Dreaming of a cat
A cat in a dream often stands for something independent, quiet or elusive: intuition, someone who goes their own way, or something prowling inside your home. Whether the cat seeks you out or avoids you says a lot.
Interpret your own dreamWhy you dream about this
Cats, like dogs, are animals many people live with every day. People who own a cat often dream about it, and such a dream is then usually simply about the animal and the bond with it. But people without a cat dream about cats remarkably often too.
The cat has a different character in dreams from the dog. Where the dog is loyal and lets itself be led, the cat goes her own way. She comes when it suits her, sees in the dark and will not be forced. That is why the cat is often read as an image of intuition, independence or feminine strength, but also of something you do not quite trust: someone who seems friendly and scratches all the same.
Culture plays a part too. The black cat has long been an image of bad luck in many Western countries, while elsewhere it brings good luck. You take that kind of superstition into the dream, and it colours how you wake up.
Each tradition reads the cat differently. In classical Islamic interpretation the cat is often someone from your own circle who quietly takes, although the tradition also shows great affection for cats. Wicca sees the cat as an animal of intuition, the night and the moon, and as the classic companion of the witch.
So pay attention to colour, behaviour and place: was the cat inside or outside, calm or hostile?
What it means in each tradition
The same dream. 2 traditions. 2 different ways of seeing it.
Islamic
In classical Islamic interpretation a cat is often read as someone from your own circle who quietly takes. At the same time the cat is beloved in Islamic culture, and that affection colours the reading.
Read the full Islamic interpretation →Wicca
In wicca the cat is an animal of intuition, the night and the moon. She is the classic companion of the witch, and a cat in a dream is therefore often read as your own inner knowing making itself felt.
Read the full Wicca interpretation →These differences are not opinions about one another. Each tradition reads a dream from within its own worldview, and that worldview decides what an image carries.
Common dreams about a cat
A black cat
A bad-luck image in folklore, but none of the traditions here reads it that way. In wicca it is often an image of protection and intuition.
Being scratched or bitten by a cat
Often read as hurt from someone close who seemed friendly. The question is whom you trusted too quickly.
Kittens
Something small and playful that needs attention: a new beginning, or a vulnerable side of yourself.
A cat ignoring you or walking away
Something that will not be forced. Sometimes it is about intuition you have ignored for too long.
A cat on your lap
Calm, trust and affection. A favourable image in almost every reading.
What does your dream mean?
Write your own dream and get an interpretation straight away. Free, no account.
You already have an account. Write your dream in the app: it goes straight into your Dream Book, read within your tradition.
Write your dream in the appFrequently asked questions
What does dreaming of a cat mean?
Often intuition, independence or something elusive. A hostile cat can point to someone around you whom you do not quite trust.
Does a black cat in a dream bring bad luck?
No. That is folklore. The traditions on this site do not read the black cat as an omen, and wicca often sees her as a protector.
What does a cat mean in Islam?
Classical interpreters often read the cat as someone from your own household who quietly takes. At the same time, according to tradition, the Prophet was fond of cats.