Experts Say Pets Do Dream, But What About?

PetSmart Kim Noetzel / PetSmart Charities

If you’re like most Pet Parents, you’ve probably watched your dog paddle his paws in place, or seen your kitty’s whiskers and tail twitch, despite being fast asleep. Could they be dreaming? Experts say yes. It's what they dream about that's the mystery. Could your dog be slaying a dragon in an effort to rescue the poodle princess? Is your cat captaining the world’s largest tuna boat? Nobody really knows. According to research, it’s more likely that Fido is re-experiencing his day at the dog park, while Fluffy is once again swiping at her favorite faux-feather toy. Experts have found that sleeping dogs and cats exhibit the same type of REM (rapid eye movement) and brain activity that people experience when they are fast asleep and dreaming – hence the conclusion that pets dream, too. “Pets do have brain activity similar to people which indicates that they dream,” said Dr. Robyn Jaynes, a pet expert and technical services veterinarian for PetSmart®. “But we can’t say what they are dreaming about.” By definition, a dream is a succession of images, thoughts or emotions that pass through the mind during sleep. When it comes to pets, Jaynes said those images are probably based on a past experience vs. imagination or fantasy because most of a pet’s mental capacity develops through learned behaviors. “Are they dreaming about things they’ve never experienced before? Probably not,” she said. “They are probably reliving in sleep an act they’ve done before and enjoyed … but who knows?” Consider this: We know what a person dreams about only if that person communicates about the dream, such as by talking, writing it down or drawing a picture. Unfortunately, not even the likes of Lassie could master such complex tasks. Still, you might sleep better at night believing that visions of sugarplums dance inside your pet’s head.

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