recurring dreams

I have a few. One involves various scenarios where I return to a former home and find a kitten or cats that were left behind. Some of these "homes" I've never even lived in nor seen. They are always unoccupied and some are abandoned and boarded up. The common denominator is pets left behind. FWIW the pets are still alive and well. I've never abandoned a pet. Any ideas on this?

Perhaps the cats/ kittens are us? I mean, fellow PS users who have turned to the forums in a desperate cry for help. You offer your help and advice to those who have been " left behind" by society, even if they are " alive and well" , they still need you, your experience, and advice...
Warning: this interpretation could be influenced by my child-neglect-caused Narcicism tho...

hmmm I don't know about that... I've been around but 27 is a little young to be dishing out sage wisdom. I hope I don't come across that way.
I don't think I have some kind of hero complex and think that I'm actually going to save anyone
I suppose there are much worse delusions. The dreams were there before I came to PC though.
Interesting interpretation and I appreciate it.

Lol, I think 27 is a perfectly acceptable age to become sagely!

My interpretation of it is that there's something in your past left unfinished, or someone you feel the need to reconnect with? I swear that's not based on past conversation, it's really what I think that dream would be saying. The house representing the past, boarded up likely indicates something you try not to think about, and pets could indicate people easily. I'm not exactly a sage, but that's what my intuition on it is.

Or it could just be a dream your brain is use to having? Not all dreams are "mystical". Though trust your instincts if it is or not. If you've got that nagging feeling, well it's probably right.

Could be symbolism or analogy...I don't recognize the cats but I know they're mine.
In the dreams I feel so guilty and regretful like how could I just move away and forget to take them but they all seem happy/healthy and they don't try to make me feel guilty for abandoning them. I don't know...just something to think about.

Symbol:

Cat got your tongue? (wishing you'd said something you didn't have the courage to; since they're left behind, wish you'd said/done something as a child about your situation)

Let the cat out of the bag (tell something/told a secret you wish you hadn't)

"litter" of kittens (feeling useless, helpless, worthless, etc.-less :-)

"stray" (and "Stray Cat Strut") (maybe not doing things "right" then, stray from how you should have been/grown or, if you like the song, "Stray Cat Strut" maybe they have a character, an independence you wish you had)

"Don't have kittens!" (being overly excited/upset)

One's house usually is our "selves"/representation and dreaming about an actual former house, about our life during that period of time we lived in that house.

That you returned, means they (presumably) won't stay there, will no longer be abandoned? Maybe it's yourself telling yourself to go back and get what you left there, some part of you/your personality/desires, etc. that you weren't able to take with you as you grew up (I'm thinking "Puff the Magic Dragon" here :-) not realizing it wasn't "optional" and that you'd need it when you grew up (creativity, child-like faith/trust, viewpoint, etc.)

It could be that you feel inadequate to care for others, or the kittens represent yourself, your 'inner child' who you maybe feel you abandoned or let down, or any other people you feel guilty because you believe you abandoned them.
This doesn't mean you actually are guilty or have done anything wrong but that could be what you feel deep down inside.
I don't know anything about your situation so I don't know if any of this holds any value

i'm not sure if it's ok for me to add my own reoccurring dream but i too have had one that maybe some one can give me some incite on? in the dream i'm standing in the middle of a white void with voices all around me. i look to my right & see figures that seem to change from family members to friends to loved ones & back. they're all saying hurtful things towards someone like "stay away from her!" "she's no good!" "forget about her!" then as i look towards my left i see one figure, at first it was my best friend then the second time it was my fiance, engulfed in flames, bleeding & crying out to me saying "HELP ME, PLEASE!" i know that dreams are meant to tell us something but i can't figure out what it is. i do, however, know why i had the dreams, but that's a long back story.

I can't help you but I don't mind you posting in this thread. You might get more responses by creating a new thread. Good luck

I agree with Perna on this. My therapist is really good at interpreting my dreams and we do a lot of dream work. He says that all parts of our dreams are us. Your dream seems to indicate that there is some part of you that was left behind in a previous place/time. Pets are usually loved in families. They're also dependent on people to take care of them. I would interpret it as a loved dependent part of you that was left behind.

I've found personally that ruminating about dreams can help me understand what my unconscious is thinking, meaning what I'm really feeling inside. They can be used as guides in life.

You got some interesting responses - hope they help!