Cats are one of the domestic animals that we can observe sleeping for a greater number of hours. Therefore, it is logical that, as caregivers, we wonder if, at least at some point during their rest, cats dream or have nightmares This concern may arise, above all, if we observe our feline move while sleeping and even make some sound, as if it were totally immersed in a deep sleep.
In this article on our site we are going to explain what the cat's dream is like. We will never be able to ask him if he is dreaming or about what, but we can draw conclusions based on the characteristics of his dream
How do cats sleep?
To try to find out if cats dream or if cats have nightmares, we can look at how their sleep periods pass. Most of the time cats rest in very frequent light sleep. The human equivalent would be naps, with the difference that cats would take them numerous times throughout the day. But this would not be the only type of feline dream, although perhaps the one that we will be able to observe the most.
The following types of sleep are considered to be distinguished in this species:
- short nap
- light sleep somewhat longer
- deep sleep
These different phases would alternate throughout the day. When a cat lies down to rest, he begins to fall into a light sleep of approximately half an hour. After this period he reaches a heavier sleep, which is considered deep sleep, which lasts about 6-7 minutes. After this period there is a return to a lighter sleep phase that occupies about 30 minutes. He remains in this state until he wakes up
This is the typical sleep cycle of a he althy adult cat. The oldest or sickest specimens, as well as the youngest, will present some differences. As an example, kittens less than a month old only experience the deep type of sleep. This lasts a total of about twelve hours out of every 24. After a month, the kittens acquire the pattern explained for adult cats.
How long do cats sleep?
We don't know what cats dream, but it is easy to see, for any caregiver, that they sleep a lot of hours. Approximately, and on average for a he althy adult cat, about 16 hours a day The average is between 14 and 16 hours. Put another way, a cat sleeps peacefully twice as long as is recommended for adult humans.
The well-known zoologist Desmond Morris, in his book on the behavior of cats, proposes an clarifying comparison. By his calculations, a nine-year-old cat would have been awake for only three years of his life. The hypothesis to explain why this species can spend so much time sleeping throughout its life, unlike what happens to other predators, is found, according to this expert, in that cats are such good hunters, so effective, that They very easily manage to get hold of the prey that meets their nutritional needs. This way, they can spend the rest of the day resting.
Now, if our cat suddenly stops playing, interacting or grooming itself and spends the day lying down, we could be facing a he alth problem. In this case, it is advisable to go to the vet for a review to differentiate between a sick cat or a very sleepy one
For more details, don't miss the article in which we explain how many hours a cat sleeps a day and what are the symptoms of a sick cat.
When do cats dream?
If cats dream, they would do so in a specific phase of their sleep cycle. This would be the one corresponding to deep sleep or REM or rapid eye movement phase In this state the cat's body completely relaxes. We can tell because many times he is lying on his side, stretched out completely. At this moment is when some signs appear that can make us think that he is immersed in a dream. Among them, we highlight the movement of the ears, legs or tail The muscles of the mouth can also be activated with sucking movements and even vocalizations, purrs or sounds of different kind. Another very characteristic movement is that of the eyes, which we will appreciate moving under the closed or half-open eyelids, while the rest of the body remains relaxed. In some cases, we may notice that the cat wakes up scared, as if coming back from a nightmare.
In any case, all these movements are therefore completely normal and physiological. All cats will do them to a greater or lesser extent. They do not indicate any pathology nor do we have to intervene to wake up the cat. On the contrary, we must ensure our feline companion places to rest, which must be comfortable, warm and sheltered, especially if several cats or animals of different species live together in the home that can bother them and make it difficult to rest. We recommend you consult the following article to provide all the care for your cat: "Complete guide to caring for an adult cat".
What do cats dream?
Both the possibility that cats dream and experience nightmares seems plausible based on scientific studies of brain function. Now, what they dream in particular is more subject to our interpretation. Unfortunately, it is impossible to answer to this question because, for now, there is no way of knowing what cats dream about. If you dream something, it will probably not be the same as the dreams that humans experience, however, we insist, there are no studies that show what cats can be dreaming or if they really dream.
Do cats have nightmares?
In line with the above, it is impossible to know if cats have nightmares or any other type of dream. Sometimes, as we said, we can see that our cat wakes up scared and we tend to believe that it may be due to a nightmare. However, this can happen due to something as simple as having perceived a sudden sound that we did not hear.
