I’m in the apartment I lived in with my family. I’m in a room with the two cats I had when I lived with my ex (when I was older). I notice that there’s a third creature in the room which I realise is a giant rat – about half the size of my cats, who are big, fat cats.

Part of me is worried about what the rat is going to do, but I know that it’s only a dream so I’m not really worried. (If you’re a lucid dreamer, you’ll understand.) I then notice that a window is open all the way to the top. The rat jumps out, then the two cats follow them. I’m partly worried about the cats – in waking life it would be a miracle if they suvived a fall from that height - but I know that I can make it so that they aren’t hurt (another lucid dreaming thing).

Then my father (who, in waking life died 2 ½ years ago) is there talking about how we will find the cats.

Also, in the dream, I looked at the open window after the rat and cats had jumped and then recalled that in real life my ex and I never left the windows open because we were afraid the cats would jump out

Some background – my ex and I had two cats with medical problems. When we broke up, I moved out and we decided that my ex would keep the cats so they wouldn’t have to deal with the trauma of moving to a different home. I kept contributing money for their medical care, though. The older cat died last year.

I also think rats are cute but where I come from they carry rabies so I’m wary of wild rats.

Feel free to interpret

Looking at windows in the dream dictionary seems to suggest looking through them can represent a yearning for adventure, I wonder if you leaving all those things behind might be symbolised by the rat and cats jumping out of the window - and maybe them falling, following the rat, represents the things that are now beyond your control?