Do Cats Dream? | Suite101.com

Posted by
Jennifer Copley
Apr 4, 2009

Cats enter a sleep state called rapid eye movement (REM) just like people do, and this is the sleep phase during which the majority of dream activity occurs.

Those who have watched sleeping cats will have noticed that they sometimes engage in certain movement sequences that appear to mimic waking activities such as running or tackling. A sleeping cat may twitch her whiskers, flick her ears, move her paws, and even make sounds.

The purpose of dreaming is not known for sure, though there are some intriguing theories. However, it does seem that REM sleep is important. Like people, cats that are deprived of REM sleep are more aggressive. Studies of REM-deprived cats have also found an increase in eating and grooming behaviours. These findings are interesting, given that people are more likely to overeat if they don't get sufficient sleep and over-grooming in cats can be a sign of anxiety.

For more on cat psychology and behaviour, see Why Does My Cat Do That?

References:

Morden, B., Conner, R., Mitchell, G., Dement, W., & Seymour, L. (1967). "Effects of Rapid Eye Movement (REM) Sleep Deprivation on Shock-Induced Fighting." Elsevier Inc.
Schneck, Marcus, & Caravan, Jill. (1990). Cat Facts. New York: Barnes & Noble Inc.
Vogel, G.W. (1976). "Archives of General Psychiatry. XXXII, 1975: A Review of REM Sleep Deprivation. Psychoanal Q., 45:339, pp. 749-761.