Do Animals Dream?
If you are a pet owner, you have probably already guessed that the answer to this is YES! But are
they really dreaming – and if so, what in world do they dream about?
Many scientists say there is evidence to support the notion that dogs, cats, and in fact, every
mammal that’s been studied, does experience dreams.
There are two main types of sleep: rapid eye movement (REM) and slow wave sleep (SWS). SWS
and REM sleep in pets are very similar to that of humans. During this time, the brain processes
information learned during the day. Think of it as sorting new information into different mental file
folders.
At some point during these two kinds of sleep, dreams take over. Thus, the twitching, tail
wagging, yipping, and pawing is likely a reliving of whatever experiences your pet has had while
awake.
Adult dogs spend about 10 to 12 percent of their sleeping time in REM sleep. Puppies and kittens
spend a much greater proportion of their sleep time in REM sleep, which makes sense since they
have been so busy all day exploring their new world. They have tons of new data to process, sort
and store into their memories.
So the next time your pet has had an unusually exciting experience during the morning, pay
special attention to his behavior while he naps that afternoon. You might just catch your pet
reliving the past – in dreams!