why does my cat twitch in her sleep

Cats twitch in their sleep primarily because they are in the REM (Rapid Eye Movement) stage of sleep, which is when dreaming occurs. During this stage, their brains are highly active, and this activity can cause involuntary muscle movements such as twitching of their paws, whiskers, ears, or tail. These twitches may be linked to dream actions like chasing prey or playing. Kittens tend to twitch more than adult cats because their brains and bodies are still developing, and they spend more time in REM sleep. Twitching is generally a normal and healthy part of a cat's sleep cycle. Additional reasons for twitching include hypnic jerks or sudden muscle contractions when falling asleep, muscle spasms due to neurological reflexes, and muscle relaxation during sleep transitions. In rare cases, excessive twitching could be related to medical concerns like seizures or allergies, but normal twitching is harmless and part of how cats process their daily experiences during sleep.