What does it mean if you dream about cats?

If you’ve got cats at home, chances are they might have popped up in your dreams every now and again. There’s a lot of talk about the symbolism of dreams, so we decided to take a closer look and see if there’s any deeper meaning to feline appearances in our dreams—or whether it’s simply because, well, we see them all day long.

 

Dreaming 101

First of all, let’s look at dreams in general. Everybody dreams, although you might not always remember them when you wake up. It’s estimated that humans spend around 2 hours dreaming every night, and you could have between 4 and 6 separate dreams in an average night’s sleep. 

It’s unlikely that you’ll remember all of these dreams once you wake up, because dreaming generally occurs during the rapid eye movement (REM) phase of sleep. Recent studies have shown that during this REM sleep phase, our memories—and ability to make new ones—are impaired. 

Our dreams are often influenced by our daily lives, and can contain familiar faces or places—but they might be presented in a very different way. Some people like to believe that dreams are our mind’s way of sending us a message. 

Scientists still don’t know for sure why we dream, but there are a few theories, including them being a way for our brains to process memories and emotions, or deciding which memories to keep and which ones to get rid of.

 

So what does it mean if a cat appears in my dream?

Well, this is open to interpretation. If you follow the most common scientific theories, then you probably saw a cat recently—whether you remember it or not—and your brain is deciding what to do with that information. If you have a cat at home then the chances are that any appearances in your dream are simply the result of a familiar (feline) face. 

We’re all different, and our own experiences with cats will influence the emotions and feelings we attach to them. If you dream about cats, then it likely has much more to do with these personal feelings rather than any general significance of cats as a whole. But, in the name of non-scientific research, we decided to see what a dream dictionary had to say about it…

Traditionally, cats are said to signify curiosity, stealth, and independence—but there are negative traits too, with cats being linked to hidden knowledge, bad fortune, or deception.

 

Independence

Cats are particularly independent animals, as any cat owner can tell you. They’re operating on their own agenda, and it’s usually a total mystery to us. Dreaming about cats could be a sign that you’re envious of their independent spirit, or want a little more of it in your own life.

 

Secrecy & Deception

That independence and mystery can also translate into a sense of secrecy and deception, too. Cats are always sneaking around, so if a cat pops up in your dream, it could be a subtle sign that you suspect somebody of some sneaking around in real life. 

 

Superstition & Bad Fortune

There’s a spookier interpretation, too. Don’t forget that, for centuries, cats have been linked to superstition, magic—and sometimes bad luck as well. Like a classic film trope, a black cat in a dream could be viewed as bad luck, but I think any cat lover would view it as a welcome addition instead.

So, while it might be nice to explain every dream away with its own simple definition, the reality is that the meaning we give to things in our dreams (including cats) is most likely individual to us. Dreaming about cats can have a whole host of explanations—and sometimes it’s just completely random, too.