I'm pretty sure my cat has nightmares

[kryyy]

My cat is a really happy cat. she sleeps with me every night,
but a few months ago I noticed her twitching a lot while she was sleeping.
I looked down and her eyes were slightly open, and kinda rolled into the back of her head...
it was quite creepy... but i assume she was just in REM state or something....

she bats her paws sometimes,
and growls and hisses in her sleep.
I am certain she is having nightmares.
but this is the only time I've seen or heard of something like this.

I just wonder why she would be having nightmares.
I have a feeling of what it could be but im not sure.

[CML2014]

Hi Harvest,

That is very normal for cats to do while in "deep sleep"  what we call REM.
This is when they dream--although I do not think nightmares are anything to worry about. Normally it's all about the "chase" of a mouse, bug, bird, something they would do instinctively.

Cats really live in the Moment. I do not think they sit around reminiscing. about the good or bad times...........although I have seen groups sitting on front porches with a glass of ice tea.......but they were Midwestern cats, very laid back....can you imagine meowing about the good old days! .LOL!

My cat twitches and chirps all the time when she is in deep sleep.  Nothing to worry about.

Pleasant dreams to you and yours!
CML

[Piparskeggr]

Keep on loving on her, it can take awhile for kitty to learn and believe she's completely safe.  It took our Miss Teia a few years at ease.

[harvestwind]

my young female has frequent nightmares. Cries out many  times in her sleep, but is so happy when I comfort her afterwards.. I think it's so cruel that she has these dreams so frequently, and I wish I could do something about them. She is such a sweet thing and is so grateful for me and the safe home she has now. She must have had an awful kittenhood. Anyone have a suggestion? I've had her over a year and the dreams continue, it's wrings my heart for her.

[spirit3]

My Butters sleeps w/me every night and he really gets going some nights!! I'm sure it's just REM sleep-dogs do the same thing. Butters will curl his lip, twitch his paws, do the eye roll thing, and once I thought the same about a nightmare-he awoke w/a start and jumped to his feet making a whimper and looked at me like "what the heck??", got a drink of water and went back to sleep. I think it's just a sign of their superior brains at work. Or rest.

[Jade59]

Thank you for sharing.  How precious was that!!  

Here's the link for future viewers...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fP2JPAYVfns

[FurballsMom]

If you look up on YouTube, there is a video of a mother cat with small kittens who hugs and caresses her one young kitten who seems to be having nightmares in its sleep.  The mother cat doing this seemed to have calmed down the tiny kitten.

[AppleBr]

Come back bed,no home - we both were home already, everybody sleeps inside home, including Loreena
You see what a cat can do with our "concentration power"?

[AppleBr]

I started believing in this possibility a few time ago.
Some mornings - to - be- ( 5am) Joy start scratching my door and its too early for food, but the noise dont let me relax so I went there and put her on my nap once.
I was expecting she would get bored and run away for her corner - she's not used to be grabbed  and hugged firmly.But for my surprise , she liked! And stayed there for a long ! ( well, at least it seemed to me, I was wishing come back home..)
Already happened twice.They have a lot of time with me to request attention, nights included .Why do this the time we all were sleeping?
The possibility of nightmares make sense - she sleeps again after ( I guess- but the noise stopped til the (early) breakfast time...)

[margypops]

I dont know if they dream but my Tweety does make the odd noise and a few twitches, not as much as the dogs I used to have did .I qwould think its possible since my cat found me nothing is a surprise , they are so smart..and interesting , thats why I love to come here so many stories and so much help. Does your cat start off in one corner of the bed then end up all over your legs ..I am a softee and I move around to make her happy . .