Although in order to provide an accurate interpretation it would usually be best to have some additional general background information about you as well as a description of recent events just before the dream, it’s safe to say that when wild animals appear in a dream, it relates to energies that are still not totally mastered by the will.

Also, as the renowned psychiatrist C. G. Jung said about interpreting a dream image in general:

“The same applies to the lion. The correct interpretation depends on the context, i.e., the associations connected with the image, and on the actual condition of the dreamer’s mind.”

So the things you’ve read on the internet about what a lion means might not fit your actual situation very well.

Of course, the fact that it’s a lion cub and not a full-grown lion affects the interpretation.

For example, another post says that you’re a college student, so from the dream’s point of view, your experience regarding certain instincts that are symbolized by a lion might understandably be at an “early” and “growing” stage.

So maybe it would be useful to look at what a “lion” interacting with a person or “hero” has symbolized over the centuries in mythology etc.

That’s because the same ideas that appear in myths, folk tales, art and drama etc. etc. very often come up in dreams and therefore can help in understanding what a given image means in a dream.

There are of course endless myths about lions and heroes but to take the example of Hercules, he slays the supposedly invulnerable Nemean lion by choking it.

Psychologically speaking, this can represent a “heroic struggle” against a very overwhelming power drive.

Hercules skins the dead lion and wears its pelt, symbolizing that the energy behind a once uncontrollable power drive has now been “tamed” and can be used for moving ahead in a well-rounded, “civilized” and conscious way.

So in general, any compulsive attitudes and behavior of a person (not just the power drive) can usually be viewed as untamed, powerful lion-like instinctive energy which can surface, for example, in excessive pride, compulsive sex, arrogance and an overwhelming need to dominate others etc.

In this kind of situation, a person should probably also look at where, for instance, excessive “doing” gets in the way of reflecting on things, relations with others and in just “being” as opposed to always trying to prove one’s “worth” for example.

So although as Dr. Jung says, it would be better to have your own associations to the image of the lion cub (that is, all spontaneous memories, thoughts and feelings etc. that come to your mind), it’s possible that recently, you experienced a small taste of some kind of instinct which could potentially develop into an overwhelming problem (e.g. the cub scratched you, that is, the scratch could become “infected” and dangerous).

This is also shown by the fact that suddenly, after playing with the domestic-cat-like lion cub, you see a full grown tiger in the yard as well.

A tiger usually symbolizes dangerous, destructive and deeply negative emotions such as overwhelming rage and violence for example, so you’re right to run away from it.

But every symbol has two sides, so in myth and folk tales, there are stories where a child can walk safely among tigers, lions and snakes etc.

This means that in the end, the best way to eventually tame the very strong emotions which the tiger represents is not to run away, but to try and be childlike, spontaneous, creative and playful with them, just like a child is often not afraid of a very large dog etc.

Approaching these emotions in a sort of “innocent” and accepting way can make them less “angry” and “aggressive” in everyday life.

This way of dealing with them is the opposite of trying to totally control and have power over them which can often lead to various unpleasant physical and psychological symptoms.

As opposed to this, learning to tame them can give the person the ability to stand up for his or her interests strongly and assertively by being in touch with a vital instinctive side of themselves.

However, your dream is probably only at the stage of warning you early on about the dangers of taking for granted the signs that certain strong instincts have been stirred up for some reason.

For example, it might be hinting that you have to get in touch soon with a responsible and wiser side of yourself in order to prevent problems (e.g. you want to warn others and in addition, you show your parents the scratch would could become infected without proper treatment).

Anyway as mentioned, without knowing anything much about you, this interpretation might not fit your personal circumstances very well but I hope these ideas can be helpful in some way.

Please feel free to make any comments or to ask any questions that you may want to about this particular way of looking at your dream.