I frequently have dreams where a critter shows up. I’m a freak like that. And trust me, I love the critters.

For most of us, having an animal appear in our dreams tends to stand out. Face it – you’ll remember when your childhood pet reappears. Or a bear. Or an eagle. Or a monkey who can do handstands (as I experienced not long ago. Need more melatonin.)

I passionately believe that – beyond having had a bad Chinese meal – the appearance of animals in your dreams is significant. So here’s my dead-simple guide to some of the most common dream-animal sightings.

Besides these definitions, keep in mind that an animal showing up in your dreams may represent your “wild side,” something longing to break free. But there are other more subtle aspects. Here’s the animal breakdown.

BEARS: Just like on CNBC, a “bear” may represent an aspect of the stock market or finances. Bears can also symbolize a sort of clumsy anger or aggression – or someone who doesn’t know how to properly express themselves.

BIRDS: To dream of birds often represents aspirations to “fly high.” It can also mean freedom and goals. Chirping birds symbolize happiness. Birds in your dreams can also mean spiritual aspirations.

CATS: Companionship, family, female energy. Something that needs to be nurtured – or perhaps a part of yourself that needs to “run wild” (if you dream of a feral cat).

DOGS: As in waking life, dogs in dreams often mean issues of loyalty, protection, friendship. Aggressive dogs in a dream may often mean you have an issue with someone being disloyal or perhaps, you have a conflict over something.

HORSES: Strength, endurance, freedom, pent-up/repressed energy. Male sexual energy.

RABBIT: This one is a bit obvious. Bunnies often mean fertility, pregnancy, sexual activity. They can also represent “abundance.” Because if you have two bunnies, pretty soon, you can easily have a s**t ton of them.

SNAKE: OK, this one makes me freak out a little bit. The other night, I had a dream about a yellow python and woke up in a cold sweat. But generally, dreams about snakes typically represent one of two things. 1) Either you’re dealing with janky emotions or 2) some kind of transformation (as in, shedding a skin) is happening. You be the judge. I’m out on this one. That yellow python still freaks me out in a big way.

Animals share this planet with us. So is it any surprise that they also occupy our dream-state? Let their wisdom move you forward!

PS:  Need some help understanding your own pet?  Get in touch.