Cats and Islam

 

Inshallah you will not have to go through such a painful experience again.

 

I happen to have... a few cats.  My husband and I picked them each together.  Currently we are away from eachother (not by prefrence) but I still have to kitties to keep me company while we are apart.  Since we got them each when they were kittens they all have small individual personalities that take a little from each of us. 

 

One of my cats, Chips, the youngest became very sick.  He was loosing weight like crazy. the vet did test after test, and couldn't tell me exactly what was wrong or how to help.  Surgury was mentioned, though not recommended because it would most likely kill him in his condition. So, the vet reccomended putting him to sleep. I took him home, and tried my best to keep him comfortable. I bought him all kinds of treats and special cat food (that made the other cats jealous, but i had to get him to eat, he was starving to death with food under his nose) I searched and searched for an answer, if putting an animal to sleep was acceptable. The closest I came to an answer was that assisted suicide for humans is absolutely not acceptable, and given the same reason, I decided it was the same for animals. It was devistating to watch him wither away, but I know that Allah is not cruel, and when it was the right time, he would take Chips.

 

 

One night, after Chips had become so skinny that he could only walk when absolutly neccisarry, I remember saying to him (more to myself, but out loud) that it would soon end, and he would be in a place of comfort and happiness.  I told him how all this pain would go away, how he could eat as much as he wanted and have all the toys he could think of. In the middle of explaining this to him (and myself) I was overwhelmed with tears.  I lay back thinking it over and over, praying that his suffering would end. 

 

Then, the most amazing thing happened.  Chips, so weak that he couldn't walk unless he really really needed to, pushed himself up, and dragged himself over to me. He lay his head on my chest with his paws wrapped around me in a small kitty hug.  He lay like that for a while, (and I know cats don't like that position)  then he pushed himself up again and when back to his spot by my feet. 

 

So many things came to mind when that happened. But first and foremost in my mind was recalling that Allah controls all animals.   Here I was praying for Chips' pain to end (and mine for I was sufferying for him)  and I get what I beleive to be a hug sent from Allah through my cat. 

 

I know some may say it sounds silly, but I truely beleive thats what it was.  I know many people have worse problems, but at the time, being away from my husband, I needed a hug at that moment so badly and I didn't even no it till I got one. 

 

There is no God but Allah. All Praise and Thanks are to Allah.