I have a cat who is very mean and scratches me at every opportunity. I am considering putting her down but I don’t know if I should. I know it is a horrible horrible sin to euthanize a person but what about a pet?
It is a gravely immoral action to euthanize a human being because a human being is a person with a rational, immortal soul, made in the image and likeness of God. Human beings have not been given the authority to deliberately end another person’s life simply because that person no longer seems to be leading a useful existence.
In the case of animals, however, man has been given the authority of stewardship over creation (cf. Gen. 1:28); and so, yes, a person can choose to euthanize an animal.
DISCLAIMER: Catholic Answers has turned over the archive to Catholic-Questions.org and no longer owns, manages, or moderates the forums. For additional apologetics resources please visit www.catholic.com.
