My heart goes out to you. My beloved cat Inara came up missing, so I've been in mourning without event the resolution that comes from their death. I did pray, the day she disappeared that I'd not see her die. I actually prayed that we could be raptured together. That night was the last night I saw her. She'd literally been on my lap all day. Anytime I sat down, she jumped up.

I have said all along, if we are going to have 'houses', streets of gold, a 'new earth'...if the lion will lay down with the lamb...how would we NOT have those beloved pets?

My daughter has 3 cats who've given her a shadow of what it's like to be a mom. I reminded her that Adam had the animals as his companions before he got Eve! I believe that God gave us these 'furry four legged friends/family' as a 'practice run' for our relationships with people/spouses/children. It is all a shadow of what God has for us. We get to feel a bit what he feels for us. We are given stewardship over those little ones.

Some pains are hard to shake. I know this. I'm still dealing with mine. Every time I see a Maine Coon my heart aches. My daughter had a wonder Red Golden Retriever...she was horribly killed by a train. The trauma is still very real for her. We live in a small town, and you can hear the train a few times a day (she wasn't living here then, it's just the sound of a train that gets her). Every time she sees a Red Golden her heart aches.

Love is love. God wants us to experience it. Unfortunately the flip side is the pain at the parting. I don't think God would allow us to have those bonds if they weren't supposed to endure.

Just my thoughts.

Blessings~

Suzi