Animals in the Afterlife

[Singular]

I had to euthanize my beloved kitty Toby today. I had taken him to the vet yesterday because he'd been a bit lethargic and lacking in appetite, in addition to other symptoms I won't mention for simplicity's sake. He didn't seem too sick, so the vet's conclusions were most unexpected and shocking.

The initial finding was that he had enlarged kidneys, so I chose to have him hospitalized. Later that night and earlier today, I was told that he had fluid in his chest, with masses in his chest and one next to his kidney. As much fluid as safely possible was tapped from his chest. Today, I was told that his chest cavity had again filled with fluid and that he likely had lymphoma, a type of cancer. The vet was confident that he only had days left to live.

After going back and forth many times, I made the painful choice to have him euthanized. While I knew that he ultimately wanted to go home, I did not want him to deteriorate and die there painfully.

I ask the community: Do you have any gnosis of what happens to animals when they pass away? Do they join a group soul and eventually reincarnate? Speculation is OK, but I am hoping that someone has info from a trustworthy spirit regarding an animal's spiritual path when they pass away. My family is very toxic and fractured, and I only have a few friends who haven't yet fled my hometown, so my pets are a major part of my life.

Secondly, is there any kind of ritual that I can do to help him in the afterlife? Thank you for reading.

[laalbieglna]

I am so sorry for your loss. It is always heartbreaking to have to face this decision, and I hope for all peace for you and your beloved kitty.

My personal experience is that there's no fundamental difference between animal souls and human souls after death. You can absolutely treat them as you would any other family member or beloved dead.

[laalbieglna]

Secondly, is there any kind of ritual that I can do to help him in the afterlife? Thank you for reading.

However you feel called to honor him is probably right. Honoring your pet at Samhain/Dia de los Muertos/during any other ancestor rite, and on an ancestor altar are all perfectly appropriate.

[Singular]

Secondly, is there any kind of ritual that I can do to help him in the afterlife? Thank you for reading.

However you feel called to honor him is probably right. Honoring your pet at Samhain/Dia de los Muertos/during any other ancestor rite, and on an ancestor altar are all perfectly appropriate.

Thank you. It's been difficult, and I've done a lot of crying and wondering whether I could've bought him a few more weeks of life. Even if I could, how much additional stress would he have to endure if I had taken him to the oncology vet's office when it reopened? Would the added stress have been worth it?

The vet said he was in the end stages of the disease, even though he'd been hiding it well. While she said that I was giving him a gift by ending his suffering, I will always feel guilt for my decision. I guess most pet owners feel guilt when they euthanize. I hope he's happy and at peace in the spirit world. He deserves the best.

I will set up a pet altar for him and my other deceased babies. Thank you for the idea.

[Yekarah]

Condolences to your kitty. x

[laalbieglna]

Thank you. It's been difficult, and I've done a lot of crying and wondering whether I could've bought him a few more weeks of life. Even if I could, how much additional stress would he have to endure if I had taken him to the oncology vet's office when it reopened? Would the added stress have been worth it?

The vet said he was in the end stages of the disease, even though he'd been hiding it well. While she said that I was giving him a gift by ending his suffering, I will always feel guilt for my decision. I guess most pet owners feel guilt when they euthanize. I hope he's happy and at peace in the spirit world. He deserves the best.

I will set up a pet altar for him and my other deceased babies. Thank you for the idea.

I lost the best dog I ever had to skin cancer that metastasized and got into his stomach. My partner said something at the time that can come across as harsh and blunt, but was very helpful to me when I was turning down veterinary oncology, and also later, on the day I did have to euthanize him. It was, consider your animal friend's intellectual life, and their actual experience. They aren't writing their memoirs -- when they are suffering and it's getting close to the end, all they are doing is suffering.

We want to keep our beloved ones with us, but they aren't clinging to their last days and mourning their hopes and dreams. Things like veterinary oncology are for you to buy a little more time with them, they aren't really for the animal. You did the best thing that you could under the circumstances, and I know your kitty knows this and that he is free of suffering because you did the best that you could.

All of the hugs to you.

[user567]

I sought out information on here after having to put down my dog of 9 years that I raised from a puppy. The poor guy had been plagued with health issues for much of his adult life which gradually became worse each year. He still had a good appetite and was mobile but suffered some serious trauma which would have required surgery to fix. I didn't want to put him through all of that considering he wasn't in the best shape to begin with and had made it to the early end of his life expectancy.

As he slipped away I asked my companions to assist him and help him cross over. I will include a picture of him in my altar going forward and I wrote a letter to him which I intend to burn tonight.

You shall be missed. Thank you for being in my life.

[Singular]

I sought out information on here after having to put down my dog of 9 years that I raised from a puppy. The poor guy had been plagued with health issues for much of his adult life which gradually became worse each year. He still had a good appetite and was mobile but suffered some serious trauma which would have required surgery to fix. I didn't want to put him through all of that considering he wasn't in the best shape to begin with and had made it to the early end of his life expectancy.

As he slipped away I asked my companions to assist him and help him cross over. I will include a picture of him in my altar going forward and I wrote a letter to him which I intend to burn tonight.

You shall be missed. Thank you for being in my life.

How have you been holding up with the loss of your dog?

[User1265455]

I had a cat for 13 years who died last year of breast cancer. After my husband joined us, she was his familiar. We have her ashes and a picture of her on an altar to Bast, and we light incense for her and all our other passed kitties, and for Bast, every full moon.

I have had cats in my life since I was born. Specifically, I've had TWO cats in my life since I was born, a male and a female. If one of them passes, they show up again. It might take them awhile, and sometimes they switch off, so I only have the male, or I only have the female... but...

Mena died right before Christmas 2017. On May 10th of 2018, a kitten was born. About 7 weeks before that, Mena showed up in our kitchen during treat time. We heard her meow and everything. We all KNEW she was there. Crow actually went looking for her afterward. When we met the kitten in June, we knew who it was. She doesn't look the same, but she does the same things. She plays fetch - we didn't teach her, she taught us. She chirps the same. She has the same cuddle rituals.

She is Mena. We call her Y'rel, but we know... she's Mena.

That's been my experience with my two cats. They always come back. I leave an opening in my life so that they can.

[Shifa]

Late to the party but I feel your pain.
It’s so hard to deal with and you just find ways to deal with it that work for you.