Euthanization of a pet

[Smber2c]

Ditto to “What benefit does that serve, especially since, despite their overconfidence, such speakers can’t know that for sure?”

Well, I think someone already posted this above, but the simple answer is that God is truth. And thus when we picure our “true reality” (as in the existance of heaven, hell, purgatory, earth, the rules on how we get from the later to each of the former, etc…) all have a strong impact on who we understand God to be.

A person that has a image of God solely provided by a fiery “hell vs. salvation” focused preacher may think that God doesn’t know love or kindness or forgiveness. This would be a great tragedy. And that poor understanding of God may drive the person away and eventually lead to their never entering heaven.

In a similar fashion, God won’t allow any imperfection into heaven. In C.S. Lewis’ “The Great Divorce” a man loves his painting more than God or his mother. God says to enter heaven God will have to be his first and all consuming love - and once that is achieved he might start painting again. The man chooses his paints, and goes to hell.

A near identical situation could be seen with a pet lover. The get to the pearly gates and ask, “Where is Fido?” God or St. Peter respond, “That isn’t what you’re here for. God should be your only focus and desire.” If the person says, "“Yeah that’s all well and good just let me see my dog first.”…I don’t think they will be accepting the proper disposition to enter God’s kingdom.

Any misrepresentation of God and His house are a denial of truth. These denials of truth are sinful to those who know better, and stubling blocks to those trying to learn. Pets do not have an everlasting soul, and we are taught they cease to exist after death.

It would be a greater unkindness to risk their path to heaven to temporary comforts and additionally risk my eternal salvation by misrepresenting God’s kingdom.

Another example is the Matrix. Humans are plugged into the system and have a real soul outside of this virtual (or for us physical world). Animals are like everything else in the Matrix, they are programed codes that we interect with for our creators purposes.

 

[searching4myslf]

I have had to face this tough decision as well. I had to keep reminding myself that animals (while they have souls) they do not have souls like you or I do. They do not know or go to a heaven or a hell. If your animal is suffering, and the choice is whether to let it starve or to euthenize it. I would say put it to sleep. It is a hard choice, but in the end if you really love your pet, you don’t want it to be suffering do you? The choice is up to you, no matter what you choose I’m sure it is the right one for you. You will be in my prayers.

 

[brownj00]

I face this decision this very day. I will need God’s assistance to help my wife and daughter with this grief.

I found this article from Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM, L.Th. to be helpful. It clearly discusses the issue of the soul in animals and what the Church teaches. .

en.allexperts.com/q/Catholics-955/soul-2.htm

(Google “St. Thomas Aquinas, vegetative, sensitive, and rational souls” for more)

I believe the love we give and receive to our pets is a special gift from God, one of many ways of opening our eyes to what He wants us to see. We are called to be good stewards and caregivers to our little friends- and that is part of the lesson for us as well. Letting an animal starve or suffer needlessly is not compassionate and does not fulfill our responsibility of care. You can argue if or how human suffering has redemptive value (and I believe it does), clearly the situation is different here.

I think those of us who chose to prevent needless suffering in our animal companions should not feel a burden of guilt.

My sympathy goes to all of us who face this challenge and grief. I appreciate the original thread post, as it helps us discuss this even years later.

 

[MarieVeronica]

I have recently been faced with choosing to euthanize my cat or wait and let the cat starve itself to death.

Is it possible for you to feed your cat, with a syringe? Our kitty was recently very ill, too. Around Christmas time… he was extremely weak and lethargic. He came inside, and slept for 3 days straight… without eating or drinking. He lost half his body weight. I thought for sure, he would die. So… I said a prayer to the Child Jesus to help me know what to do.

I then went to PetSmart and bought a plastic syringe… and I syringed both water and liquid cat food down his throat (very gently). It wasn’t easy to do. But he started getting stronger… and he survived. He is now completely recovered.

There is another thread… in this forum… dealing with euthanasia of pets. My priest told me, that when an animal is gravely ill, injured or suffering… that putting it “down” is merciful.

But I just wanted to give you the suggestion about using a syringe to feed your kitty. Or is he/she too ill for that? God bless. I know it’s difficult. :console:

 

[taylorc]

Bella- They have souls, but not like humans have souls. They don’t go to heaven or hell. They cannot sin. They have life on earth and that’s it.

I read a book by a woman(devout Catholic) who can see ghosts. She says animals leave their bodies as people do. Most go into the white light, and she has no idea what happens after that.

 

[PattyJane]

My dog of 11.5 years has been diagnosed with liver cancer. He barely eats (not nearly enough) and has almost no energy. I don’t know if he is in pain. He seems calm. I honestly do not know what the right answer is… I appreciate any guidance. Should I put him to sleep? I

 

[JanetF]

PattyJane: What does the vet tell you about chances of recovery? The vet can tell if the animal is in pain, by looking at his eyes and listening to his heart/breathing. If the animal is in significant pain, his heart rate would be elevated.

It there is no chance of recovery and treatment would only be delaying the inevitable, then I would suggest, a peaceful end to the animal’s life. Not to say that this isn’t a difficult decision. I’ve had to make it myself, but we have to put the animal’s needs above our own. We can’t keep them alive if doing so would be cruel.

God bless you as you make this tough decision.

 

[Newbie2]

How can I tell my veterinarian to give my pet an injection that will kill it?

I think the more appropriate way to look at it is how, when the circumstances are such that your pet is suffering and in all liklihood will not recover, can you allow your pet to go on suffering when there exists a humane way to end their suffering.

Is it possible for you to feed your cat, with a syringe? Our kitty was recently very ill, too. Around Christmas time… he was extremely weak and lethargic. He came inside, and slept for 3 days straight… without eating or drinking. He lost half his body weight. I thought for sure, he would die. So… I said a prayer to the Child Jesus to help me know what to do.

I then went to PetSmart and bought a plastic syringe… and I syringed both water and liquid cat food down his throat (very gently). It wasn’t easy to do. But he started getting stronger… and he survived. He is now completely recovered.

There is another thread… in this forum… dealing with euthanasia of pets. My priest told me, that when an animal is gravely ill, injured or suffering… that putting it “down” is merciful.

But I just wanted to give you the suggestion about using a syringe to feed your kitty. Or is he/she too ill for that? God bless. I know it’s difficult. :console:

As has been pointed out, the OP was in '05. Too late for treatment, methinks.

However, I would hope that Jesus would recommend a visit to the veterinarian.

PattyJane, ask your veterinarian for advice. In my experience in clinical practice, pets with liver failure feel ******; nausea and lethargy are common. Pain? Most likely to some degree, although it’s more of a stomach-ache kind of pain rather than the sharp pain of a pulled muscle or bad vertebral disc problem.

 

[LilyM]

Bella, if pets have the option of going to heaven or hell then we will be accountable for ALL the animals we deal with, since surely such fates would not be reserved for pet animals alone.

Meaning we are potentially guilty of murder for every fly or cockroach we kill, every cow or sheep whose flesh we eat (and even Jesus ate lamb at Passover ) and so on.

 

[Newbie2]

Oooooh, thanks, Lily. That’s another point that I can address in my Thesis.

 

[FrDonato]

My sister and I rescued a cat named Max five years ago. He has been a total joy in our lives, a most loving presence in our home. Unfortunately, he had many various health problems, and over the past two years developed a condition called “megacolon.” In spite of many vet visits and hospitalizations, his condition deteriorated and last Monday, we had to put him down. My sister was emotionally and financially exhausted from caring for him, like he was a sick child. His death was just like that too, i.e., like losing a sick child. He was glued to her and she feels such a terrible void in her life; she cries often, and my heart goes out to her. But she did the right thing. There comes a time when an owner, no matter how much he or she may love the pet, must make this hard and painful decision. As for whether or not we will see our beloved Max again, that is entirely up to Almighty God, for whom nothing is impossible. I recall reading that one day a woman who had lost her pet dog (“FiFi”) asked St. Thomas Aquinas if she would see FiFi again when she died, and St. Thomas answered very wisely: “If you need FiFi to be happy, then you will have FiFi.” Of course, the Beatific Vision in heaven will be enough to constitute perfect happiness, but there are also the secondary joys of heaven, among them the company of our loved ones who were saved. Who knows? God may surprise all of us - including some of the “armchair theologians” on this forum, and we may discover that in that diverse and glorious kingdom, our beloved pets may also be there as yet another secondary joy.

 

[Newbie2]

My sister and I rescued a cat named Max five years ago. He has been a total joy in our lives, a most loving presence in our home. Unfortunately, he had many various health problems, and over the past two years developed a condition called “megacolon.” In spite of many vet visits and hospitalizations, his condition deteriorated and last Monday, we had to put him down. My sister was emotionally and financially exhausted from caring for him, like he was a sick child. His death was just like that too, i.e., like losing a sick child. He was glued to her and she feels such a terrible void in her life; she cries often, and my heart goes out to her. But she did the right thing. There comes a time when an owner, no matter how much he or she may love the pet, must make this hard and painful decision. As for whether or not we will see our beloved Max again, that is entirely up to Almighty God, for whom nothing is impossible. I recall reading that one day a woman who had lost her pet dog (“FiFi”) asked St. Thomas Aquinas if she would see FiFi again when she died, and St. Thomas answered very wisely: “If you need FiFi to be happy, then you will have FiFi.” Of course, the Beatific Vision in heaven will be enough to constitute perfect happiness, but there are also the secondary joys of heaven, among them the company of our loved ones who were saved. Who knows? God may surprise all of us - including some of the “armchair theologians” on this forum, and we may discover that in that diverse and glorious kingdom, our beloved pets may also be there as yet another secondary joy.

Great post.

I would hope that in Paradise, there are self-cleaning cat boxes.

 

[vashsunglasses]

I have recently been faced with choosing to euthanize my cat or wait and let the cat starve itself to death. I debated with myself about the best thing to do. Is it morally right to play God and choose when the cat will die? Or is it worse to let the cat suffer a death of starvation when it could be ended? I chose to have him euthanized because I was worried he would pass away while I was at work and my other cat would start cleaning him or something and get him self sick. But now I feel horrible. What do u think the best thing to do would be?

My personal feeling is that it IS immoral to euthanize a pet. I would never do so. My cat is a member of the family just like any other member. I could no more euthanize her than I could euthanize my sister.

However I can see that you had a difficult decision to make and did the best you could. You aren’t like the people who have their pet put to sleep just to save cash, or because the medical treatments would be too inconvenient, or even because the cat had behavioral issues. It makes me sick that some people treat the life and death of a pet so callously.

 

[buddy_ny]

I just put down my rotti, she was with me over 8 years I live a cloistered life

folks say there no animals in heaven
Read St John revelation
, it seems to me he saw eagles, & other animals
now either this is symbolism or literal
maybe she’s in limbo with unbaptized baby’s
but we, us, the church changed that dogma

God allowed me to be a steward to his creation,and i thank him

by the way does any one remember the episode of the “Twilight Zone”
were the coon hunter & his faithful dog drown,
not realizing he’s dead, he walks down a country road & meets St Peter , who wont let him in Heaven with the Dog ,so he decides to not enter & keeps walking, finally he meets the REAL St Peter who tells him basically the other fella was the the devil, And that he is most welcome into Heaven with his Dog

I miss my Dog She was my best friend i will never see the like of her again
Godspeed my pretty girl
Buddy NY

 

[cynic]

If it’s wrong to have a pet put down then surely it’s wrong to kill an animal for it’s meat.

 

[Black_Knight]

My sister and I rescued a cat named Max five years ago. He has been a total joy in our lives, a most loving presence in our home. Unfortunately, he had many various health problems, and over the past two years developed a condition called “megacolon.” In spite of many vet visits and hospitalizations, his condition deteriorated and last Monday, we had to put him down. My sister was emotionally and financially exhausted from caring for him, like he was a sick child. His death was just like that too, i.e., like losing a sick child. He was glued to her and she feels such a terrible void in her life; she cries often, and my heart goes out to her. But she did the right thing. There comes a time when an owner, no matter how much he or she may love the pet, must make this hard and painful decision. As for whether or not we will see our beloved Max again, that is entirely up to Almighty God, for whom nothing is impossible. I recall reading that one day a woman who had lost her pet dog (“FiFi”) asked St. Thomas Aquinas if she would see FiFi again when she died, and St. Thomas answered very wisely: “If you need FiFi to be happy, then you will have FiFi.” Of course, the Beatific Vision in heaven will be enough to constitute perfect happiness, but there are also the secondary joys of heaven, among them the company of our loved ones who were saved. Who knows? God may surprise all of us - including some of the “armchair theologians” on this forum, and we may discover that in that diverse and glorious kingdom, our beloved pets may also be there as yet another secondary joy.

Then too there is also the following passage from Ecclesiastes 3:21] Who knows whether the spirit of man goes upward and the spirit of the beast goes down to the earth?

 

[mary_bobo]

My personal feeling is that it IS immoral to euthanize a pet. I would never do so. My cat is a member of the family just like any other member. I could no more euthanize her than I could euthanize my sister.

However I can see that you had a difficult decision to make and did the best you could. You aren’t like the people who have their pet put to sleep just to save cash, or because the medical treatments would be too inconvenient, or even because the cat had behavioral issues. It makes me sick that some people treat the life and death of a pet so callously.

Sometimes euthanasia is the best thing you can do for a pet. It certainly beats letting them suffer before they die. And I think it is unkind to put down people who euthanize their pets because they cannot afford the care. Have you looked at veterinary costs lately? I bet they would give their animal the best they could afford. They are not being callous at all.

 

[VeronicaPorres]

I just put down my rotti, she was with me over 8 years I live a cloistered life

folks say there no animals in heaven
Read St John revelation
, it seems to me he saw eagles, & other animals
now either this is symbolism or literal
maybe she’s in limbo with unbaptized baby’s
but we, us, the church changed that dogma

God allowed me to be a steward to his creation,and i thank him

by the way does any one remember the episode of the “Twilight Zone”
were the coon hunter & his faithful dog drown,
not realizing he’s dead, he walks down a country road & meets St Peter , who wont let him in Heaven with the Dog ,so he decides to not enter & keeps walking, finally he meets the REAL St Peter who tells him basically the other fella was the the devil, And that he is most welcome into Heaven with his Dog

I miss my Dog She was my best friend i will never see the like of her again
Godspeed my pretty girl
Buddy NY

I know you’re hurting. That was a beautiful testimony and a wonderful 1st post. Welcome.

I had my beautiful cat put to sleep about 3 weeks ago. I know what you are going through. :hug3:

 

[KeptTheFaith]

Unfortunately we had to have our faithful dog put to rest this weekend. He is definitely the kindest being I have ever known. Such a blessing in our lives and we were so lucky to have him these 10 years. Hope to see you in heaven one day, my buddy. Thank you.

 

[vashsunglasses]

Sometimes euthanasia is the best thing you can do for a pet. It certainly beats letting them suffer before they die. And I think it is unkind to put down people who euthanize their pets because they cannot afford the care. Have you looked at veterinary costs lately? I bet they would give their animal the best they could afford. They are not being callous at all.

But surely you must admit that there are people who treat pets as disposable accessories? People who feel they have a “right” to own 3 dogs even though they keep them in the back yard and pay no attention to them, never take them to the vet because they “can’t afford it” (but they can afford an HD TV and surround sound), and then have the pets put to sleep the moment all the neglect backfires. I freely admit to putting those kind of people down because that sort of behavior IS immoral and very prevalent.

In my opinion, if a person can’t afford pet health insurance (about 20 bucks a month) then they shouldn’t own a pet. If this makes me unkind then so be it.