The Death of a Pet

We has to put our cat down this weekend. It was a vary hard decision, but while she had improved some, she went into a rapid decline and Friday night Marshall and I decided we had done all we could do and Luna seemed to be in pain, so it was time for her to go. She was just over 2 years old. I spent a good while the night before holding her and loving her. I begged God to please let us wake up to her walking and playing, but that did not happen. She was very bad off when we woke up Saturday morning.

This is Luna in January.

We told SB & Mac that Luna was going to the vet and probably not coming back. We told them to say goodbye to her and they waved and gave her a pat and were ready to go. In the car SB asked if we would pick Luna up in a few days. I had to explain that no we weren't...I wasn't ready for details in the car that would make me cry, so I left it at that.

I took the kids to run errands this morning while Marshall took Luna to the vet to be put to sleep. He called when it was done, crying, saying it was over and he was on his way home with her remains. (Can I interject that I love that he cried. He was not overly happy when we added Luna to the family, but he is a very wonderful daddy and husband who knows how we will miss her and will miss her himself.)

The kids and I met him at home and I told the kids that Luna had been very sick and the only way to heal her was for her to die and go be with Jesus in heaven. We buried her body and I said a quick prayer.

The kids wanted to know if we could get a new cat. Hm...not the reaction I had anticipated.
But inside SB asked why, if God took Luna, we still had her body to bury. I tried explaining that our bodies - even a kitty's body - is too heavy to go to heaven so the body stays here for us to bury and the soul (which I explained as what makes your personality) goes to heaven to be with Jesus. I told her that once we get to heaven we get brand new bodies that will never hurt or break.

I don't think she really understood - she asked when we would unbury Luna. I told her we wouldn't, she was dead and we couldn't get her back and her body would stay in the ground but reiterated that her soul went to heaven.

Mac I don't think got any of it at all, but that's okay.

Marshall and I cried - the kids did not. But I think it will be a while before the grasp the concept of death. I guess I'm glad they have the chance to experience it now with a pet before it happens to a person we know.

And as for pet heaven...I don't know if it exists. I do think that animals have souls, and I think all souls go to heaven, so I do think there is a special place for animal souls. I know not everyone believes that and that's fine.

It was a hard day. I'm so sad and I miss Luna a lot. But I know her pain is now gone and it was the best thing for her.

Luna last week