Elizabeth Keedy

This post is a transcript of a video I recently released through my MOMENTS OF A MYSTIC YouTube channel. You can watch the video below.

I’ve been wanting to make a video about losing an animal companion for a while. I’ve written a couple of blogs on my website about the subject (The Guilt & Grief of Losing a Beloved Animal Companion & Losing An Animal Companion Too Soon), but when I recently lost another animal in my care, it felt like the right time. Although, I’ve had to wait a while for the grief to pass, so I didn’t burst into tears while talking.

If you don’t know me, I’m Elizabeth, an animal communicator and psychic medium among other things. I’ve spoken with various animal species about death, the dying process, euthanasia, the overwhelming grief that we humans feel, the doubt and the guilt that can follow such the heartbreaking experience of losing a beloved animal.

In the last two and half years, I’ve said goodbye to three animals – my little Maggie, who was in my life for 16 1/2 years, and two of Lilly’s kittens from her most recent litter.

And although these two kittens weren’t in my life for as long as Maggie, when you open your heart, grief doesn’t care if you’ve loved the animal for a few days or several years. Loss is loss. But what can make the grief harder to bear, at least in my experience, is if the animal’s death happens suddenly, without warning.

And as if the grief isn’t hard enough to cope with, the doubt, guilt and blame that can often follow the loss of an animal companion can be just as crippling. 

We often punish ourselves, thinking we could have, should have done more, or taken different action. I’ve certainly been down that dark road, and I’ve spoken with other animal lovers who have, but it doesn’t help anyone, and it definitely doesn’t help the grief.

And the animals have told me repeatedly, there is no need for guilt, shame, blame, doubt, or even grief. 

As a modern-day hermit and an extremely sensitive person, I’ve found the company of animals far easier and less stressful than being around the energy of people. Things have been changing for me over the last couple of years, though, but that’s a conversation for another time.

So, I want tot share with you what the animals have told me about their departure from this realm.

Before they are born, the animals arrange the time and place of their death. They decide what they will die of, whether that’s natural causes, an illness, an accident or through euthanasia. They also choose who will be present when they die, if anyone, and long the dying process will take. And they make this agreement with us, their human companion, at the soul level. 

The animals have told me that guilt, doubt, blame, is a waste of energy, because there is nothing you or I or anyone else can do to change an animal’s passing. It’s the same for humans. It just isn’t up to us. 

The animals don’t want us dwelling on their final moments when we can get lost in our sadness. They want us to remember the happy times, to celebrate their life and think of all the ways they made our lives better.

But it’s hard not feeling heartbroken when your best friend has gone. It leaves such a huge hole, and it’s too easy to fall into that dark emptiness, then not be able to climb out. But worse, is if we close down our heart to avoid the grief.

Even for me, as a psychic medium, who speaks to my animal companions on the other side of the veil, I still get overwhelmed by the loss and grief.

When our animal leaves, they visit us often, watching over us to make sure we’re okay. Then when they can see we are healing and letting go, they visit less and less, so that they can continue with their next adventures. 

Quite often, they’ll choose another animal to come into our lives, even when we don’t feel ready. That happened with my Little Maggie. She told me that she and her sister Grace had chosen another kitten, and I mustn’t be sad for too long as this kitten was coming in one month. 

I didn’t feel ready, but the kitten came anyway. And it was hard in the beginning to connect with the kitten, but Maggie knew that if I didn’t have another animal to love, I would close down my heart again to avoid suffering another loss. 

Kittens, aren’t they just the best thing in the world, ever?!

Being a grandmother to Lilly’s kittens has been one of the most joyful, and the most stressful experiences of my life – four times over.

And as I mentioned, with Lilly’s most recent litter, her fourth and her last, she lost two of the kittens. I knew intuitively something would happen, but not twice. Losing two kittens in the same litter. It has been so sad.

The first kitten died within a few hours. I tried to keep him alive, but I knew he wouldn’t make it. I cried so much. I took it personally, blaming myself for things that were outside of my control. But he visited me shortly after his passing, bring through so much love and peace, and joy! 

He was so giddy and excited at having been to Earth, even for just a short while. He told me he never intended to stay long as he just wanted to see what it was like here. I still couldn’t stop crying. 

When I was sure that Lilly knew he had gone, I buried him the local woods, near to where I scattered Maggie’s ashes. More tears followed, and the kitten visited me a few times to reassure me that this was his choice. After a few days, I felt okay.

Her passing happened so quickly. Within less than an hour of taking her to the vets, she was gone. But I was on me to make the choice to have her euthanised. What a choice. What a responsibility.

I thought about taking her home and allowing her to die naturally, but I knew deep down that she didn’t want to struggle. The feeling was so strong. Clear guidance came into my mind. I couldn’t ignore it. And when I made the decision, an overwhelming sense of peace flooded through me. It didn’t stop me from second guessing the decision while at the vets or bawling like a baby. 

The vet was very understanding, kind and compassionate, and when I saw her the following day to have the other two kittens checked over, she admitted that it had got to her and she’d cried all the way home in the car.

This second kitten waited a few days before she spoke to me from the other side. And she told me that she and I had made a soul agreement, and she’d also made an agreement with the vet. The kitten was helping both myself and the vet with our human growth. 

She reminded me that it wasn’t my fault. It was her choice to leave, and that I’d made the right decision with euthanasia. Knowing this didn’t make the sadness any less.

I’m sure you’re probably the same, but for me, with the animals, I open my heart so fully. Feeling their love often brings me to tears, and immense love leads to immense grief. I’d rather have their love, even if it’s followed by grief, than not have their love at all.

I’m learning to be okay with my intense emotions, because they make me feel so alive. 

As a child, my mum couldn’t cope with my emotions, and it made me feel as though there was something wrong with me. So I shut myself down for nearly 40 years. When I eventually opened up my heart again, all those repressed tears came to the surface. And they haven’t stopped. 

I cry most days, but not always for sadness. I also cry for love and joy, which is really quite wonderful. Now, I celebrate my emotions, not run away from them. And it’s through our emotions that we can become closer to Spirit.

After experiencing a lot of grief, I’ve noticed that it gets harder with each passing. As if it compounds on top of all the previous grief. I don’t know if it’s like this with everyone. Is it like that for you?

Im still learning to make room in my heart for grief, because to grieve means that I have loved. And I can say with certainty, that I want to experience love. There is no greater feeling. 

Looking back, I can see how the animal companions have helped me to open up my heart one bit at a time. Just as they have for so many other people. The animals come to Earth for a life of selfless service to us, their human companions. They help us to grow and evolve.

I can’t imagine my life without animals. 

So I hope you’ll join me for a few silent moments to send gratitude for these wonderful heart-centred beings who fill our lives with endless love and joy.

RIP Little Ones.