September 23, 2019 - Category: Dream Symbols

Dreaming of cats – cat in dream meaning? (dream interpretation cat)

dreaming of cats cat dream meaning

Dreaming of cats. It is very common to dream of cats, the dream could have very different meanings depending on what’s happening in your life right now. Read about possible meanings below.

Going your own way in life?

Unlike dogs, cats are much more independent. Which is why a cat isn’t as easy to control, as a dog is.

Cats in dreams might in this way symbolize uncontrollable instincts and drives within you. Is there something controlling you right now that you are not too aware of (conscious about)? Or – should you, on the contrary, let some more instinctive qualities get more space in you life?

Maybe you are – as would be the biggest deathbed regret for most of us (Ware, 2009) – not living your life true to yourself? The cat in your dream might be an illustration of this, especially if it is suffering in any way.

Your own association with cats

Your own association with specific dream content normally is the place to start. What do you personally associate with the cat appearing in your dream- have you seen it before? Does it remind you of a cat you have, or have had, a relation to? And if that’s the case try asking yourself:

Why is this cat appearing in my dream at this moment in time? How might this dream be relevant for my conscious, waking life situation?

More fundamentally you can also ask: What is my assocation to cats, and why would I dream about cats right now? But let’s continue with some of the more symbolic meanings of cat dreams.

When trying to understand your dreams it is important to know that your dreams are… your dreams. As such, you are the best person to figure out the true meaning of your dreams.

However, it is important to learn how to generally approach your dreams. Dream dictionaries like this one are only a supplement, and if you want to fully utilize the potential of your dreams, you should start at a different place.

My online course “Unlock your DREAMlife” gives you a great foundation for understanding (and recalling) your dreams.

Our dual nature

The cat is the witch’s loyal companion in fairytales- and is as such an evil animal. At the same time these fairy-tale cats are typically also very elegant.

The cat might possibly be a reflection of our dual nature, where we can appear friendly and accommodating on the surface, but have a completely different agenda underneath.

Ask yourself: Are there again any sides of me that I’m not consciously aware of being at play in this present moment (expressed by the cat in your dream)- and if so, what could they be?

Are these sides perhaps making me act inappropriately in my waking life?

As an example, shortly after he had become a father, a man had a dream about a cat sitting at the edge of the bed where his wife and their newborn baby slept.

The cat suddenly took a swipe at the baby. The dream helped the man realize he harbored a strong, unconscious jealousy towards the child. A jealousy that made him act rather harshly towards the baby in waking life (which is why he had the dream).

The cat as a predator

Cats often maintain their predatorial instinct; the urge to hunt mice and birds.

With this in mind, cats appearing in your dream could illustrate your own (unconscious) tendency to become aggressive in certain situations (like the man I just described).

And since dreams are about something that’s important in our lives right now, dreams about aggressive cats are often a symbol of how either you (the so-called “inner interpretation”) or other people (the so-called “outer interpretation”) potentially possess this aggressive behavior in your waking life.

Cats in dreams as a symbol of femininity 

Cats can symbolize femininity (caregiving and, in the dream language, a tendency to be more emotionally affected) on a deeper symbolic level. Keep in mind that this femininity can be represented in both men and women (read about Sex as a symbol, the masculine and the feminine in dreams).

Black or white cat in your dream? 

Perhaps you noticed that the cat in your dream was black (or white). And again- it would make sense to begin with your own associations with black or white cats.

Maybe you know- or have known- a cat similar to the one in your dream? If nothing occurs to you, then interpreting the black cat from a more traditional angle might make sense.

It could be a warning of incoming “bad luck,” although in my experience this has rarely ever been the case.

Normally it makes for sense for most people to view the black cat as something that’s hidden “in the darkness,” like the shadowy side of the self. That is, a side you aren’t consciously aware of at this time. Hence a black cat.

black cat in dream black cat dream meaning

Have you dreamt of a white cat it is a bit more difficult, as the meaning of this symbol typically would depend directly upon your own association with the color white, or as such, a white cat.

Dream dictionaries are a very helpful tool when interpreting dreams. However, generally learning how to approach your dreams, will give you a better foundation for understanding them. My online course “Unlock your DREAMlife” teaches you how to much better utilize – recall and understand – your dreams.

 

Return to the index of dream themes and symbols:

Dream interpretation A-Z 

 

Note: The meaning of your dream about cats is subject to many angles. How do you know, which interpretation is the right one for you? The best indicative of a dream interpretation being correct is experiencing a deep feeling within you, that precisely this interpretation makes sense for you. Dream interpretation can be a challenging sport and your dream should always be related to your  waking life situation. You are the expert on your own dreams – after all they’re created by your subconscious.

 

Sources: Tom Chetwynd – Drømmens Symbolik, Theresa Cheung – The Dream Dictionary from A-Z, Betty Bethards – The Dream Book, and my own processing.