The difference between REM sleep and non-REM sleep

“As discussed above, there are two types of sleep: REM and non-REM,” says Dr. Nelson. The difference between REM sleep and non-REM sleep is that “during REM, the sleeper’s eyes move rapidly and the brain’s activity is similar to an awake state. This is when dreaming occurs. Young animals spend more time in REM than older animals possibly due to the large amount of new information that they encounter each day and the need to process it all.” This is how dreams are formed and developed and your cats can enjoy these experiences just like you.

What do cats dream about?

You are not the only one who has dreams about his or her own life experiences, because it seems that your cat can do the same. It sounds crazy, right? But this is actually true. 

“Well, since we’re unable to ask them what they dream about, we have to deduce that, similar to us, they dream about their day,” says Dr. Nelson.

For instance, “if they went outside and saw a bird and another kitty friend, those images are likely what is playing through their mind during sleep. Perhaps they’re even dreaming about you, their delicious dinner, and the pens and chapstick that they pushed off of your table just so they could watch them fall!” added Dr. Nelson.

Do they dream when they move or make noises while sleeping?

In general, humans dream even when they make noises and move while sleeping, so this can happen to cats as well. The explanation is that their muscles react when their brain analyses those images.

“Scientists believe that they are dreaming during these times,” says Dr. Nelson. “These fine motor muscles are reacting to the images being replayed in their minds.”

In addition, when their movements and noises are accentuated, there is a high possibility that they have nightmares. So, if you notice this sign of nightmares, try to wake them up nicely and lovingly, otherwise, they can become aggressive.