Cat moving when asleep

[AhmedUK]

Hello,

TC has done two things the past few days more than once.

I am at the computer and he is on the floor next to me sleeping under the radiator. What he has done about three times when sleeping is lick his lips. In his sleep! I hear a licking noise, he is asleep, but he is licking his lips for about 30-60 seconds. Is this normal?

And today I heard scratching and his paws were moving and running against the wall in his sleep. Is this normal too?

Thanks.

[Lilith]

Hi Ahmed - yes, they do do this - I've often heard them smack their lips in their sleep and seen them twitch and move about, though never as dramatically as TC. I've seen dogs wave their legs about while sleeping. Apparently there's a part of the brain that inhibits much movement while an animal's sleeping, otherwise a cat would sleepwalk (I don't describe this very well but that's the gist of it.) Don't know why humans sleepwalk though, if this is the case. Unless the human brain's inferior to the cat's - well perhaps most cat lovers (and cats) would agree with that lol.

[bobbys girl]

Yep, perfectly normal - well in our house it is. A couple snore, Tommy looks like he is climbing with those grappling-hook claws of his, Gracie sometimes 'meeps' and Purdy goes 'nom, nom, nom,' like she is enjoying a particularly nice mouse.

The row they all make - I wonder if they would survive in the wild?

[AhmedUK]

Thanks all, I was worried as I had never seen him do that before, but it's good to know it is normal, and he seemed really lively today lol.

[sarie]

Probably dreaming about hunting a tasty critter Mine do it too - and they snore, grunt, sigh, fast breathe, twitch, chomp etc... very funny sleep kitties

[hgale]

Denver is exactly the same, when he's on my lap in the evening, I can tell without looking if he is dreaming as he twitches so much, wags his tail etc! Must be chasing mice in his sleep.