Do Animals Have Souls?

We got lots of wonderful comments about our appearance on Art Bell?s Coast to Coast AM Saturday night, and I?d like to share some of them with you.

One listener writes: ?I witnessed a television interview between Diane Sawyer and Roy of Siegfried and Roy. What I remember the MOST was Roy’s memories of HIS NDE with his tigers. When he was at the point Anne was, Roy’s tigers were in his Near Death Experience. No doubt, when it is MY time, my cats should greet me?they ARE my family!?

One of the therapists who treated me was the same woman who treated Roy! Like everyone I met at UCLA, she is a true humanitarian.

?Margie? writes: ?Anne: I’ve been praying for you. Tonight your NDE experience with Coe smoothed away a huge portion of my grieving & depression over the recent loss of my longtime soul mate, guide and companion cat. She too was less catlike than any of my many others?Within11 horrendous days she went from healthy, happy, active..to GONE! I, too kissed my baby as she was euthanized: the most dreadful day of my entire life! I wanted to go with her! Part of me died too. I am 72, single, & alone.?

My thought: there?s a lonely kitten out there somewhere who needs you.

?Tamara? writes: ??Hearing about Coe has given me all the hope in the world. I too, had a beloved cat named Molson who got cancer and after months of fighting it, had to be put down. This cat saw me through my parent’s divorce, my own divorce and chose to depart shortly before my daughter was born. I loved this cat like no other and even though it was 8 years ago, I still bawl like a baby whenever I talk about him. I wept like crazy when you told your tale to Art and the audience. I have always known I will see him one day on the other side but you have given me true hope for this. Thank you, Anne, for coming back to bring the many animal lovers your message of comfort.?

?Diane? writes: ? My cat too, comes to visit me. The night after I had him humanely euthanized following 3 weeks of struggle to keep him alive, he ?came? home. I had closed the door to my bedroom that night, [but he] came up onto the bed and slept on my chest. I even sat up in bed to see if the bedroom door had come open, but it was still closed! I had the distinct impression he was telling me goodbye and thanking me. The next morning I found quite a few cabinet doors open all over the house?a trick he alone [had] mastered?His visits are becoming more and more infrequent, but I know when he visits in my dreams, it is his spirit talking to me.?

?Robert? writes: ?I too rejoice in Anne’s recovery. And I too had an NDE in which I was met by my deceased cat. On November 1, 2002 I was giving blood when the technician introduced an embolism that stopped my heart. I was only in the, well, wherever-it-was for 1 minute and 15 seconds, but I was greeted by my deceased cat Clementine. My cat spoke to me in ?human? ways. We joked about which of the deceased relatives were on call for NDE duty? I remember the experience as of one of relief and hilarity, until I returned to a really sick body in the ER.

One of the main questions I was asked by listeners on Saturday night was if animals have souls. I honestly don?t see why they wouldn?t. Or maybe these pets are kept alive by love.

Like all NDE survivors, I now know that love is the most important?and perhaps the only?thing that counts. Let?s all be careful to express our religious beliefs only in the context of love?otherwise, how can we claim they come from God?

For those of you not familiar with my new thriller An Invisible Woman, I want to tell you a little about it.

I actually became ?invisible? for a time?I would walk outside to do my chores (I was living in New York, where oe does a lot of walking) and find that men stepped in front of me in line or walked right up and stole my cab?it was as if they didn?t see me! It got serious when I kicked a man who pushed me aside in a deli and he hailed a passing polic cruiser. I was annoyed at first, of course?and Whitley was frantic that I was going to get into trouble?but then I realized it gave me the chance to become a spy in my own life?and I found out there?s actually a scientific reason this happens. We all give off sex hormones called Pheromones and as women get older, they send out fewer of these, so e literally drop off male radar.

I created a character whose invisibility becomes part of live and death struggle to solve the mystery of her husband?s murder before she and her kids also become victims. She finds that she can even go into offices with his business associates as long as, among other things, she dresses as a cleaning woman. She?s not recognized by anyone, despite the fact that everyone she encounters knows very well who she is. But without her elegant clothes and makeup, they just don?t see her. And she finds out a few things? But the main point is that it?s a really fun and informative read?I promise that!

NOTE: This Diary entry, previously published on our old site, will have any links removed.