In my dream, there are red convertible sports cars speeding down the road. My cat would go into the middle of the street to sit down and stop the cars. When the cars stopped, she jumps in the car and I would have to get her out. This happened over and over again. This dream recurred for several nights.

The reason why dream interpretation can be a complicated process is because there are a myriad dream factors to consider. Dream symbols have many variances and they need to taken in the context of the entire dream and how the dreamer relates to them. For example, cars, like other modes of transportation, reflect how we’re getting along in our waking life, yet there are key nuances to take note of: What type of car? In what condition is the car? Color? Size? How is it traveling? Fast, slow? Where is it going? Does the dreamer have any strong positive or negative feelings about cars or that particular type of car? Road conditions are revealing as well.

Cats can symbolize positive or negative aspects, depending on the circumstances of the dream. Feminine power, sensuality, independence and, sometimes, evil or bad luck. How the dreamer relates to cats makes a difference between positive or negative meanings. The cat in this dream was the waking life pet of the dreamer, and that possibly changes the meaning of the dream, too.

So let’s look at the symbolic details of this dream:

A red convertible sports car. Think about the difference between an old clunker, a family mid-sized sedan or this red convertible sports car. Red is the power color of ambition and success. A convertible car exposes its occupants for everyone to see, for the wind to blow through their hair. Confident, carefee.

Speeding down the road. Barreling through one’s journey, that proverbial road of life. If you want to reach your destination quickly, speeding can be a good thing. But be sure life doesn’t “speed by” or that you miss the chance to enjoy sweeter moments along the way.

His cat going into the street to stop the cars. Something is trying to stop his careening down life’s path. Is it his pet cat? Or what this cat represents? In this case, independence seems to fit more appropriately than other dream symbol meanings.

Cars stopped, cat jumps in and dreamer had to get the cat out. The cat stops the cars but the dreamer has to pull it out.

The Dream Interpretation
This dream seems to indicate that in his waking life, the dreamer is focused fulfilling his ambitions. Being successful is important to him and he’s trying to become successful as quickly as possible. However, there is a part of him—perhaps an independent streak—that gets in the way. He’s trying to rout that out of himself in order to achieve his goals.

In his waking life, this dreamer recently embarked on a new career path. He feels a sense of desperation over his current financial situation, and it’s pressuring him to earn money fast. His new job promises financial stability and status. But this job industry has a specific culture to which he must conform (white collar, ties) and his personality type bucks against this at least on an internal level. He’s doing his best to stay on course and keep his uneasiness under wraps.

Dream symbolism is amazing in how it can communicate a multiplicity of messages in a single image. This dream also indicates that he might be feeling guilt over neglecting his pet cat as he spends more time and attention on his job while coming home too exhausted to give his beloved pet any quality energy.

Dream Therapy
I encourage this dreamer to reflect on his career direction to be sure he can be happy conforming to the expected behaviors in the long run. It’s clear that there are strong motivators—money, status, stability—that appeal to him now, but one’s nature is what it is and eventually, there will be a disconnect between his job and his persona. These dreams keep recurring as his subconscious shouts out to warn him that his independent spirit is slowing down his progress on this particular career path.