Animals in the Bible generally refer to spiritual activity, the things we actually do on a spiritual level. "Cattle," as typically used in the Bible, mean a collection of domesticated animals owned by one person or group (including other animals along with cows). It makes sense, then, that cattle would represent the spiritual activities we "own" and have "domesticated."

What are the good things we like to see in ourselves and encourage? What true ideas do we keep in mind, ponder, and use in our decision-making? These can come in great varieties and from many different sources, just as a variety of animals could be part of "cattle," but the key is that we own them, care for them and use them.

(References: Arcana Coelestia 415, 3786, 4105, 4106, 4391, 4440)

4105. 'And he brought away all his cattle and all his substance which he had gathered' means the separation of truth and good acquired from what belonged to Laban. This is clear from the meaning of 'bringing away' as separating; from the meaning of 'cattle' as truth; and from the meaning of 'substance' as good. The phrase 'which he had gathered' has regard to Laban and his flock by means of which they had been acquired. The reason why 'cattle' means truth and 'substance' good is that the word used in the original language for 'acquisition' also means small cattle in general, by which truths are meant specifically when 'flocks' means goods. And 'substance' in this case means the resources from which those truths and goods are acquired. For when two things are mentioned in the Word which have almost the same meaning, the first has reference to truth but the second to good. They do so because of the heavenly marriage, which is the marriage of truth and good, present in every detail of the Word, see 683, 793, 801, 2173, 2516, 2712.