People have always wondered whether their pets have an afterlife. Representatives of different religions have given very different answers to this question.
What did ancient peoples think about the afterlife of cats and dogs?
It was on the banks of the Nile, in Ancient Egypt, that the cat was domesticated. It was revered as a sacred animal, the embodiment of Bastet, the goddess of joy, love, and feminine beauty. It was believed that the cat existed simultaneously in the world of the living and the world of the dead.
Dogs were also revered by the Egyptians. They were considered an incarnation of the god Anubis and the guardian of the underworld. After death, dogs and cats were mummified and buried with full honors in special cemeteries. Afterward, their owners shaved their heads as a sign of grief and were required to mourn for seventy days. In the afterlife, the lives of cats and dogs were believed to continue.
In ancient Greece, dogs and cats were revered pets and even mentioned in various legends. Alexander the Great founded a city and named it Perites, after his beloved dog. On the island of Crete, the newborn Zeus was guarded by a golden dog. Cats were considered the embodiment of the Greek goddess Diana and a symbol of eternity. Priests surrounded themselves with these animals, believing that they emanated astral fire with the power of nature itself. The philosophical doctrine of metempsychosis flourished in Greece at that time. It was believed that not only humans but also animals and even plants possessed a soul. After death, the soul migrated into the newborn. The philosopher Aristotle also believed that the souls of deceased people and animals could move through space.
For the ancient Slavs, cats were almost mythical creatures. They were the eternal companions of witches, sorcerers, and other evil spirits. They were endowed with supernatural powers. In Rus', cats were also considered guides to the other world. Dogs, on the other hand, could foresee the death and illness of their owners and sense the presence of evil spirits. However, while the ancient Slavs ascribed magical properties to their pets, they believed that of all animals, only the bear possessed a soul.
The Orthodox Church's Attitude to the Afterlife of Pets
Biblical accounts indicate that after the creation of the world, animals dwelt with the first humans in Paradise. They lived in complete harmony with one another. But after the Fall, not only humans but also animals suffered. All living things then became subject to death. Meanwhile, theologians continue to debate the afterlife of animals. Most believe that every animal has a soul, but that it ceases to exist after death, unlike the human soul. For the same reason, Orthodox Christians are advised against consuming animal blood. It is believed that the soul resides in it.
Hindu and Buddhist attitudes towards the afterlife of pets
Hindus and Buddhists, as they have for centuries, believe that every creature has a soul. All life on Earth is interconnected and should exist in love and harmony. Buddhist philosophy holds that humans and animals have equal potential. Ultimately, everything depends on karma: if it is bad, a person may be reborn as an animal after death. Conversely, an animal, by leading a worthy life, may be reborn as a human.
The afterlife of cats and dogs in Islam
According to Islam, on the Day of Judgment, all other living creatures will be resurrected along with humans. Every animal that fulfilled its purpose on earth will receive a reward. The animal soul, while different from that of a human, is also immortal and immutable.
Where did the idea come from that after earthly life cats and dogs go to the rainbow?
Legend has it that between heaven and earth lies a place called the Rainbow Bridge. Endless, green meadows, abundant food, a bright, warm sun. Everything an animal needs is there in abundance. Old and sick animals are transformed into young and vigorous ones. There, they are truly happy, just waiting for their master to cross this bridge together. This legend is borrowed from Norse mythology, which mentions Bifrost—a bridge between heaven and earth, connecting the world of the gods with other worlds.
Ultimately, most beliefs agree that animals have souls. The question of whether they go to heaven after death or are reincarnated remains open, as is the case with humans.
