Do cats dream? Many of us wonder about this question. Let's not beat around the yarn ball, the answer is yes! Our cats can dream just like we do. But what do they dream about? At Ziggy, we have our little idea!
As a cat parent, you have probably already seen your cat behave strangely while sleeping; their whiskers twitch, their tail flicks in all directions or bristles, their paws move, their eyelids flutter, their body twitches. It's like they are possessed by the God of kibbles and pâté. Sometimes, they even make tiny meows (miii, aaa, miii, ouuuu). Watching your little cat, you might think they are dreaming. But is that really the case?
Do cats dream?
In humans – meaning us, the butlers, masseurs, cleaners, etc. of our cats – the sleep cycle unfolds in 4 distinct phases: the falling asleep phase, light sleep, deep sleep, and REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep. REM sleep is thought to be when dreams occur. During this phase, our sleep is deepest, yet our brain is most active (hence the name).
No study has yet been able to confirm with 100% certainty that we necessarily dream during REM sleep, but various experiments have shown that it is often the case. People awakened during this phase describe their dreams with more detail than those awakened during other phases.
Our beloved cats experience the sleep cycle in exactly the same way: falling asleep, light sleep, deep sleep, and REM sleep. In 1959, Michel Jouvet, a neurophysiologist, discovered REM sleep in cats.
In an interview with the magazine Science et Avenir (special December 1996 issue), he explains: “The discovery of dream-like behaviors allows (...) to suppose that some animals have dreams. The best-known case from our lab is the cat. By destroying the Locus coeruleus alpha responsible for muscle atonia, it was observed that the cat during REM sleep displayed new characteristics. It mimicked very structured and typical behaviors of its species such as attacking and chasing imaginary prey, licking, fear responses, combat postures…".
So yes, our cats do dream! Like us, they can dream or even have nightmares (depending on what’s going on in their little heads). A nightmare for our little companions might be a visit to the vet or the arrival of another cat or dog at home. 😹
What do cats dream about?
Our cats can dream during their sleep, but the nature of their dreams remains a great mystery. Unlike us, they cannot tell us their dream stories upon waking – although we would love that. 😻
During our sleep, the brain generally processes information gathered during the day, reliving scenes and past situations. For our cats, it could be the same; they might dream of their hunting game in the garden, the neighbor knocking on the door, the food bowl taken upstairs, or the ball stuck under the living room sofa. The scenarios are many.
That said, at Ziggy, we have other ideas about what our cats might dream of. Here are 5.
#1 Cats dream of their kibbles and pâté
Especially if they are Ziggy’s kibbles and pâté 😻
Proof: according to a study conducted by the Cat Sleep Institute and commissioned by the Cat President of France (elected by universal suffrage during the feline presidential campaign of April 2022), all cats in the Ziggy Family dream of Ziggy’s kibbles and pâté. Without exception!
#2 They dream of being Kings of the World
Aren't they already???
#3 They dream of “speaking” human
Because it might come in handy sometimes…
#4 They dream of finally catching the red laser dot
And that will never happen 😹
#5 They dream of us
We do a lot for our little cats, so the least they can do is dream of us sometimes, right?
Our cats are mysterious beings, whose secrets we'd love to unravel. Speaking of sleep, do you know why your little cat likes to sleep on you? We share some answers in this article: why my cat likes to sleep on me.
We wish sweet dreams to all our beloved cats. They deserve it 💛
J’ai toujours su que mes chats font des rêves après le boulot une avoir tout terminer croquettes pâtée douche dîné etc…une fois posé ma Flow écaille tortue à besoin de son câlin sur moi elle vas s’endormir toujours ses tic les moustache son corps sursaute des fois mais c’est une fois qu’elle passe en sommeil profond exactement comme les humains comme quoi ne jamais les mettre dans un autre monde ils ont une âme comme nous malheureusement tout le monde ne comprennent pas ça dommage
Oh oui ! C’est un très beau rêve 😻
Mes rêves (récurrents) :" Dans mes prochaines vies, je prendrai le même humain"
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