2023 Author: Alex Livingston | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-11-26 11:39
Cats spend a good part of their day (and their life) sleeping. You may have happened to watch them while they were immersed in sleep, and to notice that they shivered or jerked slightly. If you have wondered why and have not found an answer, read here: we will explain why the cat trembles when sleeping.
Much of the sleep that cats enjoy throughout the day is rather light: just make a noise nearby or just touch them to wake them up, sometimes even suddenly because they are frightened. Other times, however, the cat reaches a deeper sleep called REM (from Rapid Eye Movement), during which you are likely to see it moving its legs or whiskers as if it were chasing prey: your pet is dreaming.
When we humans enter the REM phase, brain activity increases and our eyes move in various directions under the eyelids. This phenomenon is not exclusive to humans but can also be observed in many mammals and birds: yes, even cats dream. We enter the REM roughly every 90 minutes, but they dream more than we do and will enter it every 25 minutes or so.
During REM our muscles are temporarily paralyzed to avoid behaving in reality as we do in the dream. But anyone who has ever suffered from sleepwalking or even just talking in their sleep knows that it is not a perfect mechanism, and that sometimes the muscles relax while we sleep, allowing us to move. The same thing is very likely to happen in cats when we see their paws snapping or their tails wagging when they are sleeping.
It is therefore perfectly normal if your cat trembles in this way while he is sleeping, and in any case if they are isolated episodes: it means that he is dreaming, perhaps of chasing some small animal. However, if you see that he seems to stiffen throughout his body, that he repeatedly agitates, that when he wakes up he appears dizzy and vomits, it's time to take him to the vet because it could be a seizure. There are several ailments that could lead him to make these uncontrolled movements:
- Hypoglycemia: if your cat hasn't eaten for some time, her blood sugar level could drop, causing this problem. However, it can occur even if you eat regularly, and it can be a sign of feline diabetes that should be treated by your trusted veterinarian;
- Kidney problems or Kidney failure: a gradual loss of kidney function causes an accumulation of proteins and waste substances in the blood vessels, which causes loss of appetite, malaise and kidney failure, which in turn leads the cat to have this type of tremor;
- Hypothermia / Hyperthermia: Make sure your cat is able to keep its body temperature at adequate levels, which is particularly difficult for kittens. Also beware of fever, which could imply the presence of an infection;
- Psychological issues, psychological problems: it could be a phobia or problems with another animal. Anxiety and stress can also make him shiver in his sleep;
- Ache: a wound, a tumor and other pre-existing conditions can make your cat tremble while sleeping;
- Shock: This is a serious problem but generally secondary to other problems, such as an illness, accident or trauma. If your cat is shaking and has too pale gums, cold paws, and a fast heartbeat, go to the vet immediately.
- Intoxications: unfortunately cats are real explorers, and sometimes they come into contact with chemicals or plants that can cause poisoning. If you suspect that your cat has ingested something suspicious, shivers and vomits, call a doctor as soon as possible.
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