I had a dream the other night that my son got me up and I had to return him to his bed. In the process of doing so, I discovered that he was a kitten. He spoke to me in his normal voice, but he was a kitten!

Upon awakening, I realized that I had had this dream before. Is it normal to dream your children are animals?

--Lisa, Age 42, Female, Single, Crossville, TN, USA

Hi Lisa -

I think you might find some parents who would agree that kids sometimes are “little animals!”

Actually, your boy was a sweet little kitten in your dream - so I’m not sure we’re talking about the same thing. (If you dream your children are Tazmanian Devils, you know you’ve had a rough week...)

Cats often are associated with children in dreams. In fact, they most frequently are associated with newborns. (Please see “Cats” - in the Women’s Dreams section). It can be a confusing metaphor at first, but if you think about it, there actually are many similarities.

Cats are about the same size as babies, and we cradle them in our arms and hold them over our shoulders - like we do newborns. We feed, protect, groom, and come to the rescue of our pets -just as we do our children. Many of us develop strong emotional bonds with our pets. Our pets are “friends” and “members of our families.” Is it any wonder that we think of our pets maternally and paternally?

It is telling that, in your dream, you knew the kitten was your son - even though he appeared in cat’s costume. The message is clear: Your little boy is cute as a kitten!