- The theme animals has 39 symbols in the dream dictionary.
- The most searched symbols of the theme are snake, spider, cat.
- Every symbol is read three ways: folk dream books, psychology and sleep research.
- The details of the dream, the colour, the behaviour and how you felt, change the reading.
- Dream interpretation is a tradition of reading symbols; it does not predict events.
What animals mean in a dream
In the 20th century psychology joined the tradition. Sigmund Freud read dreams as the expression of repressed wishes, Carl Gustav Jung as the psyche’s attempt to restore balance. Modern sleep research shows that the content of dreams is shaped largely by the day’s impressions and by sensations in the sleeping body.
If you cannot find the exact word, start from a theme. Inside each theme the symbols are grouped and compared with one another.
Most searched dreams about animals
SnakeAnimalsA dream about snakes is traditionally read as a warning: hidden danger, a false friend or temptation close by. Psychology reads the snake as something in yourself you have not looked at yet, and research simply finds it among the most common animals people dream of.SpiderAnimalsA dream about spiders is traditionally read as patient work, a web being spun around you, or a trap. Psychology sees the spider as a small fear made large, often tied to a controlling figure, and research finds it among the animals people most often dream about with fear.CatAnimalsA dream about cats is traditionally read as a false friend, deceit or, when the cat is calm, independence and comfort. Psychology reads the cat as the feminine, the self-sufficient side of a person, and research finds cats among the most common animals in dreams, especially for people who live with one.DogAnimalsA dream about dogs is traditionally read through the dog’s mood: a friendly dog means loyalty and a good friend, a vicious dog means an enemy or a quarrel. Psychology reads the dog as loyalty, instinct and the need for protection, and research finds dogs among the most common animals in dreams.BearAnimalsA dream about a bear is traditionally read as a powerful rival or an overwhelming force, and killing the bear as escape from an entanglement. Psychology reads the bear as raw strength and, in Jungian terms, the mother in her fierce form; research lists the bear among the large animals that appear in threat dreams.RatAnimalsA dream about rats is traditionally read as deceit, theft or a false friend gnawing at your affairs. Psychology reads the rat as disgust, guilt or a worry that eats at you unseen, and research finds rats and mice among the small animals that carry anxiety into dreams.TigerAnimalsA dream about a tiger is traditionally read as a powerful enemy or a persecution, and driving the tiger off as success over opposition. Psychology reads the tiger as raw power, passion and the fear of one’s own aggression, and research counts big cats among the predators that appear in threat dreams.FishAnimalsA dream about fish is traditionally read as gain: money, luck or, in many cultures, a coming pregnancy. Psychology reads fish as contents of the unconscious rising toward the surface, and research finds fish among the common dream animals in cultures where fishing and fish meals are part of daily life.LionAnimalsA dream about a lion is traditionally read as a great force driving you: subdue it and you win, be overpowered and enemies prevail. Psychology reads the lion as authority, pride and the power to lead or to devour, and research lists lions among the large predators of threat dreams.
All symbols: animals
AlligatorA dream about an alligator is traditionally read as a warning: a hidden danger, a false friend or a situation that could snap shut without notice. Psychology reads the animal as a fear you keep half-submerged, and research finds that reptiles are among the most common threatening animals in dreams.AntsA dream about ants is traditionally read as small annoyances and hard work: Miller says the dreamer should expect petty worries. Psychology reads ants as the crowd of small duties, or as feeling small in a system; research adds that crawling-insect dreams often follow skin sensations in sleep.BearA dream about a bear is traditionally read as a powerful rival or an overwhelming force, and killing the bear as escape from an entanglement. Psychology reads the bear as raw strength and, in Jungian terms, the mother in her fierce form; research lists the bear among the large animals that appear in threat dreams.BeesA dream about bees is traditionally read as one of the good ones: work that pays, a busy household, gain from a friendly source. Psychology reads the bee as productive energy and the swarm as the pressure of many small demands, and research finds insects among the most frequent animals in dreams, usually with a sting of anxiety.BirdA dream about birds is traditionally read as news and freedom: Miller calls flying birds a sign of prosperity and a wounded bird a deep sorrow. Psychology reads birds as thoughts, spirit and the wish to rise above; research adds that birds are the most common wild animal in dreams.Black catA dream about a black cat is traditionally read through the old superstition: ill luck, a false friend or a warning, unless the cat is driven off. Psychology reads the cat as independence and the feminine, and its black colour as the part of that the dreamer distrusts, while research finds cats among the most common animals in dreams and the fear of black cats a purely cultural inheritance.Black snakeA dream about a black snake is traditionally read as a hidden threat or a heavy, unspoken feeling: the snake's warning, darkened. Psychology reads the colour as the unknown rather than evil, and research finds snakes among the most frequent threatening animals in dreams worldwide.Black widowA dream about a black widow is traditionally read as a hidden danger from a woman, or from a relationship in which one partner consumes the other. Psychology reads the spider as a feared feminine power and a trap of one's own making, and research counts spiders among the commonest fear images in dreams.ButterflyA dream about butterflies is traditionally read as good news and a light, changeable happiness: prosperity among flowers, word from absent friends. Psychology reads the butterfly as change completed, and research places it among the pleasant animal images that follow a day outdoors.CatA dream about cats is traditionally read as a false friend, deceit or, when the cat is calm, independence and comfort. Psychology reads the cat as the feminine, the self-sufficient side of a person, and research finds cats among the most common animals in dreams, especially for people who live with one.CockroachA dream about cockroaches is traditionally read as small troubles, unclean surroundings or, in some traditions, money coming through dull work. Psychology reads the cockroach as disgust at something you feel you cannot get rid of, and research places insects among the most frequent disgust dreams.CrabA dream about crabs is traditionally read as a tangle: complicated affairs that need patience and a difficult courtship. Psychology reads the crab as the dreamer's own sideways way of dealing with something, and research places it among the water creatures that appear in dreams after time near the sea.CrocodileA dream about a crocodile is traditionally read as deceit from a trusted friend: Miller says the dreamer will be deceived by their warmest friends. Psychology reads the crocodile as danger lying still beneath the surface; research groups it with the predator dreams the mind rehearses.DogA dream about dogs is traditionally read through the dog’s mood: a friendly dog means loyalty and a good friend, a vicious dog means an enemy or a quarrel. Psychology reads the dog as loyalty, instinct and the need for protection, and research finds dogs among the most common animals in dreams.ElephantA dream about an elephant is traditionally read as solid wealth, honour and strength that lasts. Psychology reads the elephant as memory, patience and a weight the dreamer carries or is carried by, and research counts large exotic animals among the dream figures supplied mostly by films, zoos and childhood books.FishA dream about fish is traditionally read as gain: money, luck or, in many cultures, a coming pregnancy. Psychology reads fish as contents of the unconscious rising toward the surface, and research finds fish among the common dream animals in cultures where fishing and fish meals are part of daily life.FrogA dream about frogs is traditionally read as change and good company: a frog in the grass is a pleasant friend, a frog in a marsh is trouble overcome with help. Psychology reads the frog as transformation, the creature that lives between water and land, and research treats it as one of the rarer, mostly harmless animals of dreams.Green snakeA dream about a green snake is traditionally read as a milder snake: growth, healing or a fresh start, but also envy hiding in something that looks harmless. Psychology reads the colour as the mood of the instinct the snake carries, and research reminds that colour in dreams follows the dreamer's waking world.HorseA dream about horses is traditionally read by the horse’s colour and condition: a fine horse means strength and good fortune, a lean or wild one means trouble with what you are trying to control. Psychology reads the horse as the dreamer’s own energy and drive, and research counts horses among the most frequent large animals in dreams.HummingbirdA dream about a hummingbird is traditionally read as a small, quick joy and a visit from someone light-hearted, or in American folk belief as a greeting from a loved one who has died. Psychology reads the bird as energy spent on sweetness, and research places it among the rare, pleasant animal images.InsectsA dream about insects is traditionally read as small troubles in numbers: petty worries, gossip, minor illness. Psychology reads bugs as what nags and cannot be swatted away, and research counts insects among the most common sources of disgust and fear in dreams.KittenA dream about kittens is traditionally read as small troubles that look harmless, or, in kinder books, as tenderness and new beginnings. Psychology reads kittens as something young and vulnerable in the dreamer’s life; research adds that pet owners and people around new babies dream of small animals more.LionA dream about a lion is traditionally read as a great force driving you: subdue it and you win, be overpowered and enemies prevail. Psychology reads the lion as authority, pride and the power to lead or to devour, and research lists lions among the large predators of threat dreams.MaggotsA dream about maggots is traditionally read as something rotting out of sight: a neglected matter, a hidden illness or a false friend. Psychology treats them as disgust at what has been left to decay, and research counts disgust among the strongest emotions dreams carry.MouseA dream about mice is traditionally read as small troubles that gnaw at a household: petty losses, gossip, a quiet thief. Psychology reads the mouse as a worry too small to name and too persistent to ignore, and research notes that small animals appear far more often in the dreams of children than of adults.OwlA dream about an owl is read in two opposite ways: old folk books and Miller take the owl’s cry as a warning of death or bad news, while the classical tradition makes the owl the bird of wisdom. Psychology reads the owl as the part of you that sees in the dark, and research treats birds of prey as rare, striking dream animals.PuppyA dream about puppies is traditionally read as new friendship, a young member of the household or a small responsibility that brings joy. Psychology reads the puppy as something young and dependent in the dreamer’s life, a project, a relationship or a part of themselves that needs care, and research finds dogs among the most common animals in dreams.RabbitA dream about rabbits is traditionally read as luck, fertility and quick increase: folk books tie rabbits to children, money and news that multiplies. Psychology reads the rabbit as timidity or as untended growth; research adds that soft, harmless animals mostly appear in pleasant dreams.RatA dream about rats is traditionally read as deceit, theft or a false friend gnawing at your affairs. Psychology reads the rat as disgust, guilt or a worry that eats at you unseen, and research finds rats and mice among the small animals that carry anxiety into dreams.RattlesnakeA dream about a rattlesnake is traditionally read as a danger that announces itself: a threat you have been warned about and can still avoid. Psychology reads the rattle as the dreamer's own alarm, and research counts snakes among the oldest threat images in dreams.ScorpionA dream about a scorpion is traditionally read as a hidden enemy: Miller says false friends will use their chances to undermine you. Psychology reads the scorpion as a sting the dreamer expects, from others or from their own sharp tongue; research adds that venomous creatures are classic threat dreams.SharkA dream about sharks is traditionally read as formidable enemies: Miller says a shark attacking you brings unavoidable reverses. Psychology reads the shark as a threat moving under the surface of feeling; research places sharks among the predator dreams the mind rehearses.SnakeA dream about snakes is traditionally read as a warning: hidden danger, a false friend or temptation close by. Psychology reads the snake as something in yourself you have not looked at yet, and research simply finds it among the most common animals people dream of.Snake biteA dream about a snake bite is traditionally read as an enemy striking, a betrayal or the start of an illness. Psychology reads the bite as a conflict you have avoided catching up with you, or a sudden truth, and research finds it among the most common animal-attack scenes in anxiety dreams.SpiderA dream about spiders is traditionally read as patient work, a web being spun around you, or a trap. Psychology sees the spider as a small fear made large, often tied to a controlling figure, and research finds it among the animals people most often dream about with fear.TigerA dream about a tiger is traditionally read as a powerful enemy or a persecution, and driving the tiger off as success over opposition. Psychology reads the tiger as raw power, passion and the fear of one’s own aggression, and research counts big cats among the predators that appear in threat dreams.TurtleA dream about turtles is traditionally read as slow, sure gain and an unusual pleasant event. Psychology reads the turtle as self-protection and patience, the part of the dreamer that withdraws into its shell and outlasts trouble, and research treats it as one of the calmer animals in dreams.WhaleA dream about whales is traditionally read as a large matter approaching: a duty, a decision or a loss that cannot be steered around. Psychology reads the whale as the depth of feeling beneath the dreamer's surface, and research notes that rare, huge animals appear mostly when waking life has made them vivid.WolfA dream about wolves is traditionally read as a sly enemy, a thief among your own people, or hunger and hard times. Psychology reads the wolf as instinct, appetite and the wildness the dreamer keeps outside the fence, and research counts wolves among the predators that populate threatening dreams far beyond their presence in real life.
Questions people ask
What does it mean to dream about animals?
It depends on the symbol and the details. Folk dream books give each symbol a fixed reading, psychology asks what this image means to you, and sleep research reminds that dreams rework the day. Open a symbol for all three.
Does the same symbol always mean the same thing?
In dream books, mostly yes. In psychology, no: the same image can mean different things to different people, and your feeling in the dream is the key.
What if my symbol is not here?
Use the search. If nothing comes up, describe the dream in a few words on the search page; the editor reviews suggestions and adds the symbols that people ask for.
Sources
- Miller G. H. Ten Thousand Dreams Interpreted, 1901.
- Freud S. The Interpretation of Dreams, 1899.
- Jung C. G. Man and His Symbols, 1964.
- Artemidorus. Oneirocritica, 2nd century.
- Hall C. S., Van de Castle R. L. The Content Analysis of Dreams, 1966.
- Schredl M. Dream research: an introduction, in various editions.
How this page is made
Each symbol page sets three readings side by side and names where each comes from. A symbol is published only when its page has a full description with sources. Search volumes decide which symbols are written first.