Can cats & our pets go to heaven?

Paws says yes.

Rev. Billy Graham and Pope Francis have both said there’s no reason we can’t be united with our pets in the afterlife.

They are joined by John Calvin, Martin Luther, John Wesley, St. Francis of Assisi, Dr. Albert Schweitzer, Jack Van Impe, and as many as 47 percent of American pet owners believe that pets have a place in Heaven.

Paws for Reflection isn’t going to get into a ‘religious’ discussion here, but we will share one of the most common Biblical passages that gives credence to reuniting with our furry friends on the other side, whether they be cats, dogs, rabbits, horses, or other animals.

In the book of Isaiah, he says that “the wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox” (Isaiah 65:25). Heaven will lack nothing that is good and that will bring glory to God.

We would be remiss to have this discussion without giving pause to ask:

• What is Heaven?
• What is a soul?
• Does the human spirit and the energy within every living creature ever die?
• As research proves cats, and other pets, have feelings, emotions, and intellect, why can’t they share in our spiritual afterlife?

We could write books about these serious subjects, but let’s ponder these questions for a short moment in this blog post.

Heaven

Here at Paws for Reflection we maintain that Heaven is not a place, but another dimension, one we humans cannot begin to fathom. When we die, our spiritual energy leaves our body when we take that last breath. Our spirit, our personality, all that makes us who we are, leaves us. That energy is displaced, and we are no more. That same energy that fuels our pets’ lives leaves them, as well, when they die.

What happens to that energy, that spirit, that soul, and that whatever else that combines to turn life into a living creature?

We can’t say for sure, and that’s why theologians of all faiths work to explain: where does it all go?

Paws for Reflection know first-hand that the spiritual energy moves on. Some 20 years ago, Paws’ mom experienced that spiritual energy moving through her body while holding the hand of her significant other dying from lung cancer. The breaths were getting shallower with more time between them. Then, the last one came, and unleashed an unbelievable, incredible, indescribable peace sweeping over my entire being. It was not a quick rush. It stayed with me, and it is an experience never to be forgotten. It’s a feeling never felt before or afterwards. It was not happiness, joy, or relief at ending a horrendous journey, it was total peace. It was a gift that will last forever.

Science says energy never ends. It’s infinite, going forever. While it can stop, it can neither be destroyed nor created. A dying star in the universe emits light long after it has gone dark. Neutrons, protons and electrons are a part of this complex mix, and they are a part of humans and our pets. While there’s a whole host of intricacies in human, most of which are far beyond our understanding, we do know this energy is a fundamental part of us. It’s a fundamental part of our pet.

When we die, our pets die, this energy has to go somewhere. It moves. Many believes it goes to Heaven. Others believe the spirits stay here. Still others believe it reincarnates and morphs into another being.

There’s no reason our pets can’t join us on this journey. Do we manifest as our former selves, but in some other dimension? Can we stop by the Rainbow Bridge and pick up our cats frolicking in ever green meadows with perpetual sunshine, waiting in a sort of Purgatory for their humans to whisk them up for eternity.

As for our souls, Paws is not a theologian, and we can’t really be sure if our cats, our pets, have a soul. However, we can say, all cats, and pets have distinctive personalities. No two are like, just like no two humans are totally alike. That gives credence to being just ‘an animal with no feelings’. Research shows that cats have very intense emotions, grieving the loss of a fellow pet or humans for years? They are smart and can solve problems. So why can’t they are our spirituality? They are our angels or earth, so why can’t our cats be our angels beyond?

Do you think cats can go to heaven? Do you hope to see you beloved furry friend in the after life? Do you think energy ever ends? Please weigh in and share your thoughts and comments.