Do cats dream? Exploring the world of feline sleep

Our feline friends can clock a lot of cat naps, but what’s going on behind those closed eyes? As you admire your furry sleepyhead, a number of questions may have crossed your mind: do cats dream, and if they do, then what do cats dream about? We’re here to clear up your questions about kitty dreamland and where they really go when sleeping. 

Do cats dream?

If you’re wondering “do cats dream when they sleep?”, the answer is likely - yes! How do we know? Well, sleep researchers have found that our furry friends display similar brain patterns during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep as humans do when they dream. The brain activity that goes on during cat REM sleep indicates that they dream just like we do!

What do cats dream about?

Sleep allows time for our bodies to repair and recover ready for the next day’s activities - just like us, cats need sleep to process information about the day and sort it all out into their memory bank. Because of this, young kittens need to spend more time sleeping than their older feline friends as they’ve got more to learn and process.

Now we know the answer to “do cats have dreams?”, but what do cats dream about? Unfortunately, we can’t just ask our fur babies straight up, but we can assume that feline friends dream about what’s happened during their day, just like we do. How creative their brains get is up for debate, but cat dreams probably consist of playing, chasing, and interacting with their pet parents and fellow furry friends. 

Do cats dream about hunting?

Whether your feline friend is a real-life hunter or loves playing with their toy mouse, their natural instinct to hunt and stalk prey will probably show up in their dreams. In a dream world, they’ll likely stalk their prey before pouncing and enjoying their tasty reward over and over again! 

Do cats dream about their owners?

Whether you're a pet parent who (obviously) plays a bit part in your fur baby's life or a cat sitter that's spent the day playing with your new found friend, you'll be happy to know that you're highly likely to star in your furry feline's dreams!

Do cats have nightmares?

Unfortunately, if cats dream about the good parts, they also probably dream about the bad. So whether they’re having a bad dream about the monster under their bed or their teeth falling out, they’ll probably wake up feeling a bit out of sorts!  

What do cats dream about when they twitch?

Everything! Twitching is a sign your furry feline is in the deep sleep stage of the cycle known as REM, which is when dreaming occurs.

Signs your cat’s dreaming

Not all sleep is created equal, even for our feline friends. Cats go through various stages in their sleep cycles, the most important being REM (rapid eye movement) and NREM (non-rapid eye movement). Cat REM sleep is the stage when dreaming occurs; their eyes move rapidly back and forth and their brain will be working (almost) as hard as it does during awake hours. If you notice your cat twitching or moving around while they snooze, it’s another pretty good indicator of vivid dreaming. Who knows, maybe they’re chasing a mouse, climbing up the curtains, or scampering around in the backyard. Purring, meowing, or chattering in their sleep are further signs your kitty’s in the land of nod. 

Watching your fur baby purr away as their paws twitch in their sleep might be super cute, but that doesn’t mean it’s a good idea to wake them up for a cuddle. While they might seem like they’re getting ready to wake up, kitties are actually in the deepest of slumbers during the REM stage of sleep, and waking them up during this time can make them feel disorientated and confused. To avoid being on the receiving end of a cranky cat, it’s best to let your sleepyhead wake up when they’re ready!

So the next time you see your adorable feline friend twitching and chattering away in their sleep, just know they’re probably having a great time in their dream world. And who knows, maybe they’re even dreaming about you!