What Do Dogs Dream About
We cant know exactly what dogs dream about, but have observed that certain breeds of dogs tend to perform breed-specific behavior in their sleep when the pons is inactivated. , for instance, point, and English Springer Spaniels exhibit flushing behavior during REM sleep.
Harvard psychologist Deirdre Barrett, past president of the International Association for the Study of Dreams, suggests its likely that dogs dream about their everyday experiences, just like humans. Since dogs are generally extremely attached to their human owners, its likely your dog is dreaming of your face, your smell, and of pleasing or annoying you, she says.
Not Nocturnal But Crepuscular
Most cat owners tend to refer to their cats as nocturnal which means the cat is awake and active at night. While cats can be more active at night than we generally are, cats are instead by nature crepuscular. This means they are more awake and active at dawn and at dusk. They tend to sleep more during mid-day and in the dark of night but at dawn and dusk, theyre awake, active, and hunting that mouse or the favorite toy.
How Do Dreams Work
Dreams are more likely to occur during some stages of sleep than others. Sleep is a time when we stop interacting with the outside world and our brains process the many experiences we had during the day. Technically, sleep is a state of reduced consciousness, sensory input, and voluntary motor activity.
There are two types of sleep: rapid eye movement sleep and non-REM sleep. Most dreaming occurs during REM sleep, a phase of random and quick movements of the eyes under closed eyelids. Body movement is shut off by the brain, so its not possible to physically act out dreams.
Dreams that occur during REM sleep tend to be detailed, long, and sometimes imaginative, whereas dreams in non-REM sleep are generally short and replay the activities of the day. Like the many nights I fell asleep to dreams of Tetris when I was in college.
During REM sleep, a cat might twitch, show paw movements, or move her mouth as though nursing or grooming, but shes not able to pounce or climb the curtains.
Cats exhibit all the physiological and behavioral characteristics of dreaming sleep in humans: low voltage fast wave activity, fast EEG activity where the cerebral cortex and hippocampus are active in the face of continued behavioral sleep,Dr. Nicholas H. Dodman, author of Pets on the Couch and professor of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, told Metro.co.uk.
Perhaps because their brains are developing so quickly, young cats spend more time in REM sleep than older cats.
Other Possible Causes Of Shivering
Your cats constant trembling can be due to many reasons, and some are less dangerous than others. It can vary from fear to feeling cold. But in whichever case, if you notice any of these symptoms in your cat, you should not ignore it, and you should set an appointment with the veterinarian as soon as possible.
What Changes Would I See In Coat Appearance And Amount Of Shedding
Cats that are not feeling well do not tend to groom themselves very well. Therefore, you will usually see a messy or greasy coat, mats of fur, or clumps of loose hair. In some cases, you will see a difference in the coats shine or an increased amount of dandruff.
Cats that are grooming themselves excessively may also have a problem. Excessive grooming may be a reaction to a skin problem such as allergies, a parasite such as fleas, mites or ringworm, pain such as that from arthritis or a bladder problem, or a response to stress. These cats might over-groom on all parts of their body, or they may lick themselves in one area so much that they develop bald spots and the skin beneath may be red and raw or may have a rash.
What Does It Mean When Your Sleeping Cat Makes Noise And Moves Or Twitches
Don’t be alarmed, say veterinarians. Just like people , cats likely do most of their most vivid dreaming during the REM stage of sleep. These are moments when a cat’s mouth may move, she may make tiny sounds, or her paws and legs may twitch. It may mean your cat is deep in a good dream. That’s all normal.
If your cat’s a good sleeper, you know you’ve done a great job making her feel secure in your home.
If you’re worried that your cat’s sleeping is unhealthy or your cat’s sleeping habits abruptly change, consider this list of reasons and check with a veterinarian for further information.
Now, sit back, curl up with your favorite sleeping cat, and watch those whiskers twitch and those little paws go.
What Are The Side Effects Of Treatment
Mild side effects are common, particularly at the beginning of treatment or following changes in the regime. The most common side effect is sedation or lethargy, but other signs can also occur. Most side effects are temporary, and disappear as the cat becomes used to the medication. If side effects persist or seem severe, notify your veterinarian.
DO NOT CHANGE THE DOSE OR TIMING OF MEDICATION WITHOUT CONSULTING YOUR VETERINARIAN FIRST.
Medical Causes Of Shaking In Cats
It may not be obvious that the shaking is a symptom of a medical condition, which may have significant adverse consequences, so shaking should not be ignored. Though it is helpful for you to have a better understanding of why your cat is shaking, I always recommended that you contact your veterinarian immediately to begin the process of determining the cause. In general, your veterinarian should always be contacted whenever your cat demonstrates behaviors that are abnormal.
Possible causes of shaking can be:
- Genetic
- Disease involving the nervous system
- Idiopathic
To try to determine the cause, your veterinarian will likely want to review your cats complete medical history as well as get a thorough background of the symptoms, the time of onset, and possible incidents that might have led to this condition. He or she will also perform a complete physical exam on your cat. As part of the complete exam, a lab evaluation of your cat would include a complete blood count, biochemistry profile including an electrolyte panel, and an urinalysis.
For your information and to better understand the causes of shaking, here is a more in-depth look at some examples of conditions that can result in shaking. However, you should still contact your veterinarian immediately.
Should I Go To The Vet Right Away
In cases of lethargy, yes, you must rush your cat to a vet. The sooner you get there, the earlier the symptoms are treated and controlled before they get more severe.
Once you take your cat to the veterinarian, he or she will run a full examination on it, as well as check your cats medical history. The usual medical examination includes:
- Total and complete blood count
- Urinalysis
- Biochemistry profile
- Electrolyte panel
- In the case of brain disease, for example, these tests will come out negative, other tests will be run on the cat: X-rays, CT- scan
This would help the vet diagnose the exact disease that your cat has and discover any underlying symptoms. The tests which he would run on your cat would generally depend on the symptoms your cat is displaying; therefore, the sooner you book an appointment, the better it is for your cat.
Do Cats Always Sleep Well
Like people, cats can have sleep problems that interfere with deep sleep and keep them from reaching those REM-induced dreams. A cat that is restless and complaining with meows or crying might be sleep deprived.
Sleep deprivation in cats can be caused by sleep apnea, a condition that affects breathing while asleep and can keep the nervous system on high alert. Cats can also suffer from insomnia.
If you find that your cat isnt getting enough rest, visit your vet to rule out illness and ask for suggestions on encouraging your cat to sleep. These might include some extra playtime to burn off energy, getting your cat a playmate to tire her out, and having a nice big meal before bedtime.
Whatever you do, dont give in to a cat that wants to wake you up in the middle of the night. Her nocturnal schedule can cause chaos for your sleep. With some persistence on your part, it is possible to .
Relevance And Novel Information
Muscle fasciculations and tremors in cats can be caused by intoxications, metabolic derangements, encephalomyelitis, feline hyperaesthesia syndrome and cerebellar diseases. The presenting clinical signs of severe muscle fasciculations and tremors have not previously been reported in association with an intestinal obstruction in the cat.
Behavioral Causes For Shaking In Cats
There are also behavioral causes for shaking and trembling in adult cats. Stress, anxiety, fear or phobias may trigger shivering in felines. These are physiological bodily responses by your cat to his mental state.
Most these behavior issues develop at the onset of social maturity . A profound form of fear and withdrawal of unknown cause often occurs around eight to ten months of age. Old-age-onset separation anxiety of unknown cause may be a variant of a decline in thinking, learning and memory in elderly pets.
Foreign Object In Cats Ears Or Nose
Grass seeds and other tiny objects often find their way into a cats ear and get lodged there. When that happens, they can make your feline friend to shake head a lot in a bid to force them out of the ear. The cat may also constantly paw at the effected ear.
If you think that your cat has something in the ear, take her to a vet for proper removal of the same. You should never poke around your cats ears as that puts her at risk of permanent loss of hearing.
The only exception is clearly visible objects that are within your reach. In that case, hold them with forceps, then pull them out gently. Finish by rinsing out the ear with a saline solution.
When foreign objects are lodged into the nose, your cat will keep pawing at it and sneezing.
Cat Growling After Anesthesia
Anesthesia is a staple of veterinary medicine that is invaluable during surgical treatment. After all, it would be nearly impossible to restrain a conscious cat during an operation. Lingering effects from anesthesia are normal, but watch your kitty during the days following surgery to make sure he’s recovering properly.
Cat Shaking Head: Causes And Treatments For Cat Head Shaking
What does it mean when you see your cat shaking head? That is a question that many cat owners have asked at one point or another. Head shaking in cats is in the majority of cases related to a problem with the ears, but there can as well be a genetic aspect to it. This is to mean that cat head shaking should not be ignored. You dont want your cat to end up developing a hematoma in the ear from excess scratching, or worse still losing her hearing. This article will give you a rundown of common causes of head shaking in cats along with the treatment approaches typically used for each of the causes.
Why Is My Cat Still Seizuring After We Started The Medication
Sometimes treatment will appear to have failed, especially during the first month or two. In many cases, this is because the dosage and timing of the medication need adjustment. The first thing you should do in this case is to check that you are following the instructions on the medication label correctly. After your cat has been on medication for several weeks, your veterinarian may take a blood sample to ensure that your cat has enough medication circulating in the blood stream. This will allow your veterinarian to determine the appropriate dose of medication.
Other causes of treatment failure include the following:
1. Specific circumstances such as stress – increased medication may be required during such periods.
2. Progression or worsening of the disease.
Why Do Cats Fluff Up Their Tails
If your cat assumes the quintessential Halloween-cat posture with a puffed tail and arched back, then they are startled or by a sudden, severe threat.
Your cats hair stands on end so that they can appear to be larger. This is a defensive reaction indicating that your cat wishes to be left alone.
This tail position is often triggered by feeling threatened by other animals in the yard, dogs approaching, visitors in the home, or sudden noises. Remove the inciting triggers to decrease your cats stress. If you try to interact with your cat when their hair is standing up, they may perceive your approach as a threat and become aggressive.
Why Do Cats Curl Their Tails Around Their Bodies
If your cat is sitting or lying down with their tail wrapped around their body, then they are frightened, defensive, in pain, or feeling unwell. When you see this, end your interaction with your cat and ensure that your cats environment is free of stressors.
If your cat frequently crouches with their tail curled tightly around their body for more than a few days, then an evaluation by your veterinarian is warranted to rule out pain or illness.
Although you should look at more than just their tail movements, to fully understand your cats emotional state, the tail may be the most expressive part of a cats body language. Better understanding your cats body language will surely improve your bond with your cat.
Resources:
Cameron-Beaumont CL. . Visual and tactile communication in the domestic cat and undomesticated small felids . ISNI: 0000 0001 3514 9313.
Different Reasons Why Cats Twitch In Their Sleep
While most pronounced in newborn and young kittens, sleep twitching is a common and harmless part of feline sleep behavior. Depending on the age of the cat and its overall health, twitching during sleep has different purposes.
Some of what Ill cover here is conjecture based on anecdotal evidence by cat parents. However, some of these reasons have been researched and tested officially, too. Basically, we dont know all the details for sure, but were learning more and more every day. Besides being incredibly cute, heres what we know so far about sleep twitching in cats.
Can My Cat Have Bad Dreams
While it seems likely that cats can dream, we dont know anything about whether they can have bad dreams or nightmares. However, anecdotal evidence seems to suggest that cats can wake up and appear frightened, indicating a bad dream. According to T.J. Banks writing for Petful, your cat probably can have nightmares.
Why Is My Cat Shivering After A Bath
If you just finished bathing your cat, and they are shivering, it is probably because their body temperature dropped. If the water was too cold, or the environment you are in has low heat, your cat might be feeling very cold, especially that it has a wet fur. If it is not taken care of properly, it can become hypothermia. You should quickly dry your cats fur, and try to warm its body. Wrap it in a towel or a warm blanket.
Be careful when you are bathing your cat, make sure you use cat shampoo, and in case you ran out, make sure whichever other products you will use are safe for cats.
Cats Can Sleep Anywhere
While most cats prefer a safe sheltered place for deep sleep, they can cat nap anywhere and at anytime. My two cats tend to prefer comfort while sleeping and like a soft blanket or cat bed, but on a hot day its not unusual to see them stretched out on the tile in the hall where its cool. Some cats sleep in the bathtub. Kittens have been known to fall asleep in a shoe, boot, or purse. If a cat is tired, she will sleep anywhere at any time.
Summer Sleep Tips To Stay Rested In The Heat
If you dont time your sleep right, where you get to those deep sleep stages quickly, you might have the hypnic jerks and you might have to start trying to sleep all over, Bae said. It is the same with stress. If you are having a hard time falling asleep, you have a harder time reaching deeper sleep.
Hypnic jerks only occur when people fall asleep. If people experience them throughout the night it might be because they are waking up and not realizing it.
If it is happening in the middle of the night that means you are waking up, Bae said. That would be a time to mention it to the doctor.
Often more worrisome conditions, such as sleep apnea, can cause waking during sleep and doctors will need to do a sleep study to understand whats happening. But for most, hypnic jerks are perfectly normal.
Normally it is harmless unless it cuts into their sleep time, Bae said.
Why Is My Cat Shivering While Purring
If your cat is trembling while purring, it is likely that because they are purring strong enough for their body to vibrate, and many owners notice their cats tail vibrating. It is known that when cats purr to a certain degree, their body ends up shivering. If you did not notice any sign of abnormal symptoms that might require medical need, our cat is just purring strong enough.
Adjusting To A New Pet
The arrival of a new pet can deeply unsettle your cat. Cats are territorial by nature, and the idea of sharing a home with a potential rival could cause anxiety. Also, a new animal may bully an existing incumbent.
When introducing a new cat to your home, take the process slowly. Keep the new cat locked in a room until accepted by your existing pet. Introduce the two cats through a gate so that they can learn each others scents.
Feed the cats in separate locations. Provide each animal with its own food bowls, water supply, litter boxes, toys, and bed. Play with your cat and provide one-on-one attention.
Why Do Cats Move Their Tails When Sleeping
The cat is informing you that it knows you are nearby. This could mean that it sees you as a threat, or it could be a sign of trust. It ultimately depends on how well you are bonded with the cat.
A cat nap differs from sleep. Cats doze lightly throughout the day, but they remain aware of their surroundings. The amount of tail movement helps you to understand your cats state of mind at that time.
A quick flick of the tale is a sign of irritation. The cat knows you are there and is annoyed that you are interrupting its nap.
A slow, lazy wag, especially with the tail erect, is an acknowledgment. Your cat is permitting you to remain in the room while it sleeps. This tail-flick means that your cat feels safe with you nearby.
Your cat may be dreaming, according to Trends in Neuroscience. It is believed that cats relive experiences of the day while sleeping. Your cat may be reliving a successful hunt, a petting session, or a meal it enjoyed.
Why Do Cats Wag Their Tails When Hunting
A cat may be wagging its tail because it is concentrating on a hunt. Lying down on its front, tail wagging, and a wiggling body precede pouncing. The cat is making itself small and inconspicuous to avoid detection.
Cats also wave their tails to mesmerize prey, gaining a cat precious seconds to attack. If any of the following precedes the tail movement, its hunting-related:
These behaviors are warning signs. So, if you see your cat lying down and behaving this way, you should distract it with a toy. If you fail to do so, the cat may start to hunt your toes or ankles.
Many cats lie down by a window and watch birds outside. This will lead to a twitching tail, as your cat imagines pouncing. It may also be imitating its prey by making sounds similar to birds. It may also attempt a physical impersonation of a birds quivering tail feathers.
Kidney Disease Or Kidney Failure
Your cat might be shivering as a desperate call for help. If the cat is suffering from kidney disease or kidney failure, it would be showing these symptoms in addition to shaking:
- Frequent urinating
- Drinking large quantities of water
- Loss of appetite
- Bad breath
- Change in the color of the cats tongue
- Diarrhea or constipation instead
- Dry coat
Health & Wellnessirregular Sleep Routine Linked To Higher Health Risks Study Finds
While many people report dreams of falling, tripping, stumbling or floating through air, the brain isnt in the rapid eye movement stage of sleep so theyre not having an actual dream. Instead it is probably an image the brain creates because it’s supremely relaxed, but feels as if somethings off.
Its not that people are dreaming. It could be almost a reflex. For whatever reason your brain feels like it is falling because of the relaxing, Dr. Charles Bae, associate professor of clinical medicine and neurology at University of Pennsylvania Sleep Center in Philadelphia.
While hypnic jerks are normal, they do occur more often when a person is under a lot of stress or isnt . Stress and poor sleep could prevent people from going through the sleep cycles properly, leading to more hypnic jerks.
When Do Dreams Occur
For humans, dreams occur during the REM sleep state, usually starting 90 minutes after you drop off to sleep. During this time, signals are sent to your brain which are important for learning and memory, but some of these signals are random, and it is these signals which are responsible for dreams. When your brain tries to interpret these signals and piece them together, it results in your brain creating a sort of story of sorts in other words, it creates a dream.
Why Is My Cat Vibrating After A Shower
Your cat is vibrating after a shower because they might be feeling cold.
Exactly the same thing can occur if your feline gets trapped in the rainfall or snowfall. Like any of us, felines can shudder when they feel cold. It is an automatic response where the muscles shift back and forth among tightening and relaxing.
Generally, vibrating is simply the bodys method of heating up, particularly in a cool climate.
Vibrating starts when the surrounding temperature drops to a level lower than the bodys.
Ordinarily, a felines typical internal heat level will drift somewhere in the range of 100.5 and 102.5 Fahrenheit.
In your newly bathed feline, his vibrating can be stopped by draping them in a towel right away and drying them out.
Reasons Why Your Cat Is Shaking
1. Hypoglycemia 2. Hyperthermia 3. Hypothermia 4. Pain 5. Stress
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What Eye Changes May Be Present In A Sick Cat
Droopy eyelids, discharges that are green, yellow, or white, squinting, pupils that are dilated or constricted, or anisocoria (one pupil dilated and the other constricted are all signs that something is amiss. Cats that are sick often have elevated third eyelids the third eyelid is located beneath the lower eyelid and in a sick cat it will cover part of the eyeball. Any abnormality with the eyes can result in blindness if in doubt at all, DO NOT DELAY – see your veterinarian.