next time you catch your cat fast asleep, look for signs that it’s dreaming. Little twitches or eye movements could mean something is exciting happening inside their head. Any guesses as to what your cat dreams about?

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