Update on Smeary – she died around noon at the vet. My wife had just gotten there and the vet said she wasn’t going to get any better. Teresa started petting her and she meowed a couple of times and then died.
First time I’ve had a pet die since I never had pets until we get married. I’m more upset than I thought I would be.
Here’s a picture, she’s curled up against my laptop – the same laptop I use at home to post to CatholicLight.
And here’s a picture we sent with last year’s Christmas cards: our dog Eva and Smeary under the Christmas tree. Smeary is rolling around on the carpet – something she did that was always really cute.
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Sorry to hear it, John.
John,
condolences to you and Teresa. This is a hard thing to endure.
We lost our two Westie sisters (littermates) over the span of a year or so. I was devastated, even though I had had a number of pets die when I was younger.
If it’s any consolation, I said a made-up prayer for our “girls” when they died — something like, “Lord, thank you for the life of this wonderful creature, who has given us so much joy and comfort, whose love for us was a perfect reflection of the way we should behave towards you. We thank you for the blessing you gave us through her life and companionship and ask you to receive her now.”
Again, condolences and sympathy.
John,
I am so sorry. I am a big time animal lover, and have lost some furry friends over the years. I think it is perfectly okay to pray for them, and that God does receive them. When I lost my very close pal Wolfganggg last year (A cat, he slept on my head every night for 13 years–my husband used to kid that we were romantically involved) it helped me some to ask St. Francis to look after him for me.
I know we are not supposed to believe that they have souls, but so sue me, I guess.
Anyway, she is still your pal, and I believe that you will get to see her again (unless YOU screw up). I am so sorry for your loss.
Denise, John,
the Pope says they do have souls. In a 1990 public audience, he said, “The animals also possess a soul . . . they are fruit of the creative action of the Holy Spirit and merit respect. . . . They are as near to God as men are.” That has been a comfort to me since we lost the Girls.
Peace and comfort, again.
Poor dear cats: God bless them!
I am so sorry to hear of your loss. Cats become such a part of one’s life, and the gap when they leave is noticeable. The first cat my husband and I had after marrying was a long haired tortoiseshell we named Tye-Dye. The last year of her life, she slowly started to move more slowly, lost a little weight, but was still loving and purring most of the day. She had a favorite spot outside between two rosebushes, where she liked to sleep in the son. One day, she just didn’t wake up. We buried her there, between the rosebushes. She had been with us for 15 years.
Last year, we started over again after 4 years without any pets. We now have 5 cats, and although they can still be annoyingly kittenish at times, they do so add to life, especially now that we are down to only one child left at home.
Anyhow, I sympathize with your loss.
Thanks for the kind comments. She was a great cat and I think God teaches us alot through pets. I’ll post more on that another time.
You all are the best.
Almost a year ago, I lost my first and favorite cat (aptly named “Trouble”) when he was hit by a car on a busy road. He was very lively, loving and friendly, and always made life very interesting for us, in both good and not-so-good ways. Pets are a part of God’s great creation, and our attachments to them and our mourning their passing are things that the good Lord not only understands, but appreciates. (I just hope He understands and appreciates it as much when we swat one of His other creations, the mosquito.)
I’m so sorry to hear this, John. (Having a cat myself I understand your loss).
God be with you.
So sorry for you John. I look forward to your post about what God teaches us through pets. One of my favorite childhood pictures was a scene of Jesus in the carpenter shop with his pet dog resting in the corner.
God bless.
Condolences from the medieval cats — Bill, Lily, Rosie (aka Mrs. Trellis of North Wales), and Boots. They are always very sorry to hear of the demise of cats who haven’t intruded on their territory.
I know how awful it is to lose a pet, and wish you all the best. Make sure to let Eva know it’s ok to miss Smeary, too. It’s amazing how depressed a pet can get when its buddy is gone. Take care — ADM
I hate to be the coldblooded theologian here (and I was upset for days when my childhood dog died, so I’m not totally heartless), but when the Pope said that animals have souls, he meant that they have animate, *mortal* souls, not rational *immortal* ones like us humans. Even plants have souls (vegetative souls) but they aren’t immortal either. It’s all based on St Thomas and Aristotle before him.
Just trying to clear up any confusion…
Fr. JP
No problem, Fr. JP; the question of a possible eternal destiny for animal souls isn’t foreclosed by Church teaching, is it?
John, I’m so sorry for your loss.
We lost our beloved cat, Sevarian, in December. He was born feral, captured when he was 4 or 5 months old. It took a long time to tame him, but he turned out to be the most loving cat I’ve ever had. It hurt so much when he died (liver cancer).
We adopted another rescued feral a few weeks later. He’s still pretty shy, but every time I hold him and pet him, I thank God for sending us this wonderful little cat. He has really eased the hurt.
I hope that you and Denise will consider eventually adopting a new kitty.
Not to pick nits, FrJP, but would you kindly explain what the Pope meant about “they are as near to God as men are”? That doesn’t sound like they just evaporate when they die.
If their souls are mortal, I presume you mean that although the Holy Spirit creates them and endows them with souls, they just vanish into the ether. I don’t accept that, and I don’t believe it’s supported by scripture.
I realize that we are different from the beasts of the field, but I don’t really believe that, with all the murder, sexual abuse, gluttony, man-made famine, bio-engineering, nuclear weapons, abortion, and other miseries we have visited on the earth in the process of “subduing” it, that we are really so superior. Heck, if I could be as good as my dog, I would never have to worry about getting to heaven.
Jonathan said:
“Not to pick nits, FrJP, but would you kindly explain what the Pope meant about “they are as near to God as men are”? That doesn’t sound like they just evaporate when they die.”
I think that he meant what the CCC 2416 says:
“By their mere existence they bless Him and give Him glory.”
That is, animals serve God by simply existing, beacause they cannot sin, because they are not rational. Men, however, can sin, and so can exist without serving God at all, and can even oppose Him. Thus, God loves animals because He made them and they serve Him, just as men do, perhaps better than some men do. But He also made them for this life alone. CCC 2418 says: “One can love animals; one should not direct to them the affection due only to persons.” See also CCC 1703, which, along with its crossreferences, certainly implies strongly that man is the only earthly creature with an immortal soul and an eternal destiny.
“If their souls are mortal, I presume you mean that although the Holy Spirit creates them and endows them with souls, they just vanish into the ether. I don’t accept that, and I don’t believe it’s supported by scripture. ”
Well, I mean that they cease to be. “Soul” in the sense we use it for plants and animals is closer to “life force” than it is to “what makes you you,” which is what we think of it as normally. As for Scripture, any reference I could find, most notably Ps 49, seems to assume an even worse scenario, that animals end up in Sheol. Other passages assume they simply become dust. Nowhere do I see anything indicating animals particpate in the Beatific Vision, although I would be interested in what passage you base your thoughts on. St Thomas has much to say on the subject, but fewer and fewer people seem willing to listen to him as the authority the Church has always proclaimed him to be. (Alas.)
Anyway, I hope that helps.
And I am sorry about John’s cat. It’s a preparation for me as well – my parents’ cat, Bruce, is on his last legs, and I will be sad when he passes. We’ve had him since I was a lot younger than I am now.
God bless.
1) The Church is officially agnostic about what happens to animals after death. If I remember correctly, some within the Eastern tradition believe that when creation is renewed at the end of time, animals will be part of that renewal. Perhaps the Jehovah’s Witnesses “soul-sleep” in that instance.
2) There seem to be animals in heaven. Elijah was carried away in a chariot drawn by horses. Elisha’s servant saw the horses and chariots of the Lord. In Revelation, the Lord is portrayed as coming down on a white horse.
Well, if you don’t want to believe me … try EWTN.
I am not a churchman I am a classical musician. I have owned several cats and they all had souls. Absolutely no doubt about it. You must remember that because the church makes a proclamation it does not follow that they are write. Some of the most souless and cold people I know work for the church.
In regard to certain presumptuous and uncharitable comments posted.
Genesis 2: 29, 2:17, 2:18-20…
had man and woman not succumbed to temptation in paradise
they would not have died but (in your reasoning) all the other
creatures would be vulnerable to death? Strange paradise.
In regard to certain presumptuous and uncharitable comments posted.
Genesis 2: 29, 2:17, 2:18-20…
had man and woman not succumbed to temptation in paradise
they would not have died but (in your reasoning) all the other
creatures would be vulnerable to death? Strange paradise.