If cats and dogs also dream...

Well, my boxer used to dream, laying on the floor she'd twitch all over like she was chasing something, or yelping in a muffled way, and her nose and lips would twitch. Sometimes I'd just start laughing and she'd wake up with an embarrassed look and wiggle of the tail.

Higher thoughts I don't know about. One time I had to get up at an ungodly hour and mom said to feed her. I put the canned food in and the kibble and left. She went to bother mom, mom saw the food in the dish, but Duchess wouldn't eat it. Mom realized I'd gotten the portions wrong, redid the dish and Duchess gobbled it up....

and I used to call her a dumb dog, HA!

She's the smart one in our house.

quote:

Posted Sat 11 October 2008 05:43 Hide Post
She's the smart one in our house.

Very funny!!

I love it when I see my cat dreaming, paws clasping, little excited movements, occasional trills and meows. I am sure she is dreaming about birds or mice.

All the cats I have owned have dreamed, and I am sure I have seen dogs do the same.

I don't think those who have cats or dogs need EEG brain scans to tell us this, but it is still nice to hear that scientific examination show this too.

Jamie

There is some thought that dreaming is the process the brain uses to perform housekeeping of our memories. It may seem like we come up with the strangest imaginitive combinations of things in dreams, but generally, the various parts of dreams can be associated with memories already in the brain. It's just that the process of reorganisation causes re-runs of snippets of dreams which form or blend together. This isn't very well understood but it is an interesting view.

In my view, imagination is not the same thing since it is the formulation of unlikely combinations during a waking period. It's possible the reorganisation of memories causes certain combinations to be more present in your waking hours and the more there are would make you more imaginative, but I wonder whether imagination is also something one can train oneself in - i.e the more you thinkn of absurd situations or combinations, the more likely you are to forge new stranger combinations...

quote:

the various parts of dreams can be associated with memories already in the brain

I can assure you that I have never lost my car in the middle of town and then found myself suddenly naked whilst looking for it.
Ho hum.

Apparently...

this indicates that you are being stripped of your identity. This may relate to losing your job, a failed relationship, or some situation which has played a significant role in your identity and who you are as a person. It suggests that you feel rejected by those around you. Nakdness denotes the fear of being found out and exposed about your activities and misjudgment. To dream that you suddenly discover your nudity and are trying to cover up, signifies your vulnerability to a situation. To dream that you are searching for something, signifies the need to find something that is missing or needed in your life. You may be searching for a solution to a problem...

I figure it's just time to upgrade.

quote:

There is some thought that dreaming is the process the brain uses to perform housekeeping of our memories. It may seem like we come up with the strangest imaginitive combinations of things in dreams, but generally, the various parts of dreams can be associated with memories already in the brain. It's just that the process of reorganisation causes re-runs of snippets of dreams which form or blend together. This isn't very well understood but it is an interesting view.

In my view, imagination is not the same thing since it is the formulation of unlikely combinations during a waking period. It's possible the reorganisation of memories causes certain combinations to be more present in your waking hours and the more there are would make you more imaginative, but I wonder whether imagination is also something one can train oneself in - i.e the more you thinkn of absurd situations or combinations, the more likely you are to forge new stranger combinations...

That is a very interesting point, Frank. I had't thought of that and more importantly, you have prompted me to add that imagination as us humans define it could either be under conscious control or not.

I think (following on from your postulation) that dreams are for the most part our imagination not under conscious control. Of course I am ignoring lucid dreams where people are aware they are dreaming and can influence what happens; a famous study by Dement (1970s) had people who experienced lucid dreams control the direction of their eyes to signify to those watching what they were doing.

I've gone off the point, but bringing it back, we can safely assume dogs with their less rich congnition and smaller cortices do not have the capacity to control their imaginations.

But that doesn't stop them day dreaming.

For example, an owner throws a ball to a dog, the dog runs to the ball and bites it. It then sits there while the owner beckons it back... If the dog sits there 'thinking' for 10 seconds or so and the comes back, what did it think?

I suppose they are pack animals aren't they? Hmmm...

Jon

Jamiewednesday
I thought I just had too much cheddar too late.....