Lessons from Grief for a Cat

I will miss Chilli!

How is it that we get attached to animals?

I had to "put our cat down" today because he had an aggressive form of bone cancer. He was given the injection and went quietly - just kind-of laid his head down and went to sleep.

I cried.

Why? What was it about an animal that I felt attached to and required some kind of grief?

Why can I walk into the woods with a Bow, stalk a defenseless deer, sight it in my sights and let an arrow fly at it to kill it, and not cry over it? What's the difference between that animal (the deer) and the other animal (the cat)? Why or how did I become emotionally attached to an animal?

Why do we not feel the same way about other animals or even other people?

Someone told me that it was because we are not emotionally attached to other people or animals. How did I get attached? Was it because I felt he (the cat) talked to me? Was it because I talked to him? Was it because he was dependent on me for care? That he required me in order to live so I gave of myself thus forming a bond that required tears to heal the wound made when the bond was severed?

The Bible talks about us caring for one another. Do I ignore this command because I don't want to become attached to others and have to grieve over a potential severing of the relationship? How would our lives be different if we cared for each other as much as I cared for this cat?

I cared for this animal, protected it, cuddled it, played with it, enjoyed it. And the result? I became attached to it. God created me, protects me, comforts me, enjoys me. He's attached to me. How much more does He grieve when one of His creation walks away from Him?

Chilli depended on me - did he know that? Do I know how much I depend on God? I had control over the cat's life and when he was in too much pain and not able to recover from his cancer I made the decision to end his life. It hurt me to do that. How much more does it hurt God to have to correct us so that we can be all He planned?

I will miss my cat. But I have no doubt that I will see him again and enjoy his company. The Bible says that all of creation groans for the return of Jesus - not just humanity - all of creation will benefit.

God is Good!