Do animals have feelings?

[mary_bobo]

I believe Jimmy Aken once said that animals will be in heaven if and only if it is necessary for our happiness in heaven. If we are in Heaven, then we will be provided with everything that is necessary to make us happy - including animals.

I hope I paraphrased accurately enough.

• Qui Chang

That is exactly what my Irish grandmother always told me as I mentioned earlier on this topic. She also believed in leprechauns and the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow (not). But as much as I love dogs, I choose to believe it. If we need them in Heaven, they will be there. Look up the story of the Rainbow Bridge.

 

[az_4_faith]

Yes, animals have feelings. Ask any pet owner.

Do they go to heaven? They have no free will to choose God or not. Humans do. Our eternity depends on it.

When I taught school and was asked by the children if their pets go to heaven, I chose my words carefully. I didn’t want to make the children sad, but explained to them carefully in this way:

Animals are created differently from people. People are God’s most precious creation, far above the animals and other things of this world. But God never forgets His creation, animals included. I’d tell them that I don’t know if we’ll see them in heaven, but God most definitely will take care of them. He created everything in this world from love, so even if we don’t see them in heaven, He’ll take care of them. Maybe we’ll be surprised when we get there!

I’m with the poster who said no scoopin’ in heaven!! Or dog breath, or shedding and sneezing, or drooling or scratching at the door to go out just after I sat down, etc, etc.

 

[pira114]

Are you POSITIVE?? I would disagree with you.

Do any animals own you? If not, then you don’t really know animals. If you do, then really pay attention to them!

I believe that God does allow animals into heaven if they will make us happy.

Did you just ask me if any animals own me? Or was that I typo? If it’s not, I don’t get it.

I’ve owned a heck of a lot of animals in my life. Lived on and worked several ranches too. So I know a little about animals.

If animals do go to heaven, I’ve got a real problem! How many of the deer and pig that I’ve shot and eaten are gonna be waiting for me? What about cows and fish for that matter? Crud, I’m doomed. They’ll beat me up for sure!

I wonder what all those animals were “feeling” right before I put a .300 Win Mag. (that’s a bullet) through their hearts and lungs. I wonder what all those lambs were thinking back in the OT days, right before a sharp knife slit it’s throat.

Oh wow! I just realized what old Col. Sanders must be going through after seeing all those chickens in heaven!

Animals were put here for us. They were not created in God’s image, cannot accept Jesus as their Savior, and therefore, do not go to Heaven.

P.S. For all those fishermen out there. If fish could scream, would you still fish?

 

[Al_Masetti]

How does an animal feel just before eating another animal?

How does an animal feel just before being eaten by another animal? Does it feel rejection? … pain?..

 

[az_4_faith]

Did you just ask me if any animals own me? Or was that I typo? If it’s not, I don’t get it.

I’ve owned a heck of a lot of animals in my life. Lived on and worked several ranches too. So I know a little about animals.

If animals do go to heaven, I’ve got a real problem! How many of the deer and pig that I’ve shot and eaten are gonna be waiting for me? What about cows and fish for that matter? Crud, I’m doomed. They’ll beat me up for sure!

I wonder what all those animals were “feeling” right before I put a .300 Win Mag. (that’s a bullet) through their hearts and lungs. I wonder what all those lambs were thinking back in the OT days, right before a sharp knife slit it’s throat.

Oh wow! I just realized what old Col. Sanders must be going through after seeing all those chickens in heaven!

Animals were put here for us. They were not created in God’s image, cannot accept Jesus as their Savior, and therefore, do not go to Heaven.

P.S. For all those fishermen out there. If fish could scream, would you still fish?

I thought I’d reply before the bashing begins.

Harsh as it may seem, you’re right. We’ve imposed our own feelings on animals and therefore we have an unrealistic view of their purpose.

Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love animals. I’ve had many pets who were part of the family. But not on the level of my children, ever. EVER.

But even as scripture says, "Not a sparrow falls without my Father’s knowing . . . " I do believe God loves every bit of his creation, right down to the worms and the bugs (mosquitos are another story), but they were put here to serve mankind, not be our equals.

He’ll take care of them, but not in the way He takes care of His precious children, you and me.

P.S. In the “Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ” Anne Catherine Emmerick describes the scene of our Lord Jesus at the Last Supper in which he most carefully knicked the jugular vein of the Lamb to be offered at the meal. His tenderness and care of making sure the Lamb was comfortable was beautiful. It was far from the image of a “slaughter”.

 

[Catholic90]

Did you just ask me if any animals own me? Or was that I typo? If it’s not, I don’t get it.

Yes, I said “own you”. Have you ever shared your house with a cat? Or two? If so, then you will understand the animals (cats) owning you.

It becomes THEIR couch, THEIR home, etc. They ultimately allow YOU to live with THEM.

(Any other cat home sharers here will understand exactly what I am talking about!).

I cannot possibly imagine that my sweet, faithful, loveable, adoring, compassionate cats, dogs, guinea pigs, etc., will NOT be in heaven if God so desires them to be with me when I arrive there.

Perhaps the screaming fish will be a part of purgatory . (Do fish even HAVE vocal cords??)

 

[Della]

I’m saying that our society puts too much emphasis on animal suffering. The Church teaches that only human beings have rights because only they have an immortal soul, which is the source of their reason. Animals, then, do not have rights. Today the odd thing is that, while many think it is OK to abort the unborn human being, they also think that animals have rights just as if the animals were human beings. This is very odd. Another thing innocent human beings have fewer rights than the animals these days.

The Church does not teach that animals have “no rights.” The Church teaches animals have the right to be treated humanely because they have natural souls, a certain level of intelligence, and can feel pain. That is our duty towards them because we know better and are accountable to God for our treatment of them. This is why food animals ought to be killed as quickly and painlessly as possible. It is also why we become attached to our pets and want to do our best for them. And there is nothing wrong with having pets and caring for them as long as we don’t neglect caring for human beings in need, as we are able to do so. I agree with you that human beings come first. The people at PETA and those who think abortion all right are both disordered in their thinking.

 

[crusader4life]

Yes, animals have feelings. There’s a difference in their reaction to certain people or to different treatment.

Animals do have a free will in a sense that they can choose whether or not to obey their owner, or even choose which way to walk. But they can’t sin against God. They don’t have a soul that needs saving… bad wording, but I really don’t have the right words to really describe it.

The major difference between us and animals is that we have a soul and we were created in the image and likeness of God. Animals follow their instinct, their trained mind, and/or feelings of what makes them “happy” or comfortable. We can easily fall into that mode, but,as humans, we also have the capability to do more then that and rise above our “animal-like” desires and immitate God.

 

[Robin]

However, not having a spirit, not having a Self, animals aren’t conscious of their emotions. The cat may “know” that “the cat is feeling angry” but it has no way of understanding that it itself is the cat, because to itself, there is no “itself” because it lacks a spirit, and lacks the Self, that irreducible identification between knower and known. There is no consciousness for animals like we know it, it is just a storm of electricity in a brain like a robot or whatever.

 

[Robin]

However, not having a spirit, not having a Self, animals aren’t conscious of their emotions. The cat may “know” that “the cat is feeling angry” but it has no way of understanding that it itself is the cat, because to itself, there is no “itself” because it lacks a spirit, and lacks the Self, that irreducible identification between knower and known. There is no consciousness for animals like we know it, it is just a storm of electricity in a brain like a robot or whatever.

This may not be true. In a very recent study, it was found that elephants Are “Self-Aware”. It was noticed that they can identify their Own image in a pool of water as distinct from other elephants. This is Self-Awareness. I think we are just now starting to learn that animals may not be so different from us as we thought - or hoped for that matter. I have also heard that elephants - mourn their dead - and given the chance- bury them. But your probably right. Just a storm of electricity in their brain - like a robot - or whatever…

 

[IanBoyd57]

Since animals don’t have a free will like we humans do, they can’t have feelings. Is this correct?

Feelings are neurological responses to stimuli. Free will has no scientific meaning except from the fact that we don’t know the future and our brains have to determine actions without the complete knowledge of what will ultimately happen.

Technically speaking, animals have the same free will we do, and they also have the same feelings we do.

I’m not sure where in the real world you could find any evidence at all that animals don’t have feelings. I mean, we can’t just randomly guess at how we think things ought to work out. You have to go out there and figure it out by using critical thinking. If you kick a dog, it obviously feels pain or else it wouldn’t be able to survive. Animals that feel pain and such survive better and so that’s how they evolved.

 

[pira114]

Yes, I said “own you”. Have you ever shared your house with a cat? Or two? If so, then you will understand the animals (cats) owning you.

It becomes THEIR couch, THEIR home, etc. They ultimately allow YOU to live with THEM.

(Any other cat home sharers here will understand exactly what I am talking about!).

I cannot possibly imagine that my sweet, faithful, loveable, adoring, compassionate cats, dogs, guinea pigs, etc., will NOT be in heaven if God so desires them to be with me when I arrive there.

Perhaps the screaming fish will be a part of purgatory . (Do fish even HAVE vocal cords??)

Ok, I get it now. I had five cats at once years ago. In a 560 square foot apt!!! I had found the mother scrounging for food, kept her, didn’t get her fixed in time, ended up with five. Couldn’t stand it. Too many. Even when I moved to the ranch later. One of them went ferral on me at the ranch. Figures, it was the one I didn’t mind too much.

I didn’t really like those cats, didn’t really dislike them either. I would never abuse them or any animal.

That being said, cats taste great. Had some overseas. Dog are good too. I’ve eaten just about every animal that would make you wonder why.

I don’t have a problem eating them because they don’t have souls or feelings. They have instincts and conditioned responses. That’s about it.

 

[Karianne]

Here’s one thing that really makes me angry that there is medical attention devoted to animals simply because their owners have the money to pay for it while many human beings do not get any attention at all. HYPOCRISY! All I’m saying is that human beings are essentially superior to animals.

Bones, you are correct that there is injustice in a society where people can afford health care for their pets and other people can’t afford to get life saving drugs or surgery for themselves or their children.

Because there are a lot of meat eaters in the US we really need farmers who raise these animals and vets who look after them to make sure that we don’t consume bad food.

What bothers me, even more than the fact that some animals are treated better than humans are the humans who get the unnecessary plastic surgery, nose and breast enhancement because they can afford it, and yet I personally have known people whose kids went without necessary health care because their parents did not have the money to take them to the pediatrician. There’s something wrong with a society that tolerates this.

However, I don’t think that the animals are all acting on instinct. What about the gorilla who saved that little boy who fell into the cage a few years back and what about the animals who learned to use tools. There is so much we don’t know about the animal kingdom.

 

[paramedicgirl]

Ok, I get it now. I had five cats at once years ago. In a 560 square foot apt!!! I had found the mother scrounging for food, kept her, didn’t get her fixed in time, ended up with five. Couldn’t stand it. Too many. Even when I moved to the ranch later. One of them went ferral on me at the ranch. Figures, it was the one I didn’t mind too much.

I didn’t really like those cats, didn’t really dislike them either. I would never abuse them or any animal.

That being said, cats taste great. Had some overseas. Dog are good too. I’ve eaten just about every animal that would make you wonder why.

I don’t have a problem eating them because they don’t have souls or feelings. They have instincts and conditioned responses. That’s about it.

You need to come here and eat some cats. We have too many ferrals. Just kidding
everyone!!!

 

[joeganshert]

I believe that animals have feelings. They may not have as complex feelings as humans, but try looking at three abused chihuahuas and tell me differently.
Will they go to heaven? I don’t think they will.
Do they have free will? Well, they can decide to run away, poop in the house, or bite, but, they do these things as a response to discipline. Humans have free will because they know why they are in the wrong. Humans know when they are going against God, animals don’t.
I would agree that this society is backward with the human well being vs. animal well being. This society is backwards in too many things, I think we can all agree on that.

p.s
Is eating cats against the law in the U.S.? and if it is, how would you suggest preparing them?

 

[pira114]

I believe that animals have feelings. They may not have as complex feelings as humans, but try looking at three abused chihuahuas and tell me differently.
Will they go to heaven? I don’t think they will.
Do they have free will? Well, they can decide to run away, poop in the house, or bite, but, they do these things as a response to discipline. Humans have free will because they know why they are in the wrong. Humans know when they are going against God, animals don’t.
I would agree that this society is backward with the human well being vs. animal well being. This society is backwards in too many things, I think we can all agree on that.

p.s
Is eating cats against the law in the U.S.? and if it is, how would you suggest preparing them?

Yes, in the US it is against the law. I was in Thailand when I ate them. They kinda stir fry them. But you can find them in many forms.

I ate dog in the Philipines. Horse on a ranch I used to work. And many, many, others during my time in the Marine Corps. Dang, we ate good!!!

 

[paramedicgirl]

Yes, in the US it is against the law. I was in Thailand when I ate them. They kinda stir fry them. But you can find them in many forms.

I ate dog in the Philipines. Horse on a ranch I used to work. And many, many, others during my time in the Marine Corps. Dang, we ate good!!!

Now I wonder if the urban legend about Chinese restaurants catching stray cats and cooking them has any merit to it? As kids, we always used to be afraid to eat in the local Chinese restaurant for that reason.