Animal visits after death are not uncommon. We know love between souls does not die when bodies die. Many of us heard stories abound about human family members coming back to let their family know they are okay.
But what about animals?
I am now sure animals visit us as well. That’s because I’ve heard so many stories!
I’ve added many new stories to the revision of my book, Peace in Passing: Comfort For Loving Humans During Animal Transitions. It will be out in the Fall of 2021!
How have animals visited after death?
Here are some examples, which were related to me by sane, intelligent human beings.
- The cat jumped on the bed and snuggled next to her person as she was sleeping.
- Their animal came into a dream and were very present. They weren’t just a dream character.
- The person felt their dog sit on their feet like they used to when they were on the planet.
- The person found a watery mess around the water bowl like they used to see when their animal was on the planet. (Yes, it was a dog!)
- Barks or meows.
- Nails on the floor as if their animal was walking across the room.
- Someone was licking their face. But their face wasn’t wet.
- The person just knew/felt their animal was with them.
Wonderful, true stories
Read some wonderful stories to get you in the groove so you notice when your animal visits you after they pass!
And if you’re in the mood, be sure to read 6 Spooky Ghost Stories Featuring Friendly Dogs! I especially loved the story of Poogan, the porch dog in Charleston, South Carolina.
Timmie’s visit
I was in the Navy and stationed in Pearl Harbor when we found Timmie at a Saint Timothy Church potluck in Aiea, Hawaii. It was clear he was a street puppy, so we took him home. His full name was Saint Timothy of Aiea. Timmie was a true Navy family member, moving with us from Honolulu to Albany, New York, then San Francisco, California, and finally, Washington, DC.
Timmie passed on after we moved to the Washington, DC, area and I mourned him deeply.
Sometime in 2007, after I became a Reiki Master and a Quantum Touch® practitioner, I was in the kitchen at the stove. (Note: Reiki is a form of alternative healing that uses life-force energy—ki /chi/ prana—to help the person heal. Quantum-Touch is another method that uses life-force energy for healing and pain reduction.)
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Timmie, grinning, with his usual one ear up one ear down. I whipped my head to the dining room and yell excitedly, “Timmie!” But he was gone from view.
It was as if he was sitting there looking at me! Same as in this picture! I now knew animals survive death. And they love us enough to come back and let us know they’re doing well.
Eddy visits me on the plane
Eddy was a loving girl (named by the kids), a stray for which we could not find the guardian. So we kept her.
We had to finally let her go in 2008. The timing was terrible as it was a couple of days before an out-of-town business meeting I was scheduled to staff. I was devastated. I wasn’t sure how I was going to be able to staff the meeting with such a heavy heart.
As the plane took off, I felt her presence in the aisle next to me. People must have thought I was nuts because I was petting her as she sat by my side in the aisle.
And she visited me in my hotel room that night. She had died, but made her presence known to comfort me! Because of her thoughtful, comforting presence, I made it through the meeting.
Ashley visits Gail
Ashley, a beautiful Australian Shepherd, was Gail’s constant companion. You know the type. Where’s Ashley? Find Gail and you’ve got your answer – Ashley’s with Gail!
Ashley was clearly failing when Gail was on a business trip. Gail asked me to connect to Ashley and ask her to hold on until Gail returned home. (This is always an ask, not a demand. Sometimes their bodies or souls just can’t continue.)
In this case, Ashley was able to hang on. Happily, Gail made it home in time to be with Ashley when she passed. They spent three weeks of quality time together, while Gail readied herself for Ashely’s loss. What a gift!
Still, Gail’s sorrow was deep and unyielding.
Imagine Gail’s delight one day when she got a quick glance of Ashley’s rear end going into another room! After that, she started feeling Ashley’s presence in her office. She sometimes even hears her while she’s working in her office or sitting in the sun. Sitting in the sun was Ashley’s favorite things to do.
Gail felt so comforted by being able to discern how Ashley makes her presence known.
Callie’s visit
Mary reports that Callie also made her presence known through her horse friend, Izzy. Sometimes when Mary and Izzy are together, Izzy makes a laughing sound that only Callie made. Izzy never made it. We think that is Callie’s way of telling Mary she is visiting.
Izzy recently passed and I anticipate that Mary will have new stories about how both Izzy and Callie contact her!
Now it’s your turn!
Before reading this book, maybe you weren’t attuned to animals visiting us after death, even if you’ve heard about people’s spirits visiting members of your family – or you’ve experienced it.
Or maybe you didn’t even realize animal visits after death was a possibility. Now you know.
Liberate yourself! Ask them to contact you with a vibration full of love. You can do that by thinking of a memory that makes warms your heart! If you see them or hear them, don’t chalk it up to imagination.
When your cat who has no physical body anymore jumps on the bed to sleep with you, trust that he did. If you dreamed your dog visited with you after she died, assume you actually spent time with her. How lucky to enjoy each other’s company.
Treasure the experience
Don’t explain it away with the excuse you were just missing them. If your beloved animal goes to the trouble of making their presence known by visiting you, honor that expression of love.
Because once you allow that gift to sink into your heart, something changes within you.
Life becomes softer and sweeter
This experience takes away some of the sting of death. It gives a delicious memory which is a balm for our beat-up hearts. We don’t stop missing them, but the grief starts to lessen. We know they love us even after their passing.
Need more support connecting to your animal that passed?
Read Working through the loss of a loved one!
Has your animal visited you? I’d love to hear your story!!
When my Bichon, Sport, passed away, I was devastated. After three months of crying everyday, my husband said, “let’s go look at puppies.” I felt nothing looking at eight week old puppies & they wouldn’t even make eye contact with me, but they had a five month old male that ran right to me. We ended up taking him home with us. They had already named him Marley, so we stuck with that name. Although I was excited to get him, I felt guilty, like I was betraying Sport in some way. A few nights after we had him, he brought his food dish from the kitchen to the living room where we were sitting. That is something Sport did all the time. He would carry his food bowl from one room to the other. Marley did it only the one time. To me, it felt like a message from Sport that it was okay for me to have gotten Marley. Now that I had Sport’s approval, I no longer felt guilty.
Currently, we have two cats. I often feel cats jump on the bed, but it’s not the cats we have now. I’ll look up to see who has jumped up and frequently, it’s not a physical cat. It’s comforting to know they are still around.
Carol, I love these stories! The food dish made me laugh with delight!! Thanks for taking the time to share these.
Hi Maribeth, By now you know my connection with my pets. My cat was named Baby Teeg. Named after a prior kitty. He passed way to early. I greived terribly. We had formed a wonderful bond easily. After his passing I was sitting in the tv room next to the kitchen when I saw him walk across the floor. I could easily attributed this to wishful thinking however I noticed my cat Jocie standing on the breakfast bar also watching him walk across the floor. At that point I knew it was him telling me he was OK.
Roy, you have the BEST experiences, thanks for taking the time to share this with us!
Comment *Estoy muy triste ayer el perro de el vecino atacó a mi perrito el perro del vecino es un rollwailler , mi perro no sobrevivió a el ataque estoy muy triste 😭
Lo siento mucho, Martha! I am so sorry! Esa puede ser la forma más difícil de perder un perro querido. That may be the most difficult way to lose a beloved doggie. Tu perrito está a salvo y siente tu amor. Your doggie is safe and feels your love.
My “Koda” had a Cystocentesis perform because he could not expel urine. The tests showed normal readings. Two weeks later the vet discovered many calcium oxalate stones. With in two weeks he was bloated. Gall bladder ruptured. One night I am in bed and my ear had tingling and it seemed my hearing heigthened alot. I felt fast walking or running on the bed. I could hear the comforter making noise. I had put a cheese stick(his favorite) where he slept. I think he let me know he was happy.
Thanks, Luis, I love how your pup showed up to let you know he was okay! It’s so comforting, isn’t it?
Yes, Thank you. But I wish I could bring him back.
Thank you
Luis
Don’t we all!
I am curious about your insight an services.
Luis, please go to my “Work with Maribeth” page at https://sacredgrove.com/sessions/ to learn about my services. Email me at maribeth@sacredgrove.com if you have more questions!
My cat, Roxy, passed away in August 2023. Over the past week she has jumped on my bed around daybreak. I feel her walking around my feet and most recently. She has walked up and laid down beside my arm. I had two other cats that passed, and I felt one or both of them on my bed in years past, but none of them have ever come up towards my head. I know this is Roxy because she was the most loving cat. After the second time, I felt her at my feet, I called her name and told her to come to me and that’s when she started laying at my arm. Although at first, this kind of thing can be a little scary, but it’s very easy to tell if it’s a cat. I am very thankful to have her visit me and I hope it continues.
It’s so comforting when we have this experience – At least, it has been for me! Thank you for this lovely sharing, Lisa.
After my husband died I cried for 3 months non stop and one day this cat walked into the back door right through the house and out the front door ….I am allergic to cats so I do not own one or go near them … strange?
Irene, so sorry about your husband’s passing! I always pay attention to times when animals show up in an unexpected way. This kitty could be a messenger and maybe from your husband. I notice your email is Ms “purrrfect” (I think of a cat purring when I saw purrrr) even though you’re allergic to cats. Did/ does your husband have a wry sense of humor and use the cat to send a message to you that he’s doing purrrfectly okay? Just asking.