Cat Represents More Than Just a Pet

Dear Cynthia: The other night I had a very upsetting dream. It was concerning my beloved 7-year-old black cat. She’s very much alive, but in my dream, she had been hit by a school bus and had died. She was lying in a pool of blood; this had taken place in a dark alley. Normally, she’s an indoor cat. I was so scared when I woke up until I saw her alive and well. What could this possibly mean?

--A READER

Dear Reader: Animals are very important symbols in our dreams; they can represent our instinct and the more primitive aspects of our natures. One’s own pet has additional importance. Here it would seem that your cat represents something very dear to you. A school bus could represent a vehicle of higher learning. But here the bus hits your beloved pet. Blood represents our life-force energy, and a dark alley is a location with an ominous, mysterious and dangerous association.

As with all dreams, we should first rule out the obvious literal meaning. That is, be sure that your indoor kitty stays there, safe and sound within your protective environment.

To interpret the symbolism, could it be that some structured or formal institution could kill or end something very dear to you? The dark alley could represent the unconscious mind, that part that is a mystery to us. Have you been studying something new that could be killing or ending something you have always held dear?

Many things could fall into this category. Here are two examples to help you zero in on the personal meaning of your dream. If you have been studying healthier eating and have changed your diet recently, giving up foods that you used to enjoy, or if you have left behind some traditional religious beliefs for a more spiritual approach toward understanding your place in the universe, there may still be some mourning over the traditional values and rituals that were a part of your life.

So ask yourself: What new thing have I learned recently? How is that new awareness changing my life? What have I given up? Reinforce your goals and desires, and please give your kitty a squeeze from me.

Cynthia Richmond is the author of “Dream Power, How to Use Your Night Dreams to Change Your Life” (Simon & Schuster, 2000). Fax your dreams to Cynthia Richmond at (818) 783-3267 or e-mail in.your.dreams@worldnet.att.net. Include hometown and a daytime phone number. In Your Dreams appears Tuesdays and should be read for entertainment purposes only.