Veterinarian-written / veterinarian-approved articles for your cat.

Do Cats Dream?

Learn whether cats dream like humans do.

We all know that cats love to sleep. Sometimes they even like to sleep on their human's head.

But do cats dream when they sleep?

Cats' Brains Are Similar to Humans'

Researchers say that the brains of cats are similar to those of humans and that it's almost certain that they dream like we do.

Studies have been done in rats that show that their brain waves at certain times during sleep match those of certain times when they're awake. That indicates that the rats are dreaming, and cats' brains are even more advanced than those of rats.

Cats Twitch During Sleep

Cats show similar signs of dreaming during sleep as humans, rats, and dogs. Their whiskers may twitch, and their feet may move rhythmically. These movements are an indication of REM sleep, when dreams occur for humans.

Cats Have Memory

Dreaming has been proven to play a role in memory, and cats definitely have memory. They can be trained to follow commands and react to things that they've encountered before. This is a good indication that cats dream.

What Do Cats Dream About?

While it's impossible to determine for sure what a cat dreams about, it's fairly reasonable to assume that, like humans, they probably dream about things that happened to them during the day.

Perhaps things aren't the same in dreams as they are in reality, like with humans. Maybe a cat dreams of giant mice chasing THEM. Or huge buffets filled with all manner of kitty delicacies.

We'll probably never know for sure what cats dream about, but we can rest assured that they do dream.

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