I think you are RIGHT On with the final interpretation of the kitten in your dream, Tal...I'd forgotten that there was this "outside pressure" to ritualize the ending of the A and all...I think I posted earlier that such an idea makes ME very uncomfortable as well.
Indeed, others seem to want you to "put the injured part to sleep"...but your inner wisdom is telling you otherwise. It's revealing your unease, your disappointment, your legitimate feelings that you are just not "healed" enough for such a gesture, and others are not RESPECTING or paying ATTENTION to this.
Yes, anti-d's do supress REM sleep so expect a surge when you cut down. This can also lend intensity to the dreams themselves.
