Dreaming of Rats

Every night I have the same dream - I am in my house. It is full of giant rats! They don't seem to bother me though. But I am bothered that I keep having this dream...
(image by Kapa65)

Recurring Dreams

Recurring dreams can be frustrating or even scary (see Checking on My Car) Generally, a dream like this has a message that you definitely should pay attention to, like an unresolved issue, feeling or even something that you are not consciously aware of. Once you have dealt with that, in waking life, the dreams should subside.

Rat Symbol in Dreams

Rats can evoke different feelings in people, but generally, rats are seen as undesirable animals that are sneaky or disease-ridden (think black-plague). They travel in packs, live in unsanitary conditions and can bite. Rats are also regarded as clever problem solvers (finding their way out of a maze). 

In Asian cultures, the rat is seen as good fortune in business. Those born in the year of the rat, are said to be clever, easily adaptable, organized and family oriented with a tendency to hoard or be stingy.

Rats in Dream Interpretations

A rat in your dream could represent someone in your life that is being disloyal. 

Seeing a rat in your dream could mean that you are repulsed by something about yourself or in your life. 

Rats can represent your fears about a situation.

Specific Dream Interpretation

In the dream above, in her waking life, the dreamer was struggling with a decision to get an elective surgery done. The fact that it was a reoccurring dream, means that the decision weighed heavily on her mind. In this case, the rats could represent both her fear of the situation and the disease. I wonder if she made the decision to have the surgery if the dream would go away?