The kitties at the Pearl were particularly cute over the winter. This type of cuteness must be documented! I took pictures almost every day for weeks and just found them in my archives.
Here are some highlights...
The Egyptians associated the cat with the moon, and it was sacred to the
goddesses Isis and Bast, the latter being the guardian of marriage (57). A secondary symbolism is derived from its colour; the black cat is associated with darkness and death.
To see a cat in your dream, symbolizes an independent spirit, feminine sexuality, creativity, and power. It also represents misfortune and bad luck. The dream symbol has different significance depending on whether you are a cat lover or not. The cat could indicate that someone is being deceitful or treacherous toward you. If the cat is aggressive, then it suggests that you are having problems with the feminine aspect of yourself. If you are afraid of the cat in your dream, then it suggests that you are fearful of the feminine. The dream may be a metaphor for "cattiness" or someone who is "catty" and malicious. If you see a cat with no tail, then it signifies a loss of independence and lack of autonomy.
To dream that a cat is biting you, symbolizes the devouring female. Perhaps you are taking and taking without giving. You may be expressing some fear or frustration especially when something is not going as planned.
To dream that a cat is scratching you, suggests that you are feeling threatened.
To see a black cat in your dream, indicates that you are experiencing some fear in using your psychic abilities and believing in your intuition. You may erroneously associate the black cat with evil, destruction, and bad luck. In particular, if the black cat is biting, clawing or attacking you, then the dream means that you must acknowledge what your intuition is trying to tell you. You can no longer ignore it. Do not be afraid to face the situation. If you see a white cat, then it denotes difficult times.
To dream that a cat killed a spider, suggests that you are expressing your femininity in a seductive and cunning manner rather than in an overtly and almost destructive way.
This is a bad dream. This indicates treachery and fraud. Killing a cat indicates
discovery of enemies.
Seeing a cat in your dream means much misfortune, treachery, and bad luck. However, for the cat lover, cats means an independent spirit, feminine sexuality, creativity, and power. If the cat is aggressive, then it suggests that you are having problems with the feminine aspect of yourself. If you see a cat with no tail, then it means a lost of independence and lack of autonomy. Dreaming that a cat is biting you, symbolizes the devouring female. Perhaps you are taking and taking without giving. You may be expressing some fear or frustration especially when something is not going as planned.. Seeing a black cat in your dream indicates that you are experiencing some fear in using your psychic abilities and believing in your intuition. You may erroneously associate the black cat with evil, destruction, and bad luck. If you see a white cat, then it means difficult times. Dreaming that a cat killed a spider, suggests that you are expressing your femininity in a seductive and cunning manner rather than in an overtly and almost destructive way.
Cats have both positive and negative connotations. You need to consider all of the details in the dream in order to obtain accurate interpretation. The cat can be a symbol of sexuality, femininity, prosperity and power. A cat is also an independent animal, and in your dream you may be associating yourself or someone else with these characteristics. Usually the dream is telling you about yourself and not others. Historically black cats have been symbols of evil and bad luck. If you are a cat lover and have one as a pet, the symbolism may not apply to your dream. Old, superstition-based dream interpretations say that a cat is a bad omen and that you can expect deceit from those that you trust
Cat Symbolism
As an ancient symbolic Celtic animal, the cat represents the guardian of the Otherworld (or Underworld, depending which texts you read from various regions). Stoic, silent and mysterious, cats fit the bill of Otherworld guardians quite well. They keep the secrets of the Otherworld eternally to themselves, as they gaze with guile upon a world that does not see or understand the depth of their knowledge. However, black cats in Celtic lore were considered evil, and were sacrificed.
In Western tradition, black cats have been associated with witchcraft. This is due to black being associated with supposed perils of the night, and the cat is associated with transformation just as the veil of night shifts our perception of reality.
However, in Ancient Rome the cat was sacred to Diana, the moon goddess. Here the cat was also considered a guardian of homes and a symbol of domestic goodness.
In Muslim lore, the cat is honored for saving Mohammad from an attack by a fierce snake. Here it is believed the “M” marking on the forehead of many tabby cats is the mark of the prophet (”M” for Mohammad).
In Norse legend the cat is depicted drawing the chariot of their fertility goddess, Freyja, and therefore the cat is thought of as a blessing upon newborns and a good omen for those increasing their family ranks.
In ancient Egypt cats were sacred and were even depicted on the head of their lunar goddess, Bastet which was worshipped by the ancient Egyptians. In her honor, cats were even mummified along with mice for them to eat.
Here's a quick-list for cat animal symbolism:
Astute
Clever
Secretive
Mysterious
Intelligent
Intuitive
Supernatural
Watchfulness
Selective
Independent
Cats themselves are quite resourceful and tend to give us messages of change, flexibility of adaptability. Often, when a cat makes an uncommon appearance in our lives it is a message for us to shake up our habitual routines and make some fresh changes in our lives, as well as be more flexible in our thinking.
Cats can also be quite aloof, and this too is often a message for us to distance ourselves from people or situations. Sometimes the best cure for a problem is to step away from it - the cat inherently realizes this, and we would be wise to recognize this need as well.
Lastly, the cat animal symbolism is about mystery. Unfortunately, its unpredictability has given the cat a bad name in some areas of folk lore, specifically witchcraft. When, in actuality, this is an asset that can be harnessed by us humans.
Sometimes displaying very strange behavior and antics, you can never really pin a cat down. Simply put, the cat animal symbolism is synonymous with creativity and psychic power because of its sometimes unorthodox & “mysterious” behavior. This is also reflected in the Tarot deck as we see the cat in the Queen of Wands card.
The good news is, this mystery is a message to us that we have the power over illusion. Cat animal symbolism reminds us to not fall prey to false beliefs, to not be a fool out of ignorance and derive understanding from our own internal wisdom. The cat beckons us to realize that when we turn within to our own hearts, minds and souls, and trust in ourselves we will always be shown the truth of matters.
The cat is the bearer of secrets. It knows all the old secrets that have been forgotten a long time ago. It moves freely through space and time. Since it maintains silence most of the time, it is difficult to learn the things that it knows. Seeing a cat (or any feline) in your dreams is a hint that there may be secrets within you or others of which you do not know. If the power of the cat is strong in a person, that person will have a very particular kind of perceptiveness. By using reflection, he will recognize the true selves of others along with his own identity. He will also discover the daily ritual of self-deception.
Magic, independence, clever, unpredictable, balance of energies and actions in life, mysteries will unfold in life if a cat has come around. Cat shows how to clarify perceptions which allows new ideas to manifest, encourages mental and emotional agility, aids in being resourceful and stealthy tactics, teaches courage and confidence. Do you need to be more independent? Are you using your resources the best of your ability? Is it time to start a new project? Cat will show how to continue the process of opening your intuition for soul growth.
One of the eight ‘common emblems’ of Chinese tradition. It symbolizes ‘genius in obscurity’ (5), doubtless after the rather less categorical observation of Lao-tse that, ‘Hence, the chosen one wears coarse garments, but in his
breast he hides a precious stone’—by allusion to the pearl hidden inside its
oyster. Because of all this, psychoanalysts have recognized that the function of
the pearl is to represent the mystic Centre and sublimation (seen here as the
transfiguration of an infirmity, or of some abnormality) (56). The Moslems often
have recourse to the pearl as a symbol of heaven, since their belief is that the
blessed are enclosed in a pearl, each one with his houri (46); there is an obvious
connexion here with Plato’s androgynous ‘spherical man’ who is both primordial
and final. They also believe—and this confirms the parallel with the Platonic
spherical man—that the pearl is the product of the ‘conjunction’ of fire and water.
It has also been identified as the human soul (18). Pearls in large numbers take on
a different character: despite their high value, they come to be mere beads: when
joined they correspond to the symbol of the necklace, and when scattered they
relate to the symbol of dismemberment, like all things that are dispersed.
To see pearls in your dream, symbolize the human soul, inner beauty, perfection, purity and chastity. Alternatively, it represents tears and sadness.
To see a string of pearls in your dream, represents conformity and sameness.
To see a black pearl in your dream, denotes bad luck. There is a flaw in your thinking.
Seeing pearls in your dream means wisdom in your new ventures or ideas. It also symbolizes the human soul.
To dream of a sunny day, symbolizes clarity and/or pleasantness. You are seeing things clearly. To dream of a gloomy or cloudy day, signifies sadness. If you dream of a particular day, then you may need to look closely at that day for any significance. Consider the number associated with that day. A certain date could highlight a special anniversary, appointment or occasion.
To dream of the passing of a day, indicates that you need to manage your time better and plot out your goals in a more deliberate manner.
To dream of the day, denotes improvement in your situation, and pleasant associations. A gloomy or cloudy day, foretells loss and ill success in new enterprises.
Dreaming of a sunny day, symbolizes clarity and/or pleasantness. You are seeing things clearly. Dreaming of a gloomy or cloudy day means loss.
Pictures appearing before you in dreams, prognosticate deception and the ill will of contemporaries.
To make a picture, denotes that you will engage in some unremunerative enterprise.
To destroy pictures, means that you will be pardoned for using strenuous means to establish your rights.
To buy them, foretells worthless speculation.
To dream of seeing your likeness in a living tree, appearing and disappearing, denotes that you will be prosperous and seemingly contented, but there will be disappointments in reaching out for companionship and reciprocal understanding of ideas and plans.
To dream of being surrounded with the best efforts of the old and modern masters, denotes that you will have insatiable longings and desires for higher attainments, compared to which present success will seem poverty-stricken and miserable.
To see type in a dream, portends unpleasant transactions with friends. For a woman to clean type, foretells she will make fortunate speculations which will bring love and fortune.
To dream that you found something, suggests that you are coming into contact with some aspect of your psyche or unconscious. You are recognizing a part of yourself that was previously repressed or undeveloped. Alternatively, it represents change.
To dream that you found someone, indicates that you are identifying new facets of a relationship. You may be taking the relationship to a new level and/or direction. The dream may also be a metaphor for finding yourself.
Dreaming that you found something, suggests that you are coming into contact with some aspect of your psyche or unconscious. You are recognizing a part of yourself that was previously repressed or undeveloped. Alternatively, it represents change. Dreaming that you found someone indicates that you are identifying new facets of a relationship. You may be taking the relationship to a new level and/or direction. The dream may also be a metaphor for finding yourself.