If you’ve stumbled upon this page, it means you woke from a dream about rats. What does it mean when you dream about those tiny rodents that scurry into and out of dark, dirty places? What does it mean when you see a rat in your dream?
Our modern culture associates rats with negative connotations, often depicting them as vile pests that spread infection, illness, disease, and plague. Rats are the last thing we want to picture after placing our heads on our pillows and closing our eyes because seeing rats can be terrifying.
Cartoonists and storytellers often depict rats and mice as devilish characters. Think of Templeton, the rat in Charlotte’s Web, who always looks out for himself. Templeton is greedy, sneaky, and generally helpful to the other animals on the farm.
What do rat dreams represent? Many people hate rats and consider them dirty, despicable creatures. For this reason, some dream interpreters believe rats represent our dark emotions. But seeing a rat in a dream is not always negative.
What Does it Mean When You Dream About Rats?
Rats are intelligent and cunning creatures, but their deep need for survival reigns above all other cares. They will pillage and steal to gorge themselves. Rats will do everything they can to survive, including mistreating those around them.
Because of these characteristics, dreaming of rats often signifies competition with rivals or adversaries. Has a friend recently turned foe? Did a coworker happily step over you to get a promotion or raise? Rats may represent shady characters in your real life or intelligent people who can easily outwit you.
Rats may appear when you compare your abilities to others. Jealousy and envy can show up as a rat in your dreams, and this dream can indicate a feeling of insecurity or unworthiness compared to coworkers, family members, or peers.
What Does It Mean When You Dream About a Rat Biting You?
If you dream about a rat biting you, it may signify that a friend, coworker, or companion will betray you. Dreams of this sort often indicate a suspicious feeling surrounding someone close to you.
If you’ve recently told someone your innermost thoughts, rats can indicate a fear that the person you trusted will now reveal your secrets to others. It’s a sign that you want to take back something you shared.
Rats live in darkness and sneak out at night to gorge on the food they find in trash cans and on the street. This association between rats and darkness can indicate a fear of betrayal or backstabbing. When a rat bites you in your dream, the truth comes out, and you feel the pain of lies and mistrust.
If you dream of rats attacking you, you may feel personally attacked. Perhaps someone made a negative comment about your appearance or your work. Any time an animal attacks you in a dream, it can indicate the uncomfortable or angry feelings associated with someone who has hurt you.
What Does It Mean When You Dream About Killing Rats?
Dreams about killing rats are favorable omens. If you kill the rat in your dream, you will ease your real-life burdens, decrease your worries and release the fears that previously overwhelmed you. You have killed the rat and conquered your fears.
When dreaming of killing rats, we are often at peace in real life. Perhaps you recently completed a project, started a new job, or conquered a new skill. Killing rats may indicate a spiritual awakening.
What Does It Mean When You Dream About Dead Rats?
You may feel anxious and overwhelmed if you dream about dead rats. Perhaps you feel uncertain about an upcoming test, overwhelmed by your current workload, or inundated by a busy schedule that provides little time for fun and creativity.
Dead rats symbolize fear, and you will likely run in the opposite direction if you see a dead rat on the street. Seeing a dead rat indicates the desire to avoid work or difficult conversations with others.
What Does It Mean When You Dream About Being Chased By Rats?
If you dream about being chased by rats, you may be running away from significant problems or conflicts. Why are rats running toward you in your dream? Perhaps, something is bothering you, but you don’t have the confidence or conviction to face it head-on.
Dreams about being chased by rats can also signify deep-seated worries, particularly about financial issues like losing your job or failing to pay the mortgage on your home.
Oddly, these dreams can also indicate a need to slow down. You are racing and running in your dream, draining yourself of energy and liveliness. Look at your calendar, say no to events you aren’t interested in, and take time for yourself.
Dream of Rats Gnawing
If you dream of rats gnawing, you may be bothered by something you keep putting into the back recesses of your mind. When something gnaws at you, it worries or concerns you.
When you see rats gnawing in your dream, it means it’s time to address something in your life that is troubling you. It could be something that you keep pushing off or avoiding. Whatever it is, try to address it after waking from this dream so that you can move forward from it.
Dreaming of Rats in Your House
You may feel insecure and unsafe if you dream of rats in the house. Our homes provide us with places to rest, relax and feel safe. If you see rats in your home, it often indicates problems on the domestic front.
Perhaps you are fighting with your spouse, parents, or children. Maybe you are worried about the welfare of your family or the safety of someone close to you.
Dreaming of rats in your basement may signify hiding something you don’t wish anyone to see. We place our unwanted stuff in the basement, where we tend to ignore it for decades.
If you see rats in the basement of your dreams, ask yourself if there is something you need to unearth. You may need to resolve an issue from the past or open your mind to memories.
It’s time to bring those thoughts, feelings, and recollections into the light where they can be processed.
What Does a Black Rat Mean in a Dream?
The appearance of rats can alter the meaning of your dreams. For example, dreams of black rats represent anxiety and stress. If a black rat enters your dream, you may be concerned with finding employment if you are out of work or keeping your job if you are gainfully employed.
Black rats often symbolize a fear of the unknown and a lack of confidence. You don’t believe you have what it takes to succeed, and you need to dig deep to find the confidence you need.
Black rats can also symbolize toxic people in your life, and they may be representations of someone who carries a negative cloud over their heads and aims to make you miserable.
When you dream about black rats, strive for ways to reduce your stress. Aim for eight hours of sleep each night and learn to focus on meditation or deep breathing when life feels out of control.
What Does a White Rat Mean in a Dream?
Is a rat dream good or bad? Some dream interpreters believe seeing a rat is a good sign.
Dreaming of white rats is an omen of good things to come. Unlike black rats, which symbolize anxiety, white rats signify good things will soon come your way. Dreaming about a white rat means things are going well in your life, and your mind is free and clear of worry.
Dream About Rats Crawling On You
If you dream that rats are crawling on you, you might face a lot of anxiety and feel like you cannot control your weight, love life, or success at work. It’s one thing to see a rat in your dream and another to feel it crawling on you. This dream may indicate a deep struggle or a desire to free yourself from negative thoughts that overwhelm and depress you.
Surround yourself with family, friends, and therapists who can help you sort through these nightmares to determine what will help you overcome them.
Dreaming of a rat jumping on you has similar meanings to rats crawling on you. If a rat jumps on you in a dream, you may struggle with some deep-seated aspect of your life or feel uncomfortable about an upcoming event.
Dream of a Big Rat
Dreaming of big rats or giant rats may indicate a significant problem you need to solve. Giant rats can represent a complex situation that feels so big you can’t handle it.
Let’s face it seeing small rats would be more pleasant than seeing enormous ones coming your way. So if you see big rats in your dream, you may face a significant hurdle or feel overwhelmed by real-life situations.
What is the Spiritual Meaning of Rats In Your Dreams?
No two rat dreams are exactly alike. Though they share connections, they can differ significantly based on your stress levels, happiness, and general feelings of success.
What do you think about the rats that appear in your dreams? Did you take them as a negative sign or a positive omen?