17
- March
2021
Posted By : PawBoost
What Do Cats Dream About? 4 Surprising Discoveries

This article is contributed by guest writer, Amy Davis (Creator of SmartCatLovers).

What Do Cats Dream About? 4 Surprising Discoveries

Cats really do love sleeping. The cat family, lions and tigers, sleep for long periods throughout the day. They do this to preserve and gather energy for the next hunt.

As mentioned in SmartCatLovers, our feline friends may not need to hunt, but this genetic behavior carries on. The instinct to sleep keeps on domesticated cats as they prepare for the next ‘hunt’, chasing the laser or catnip toy.

You can’t help but wonder. What are they thinking about when twitching toes or whiskers, chattering or moving their paws deep in their naps or sleep? They are probably dreaming.

So, what do cats dream about? It’s a pondering question most cat owners have when they watch cats make these movements in their sleep.

Photo Credit: Daga_Roszkowska via Pixabay

What do cats dream about?

While they look relaxed and peaceful in their sleep, cats’ brains take images about things that have happened throughout the day or the recent past. Felines recall and categorically arrange these events in their sleep. Yeah! Just like people.

Thinking about you

Cats will dream about things they are interested in day by day. And that’s you. Just like you will have a dream playing hide and seek with your cat or scratching their ears, those dreams are reciprocated in our feline friends.

They will dream about those daily interactions you both share. The way you attract their attention to finding you and those lovely treats you offer them will be all your cat will be thinking about as they take a nap.

Photo Credit: KatinkavomWolfenmond via Pixabay

Stalking and hunting prey

Stalking and hunting for prey is the normal workday for all felines, just like their wild cousins. 

There are lots of differences between our domesticated cats and wild cats. Cat food for feral cats is surprisingly different from what we would usually feed our domestic cats. Your furry friend will have no reason to hunt for food, although they will yearn to stalk and pounce on prey in their territory, such as birds and mice. 

When you notice your cat cycling its legs in the air or twitching her ears when they are deep asleep, they are probably dreaming of chasing a mouse or stalking that bird that is always on your garden tree.

Arguments with another cat

Cats tend to remember the unpleasant experience they had with other cats. When other cats encroach your cat’s territory, it may end up in a brawl. It’s common for cats to engage in rough play, all in good fun with their friendly cats.

All these events will retaliate in your cat’s dream showing the better of themselves to their rivals.

Photo Credit: photosforyou via Pixabay

Nightmares

It is normal for cats to dream about a bad event that occurred during the day or in their lifetime. They may wake up and appear frightened. Probably it’s because they were reliving a terrible event that happened to them—when that stray dog gave them a good chase or some naughty boy throwing stones at them.

Be advised not to wake up your cat when they make uncontrollable movements as they sleep. They may be having nightmares. You may startle them, and they will wake up with claws, scratching, bites or even worse. They may not be aware of what’s happening, and protection will be their first instinct.

Cats require lots of sleep for better health. There are two types of sleep: Rapid Eye Movement (REM) and non (REM) type of sleep. Cat dreams occur mainly during REM sleep. You will notice random and quick eye movements of eyes under the shut eyelids. 

Pay attention to your cat’s sleeping patterns. Ensure they are less stressed during the night for better sleep and sweet dreams. For the best cat bed for older cats or even younger kittens, look for something cosy that provides ample room and gives your cat the opportunities for a longer-lasting sleep all-round. This will contribute to deeper sleep and sweet dreaming.

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