For humans, we climb into bed each night knowing we’re off
to dreamland. Dreams are a result of REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep, the most
important and deepest stage of our sleep cycle. But do our dogs and cats also
travel to a dream world in their sleep, too?
Many pet owners are adamant that their pets do dream. We’ve
all watched our pets while they’re fast asleep, and often gush over their cute
twitches and muffled woofs during a nap. It turns out that these subtle body
movements may tell us a lot about what goes on in our pet’s heads while they
slumber.
A recent article in Parade
Magazine discussed pets traveling into dreamland. For humans, according to
Veterinary Relief Solutions, Inc. owner Lisa Boyer, DVM, the purpose of
dreaming may be to help maintain a sense of self. Since we cannot ask our pets,
we can’t know for sure, but what we can
observe suggests that pets do dream while asleep.
Studies have shows that dogs and cats, while sleeping,
exhibit REM sleep actions like eye twitching, lip movements and vocalizations.
These signs, along with fast breathing, confirm that our pets do dream, but
what they dream about is still a mystery. We hope that these are all signs of
good dreams!
So next time your dog mumbles a woof or your cat’s whiskers
twitch while they are asleep, take a guess at what might be going on inside
their heads. Maybe your dog is running across a grassy field, or your cat is
tossing around their favorite toy. No matter what our pets envision while
asleep, we can make their good dreams come true by giving them plenty of love
and attention when they wake up.
What do you think? Does YOUR pet show signs of dreaming
while they sleep?
