Hi again and thanks to the last two repliers. I'll send you both a PM. It is comforting just to know that this void is experienced by others. I'm sure I was given an opportunity in the void to go back and face the fear on the other side of the door and even though I made the conscious thought to return to the dream I obviously wasn't specific enough in my thought to go back to that exact dream and the cat dream came instead.
I feel that they were both dreams about embracing the unknown or facing fears. The experience has definitely pushed me to work harder on looking inside myself, challenging my fears and embracing my shadow side. Now that I am understanding more about the dream process and with the helpful explanations of the void that you have all given me I am hopeful that I will begin to again have lucid dreams which I can participate in much more actively and confidently, because since that experience, although I have had some vivid dreams that I have been able to remember, my frequency of recall has been much lower than normal and I have not had any lucid moments, whereas before the void experience I would have them regularly (even though I didn't truly understand what they were at the time).
I know that I am blessed to have had the numerous spontaneous lucid dreams that I have had through my life and want to be open to them without fear and with much more control. I'll keep asking for the opportunity to go back and face the fear behind the door and one day it may happen.