Why do cats sleep?
Sleep is one of the most important things in a person’s life, because, without sleep, human beings could not survive. But according to scientists, sleep is important for animals as well. Humans and animals need to get adequate and quality sleep for a better life and to improve their quality of life and well-being. Of course, every animal sleeps in one way or another – this is a natural phenomenon.
“Understanding the process of sleep helps to explain dreaming. Sleep is a state of reduced consciousness characterized by reduced sensory and voluntary muscular activity,” says Dr. Nelson. “Sleep aids growth and the repair of body systems. During sleep, the brain seems to process information learned during the day, as well.”
Do cats dream just like humans?
Have you ever wondered if your cat can dream just like you? Or what does your cat think when they are sleeping? How does this process work anyway? Well, the answer is yes, the process is similar to humans.
“During non-REM sleep, the brain takes images seen throughout the day and rearranges them in dreams to better process and understand what was seen. A similar scenario is how film editors take different video clips and arrange them to create a storyline,” Dr. Nelson explains.
“When humans and pets actually ‘watch’ the edited footage is during REM sleep when the body’s serotonin system slows down. Serotonin’s primary job is to control large muscle groups, which is why we ‘go limp’ during REM sleep but can still have eyelids fluttering, feet moving, facial twitching, etc., because those are considered fine motor movements,” Dr. Nelson added.
