Comfort for Believers - Thought-Provoking Reading for Skeptics
After being taken to task for a comment in an article referring to the soul of animals, I took the subject to my readers in a poll: "Do cats have souls?". Not only did an overwhelming majority vote "Yes," but many of the thoughtful comments to my blog provided resources which backed up my position.
For those of my readers who have lost beloved cats to death, I'm passing on these resources as comfort in the belief that we will see them again in the hereafter. You'll find books and web articles on the list. You may also post your own thoughts on the subject with a form at the bottom of the article. The accompanying photo is of my Bubba who went to the Rainbow Bridge in December of 2005. I fully expect him and his "dad," Asa to be waiting for me when I arrive there.
Photo Credit: © Franny Syufy
Comments
What is the Rainbow Bridge? I’ve seen it mentioned a few other times. Is it similar to the rainbow that some people have stickers of?
Have a good New Year!
NO, I believe cats do NOT have souls. The western definition of the immortal sould is misleading since we humans do not necessarlily have a soul. The word soul is a religiously made-up word that, in reality, is mistaken for someone’s mojo. A persons mojo is their essence of life. I feel the same can, and is, applied to the feline world. My cat Barney-Buttons has more Mojo than Austin Powers. When he dies of a catnip binge gone too far (kidding:-)) I’ll meet his MOJO at the rainbow bridge.
Yes….Absolutely cats have souls.God would not create such a beautiful creature and not give it a soul.I expect to be greeted by all of my sweet babies who have gone ahead at the Rainbow Bridge.
Cornielus:
See the blue title to the blog? Click on it and you’ll see my list. The Rainbow Bridge is thoroughly described in the last entry on the list.
I don’t exactly know how to classify a soul, but cats do live on after death and sometimes even return. After the death of one of my elderly cats, for years we experienced him walking across our bed. This stopped only after we got a new kitten which had his same personality and mannerisms. I can’t help but think he came back to us. For us, it seems as soon as a cat passes away another one always shows up a few months or so after the death. It is like they return in new bodies but personality wise they eerily resemble the ones that passed on.
I must say that I believe that cats do NOT have souls. I love my seven cats more than life itself and they have helped me cope with tragic personal times from losing my parents at age six to a sinking river boat “Booze Cruise” gambling trip gone horribly wrong to having both feet amputated due to a freak bungee jumping accident. I’ve only included the issues that I am more comfortable talking about openly. Based on my horrible life experiences, I feel there is no god and therefore no soul – humans or animals. On the positive side, my cats have gotten me through it all!
Annette L.
Annette is wrong. Period. I truly can appreciate her difficult past having been wheel chair bound for the past six years myself, it’s not always easy, but it is the work of the Lord. It is His plan. Did you know he sent his only son to die for Your sins? There is no higher love and your soul will burn bright in the after life only if you turn yourself over to Jesus. I will pray for you!
Connie M.
the same breath that gave life to me gave life to the animals. The same sabbath I was commanded to keep I was commanded to give to the animals. That settles the question for me. annalayne
I don’t know if cats have souls, but they can have soul. I’ve seen many a cool cat hanging outside of jazz clubs enjoying the music. Scientific evidence supports this due to the frequency range of cats’ hearing.
Jazz music fits entirely in this range, enabling them to hear all the rhythm. Incidentally, Britney Spears and Michael Bolton fall almost entirely outside cats’s hearing range, which may explain why they occasionally vomit when hearing these artists.
I am a believer that animals have souls and are waiting for us when we cross over. The love that cats have for their owners and for each other is not just some instinctual or chemical reaction it is real and deep emotion. I believe in a loving Heavenly Father and that he created these wonderful animals for our comfort and our joy. Of course they are going to be with us in the place he has prepared for us all. I still am grieving over the loss of my Lilly to the recent recall and only today was finally able to put a picture of her on the wall. I just know that one day I will hear that purr again.
I believe that animals have souls and if there aren’t any animals in heaven, then I don’t want to go.
OH my gosh Marie… when you said that you had felt your cats crawl across your bed, after they have passed, I got chills. My husband and I have felt the same thing after two of our kittens died in our home – long story- they were sick and we adopted them from an animal shelter- they were sick and didn’t live too long. Anyway I just want to say that it is because of this experience that I too feel that cats have souls and that they do go on. There is also a great book titled, “Animals in Heaven? Catholics Want to Know!” by Susi Pittman that also contains a lot of biblical proof that animals do have souls. It is an awesome book. Here is the link for anyone who wants to check it out.
http://www.catholicstewardsofcreation.com/about-the-book/