My cat Brutus died on Oct. 21, 2006. I had him for 16 years, over half of my life. He was a house cat his entire life, and was diabetic for the last seven years, having to receive insulin shots twice daily. All of this was done because he gave back so much more than the effort required to keep him healthy.
The evening before he died, it poured as predicted by the weatherman. I knew 4 days before he died that he was dying, but he was not suffering in any way, so I decided to keep him with me. It was supposed to pour all night, but as I was doing dishes, I noticed how strange the sky looked because the sun had come out. And then I saw it: the largest, most vibrant double rainbow I had ever seen. My husband and 2 young kids and I all marvelled at it's beauty, and then I took a picture of it. When I went back into the kitchen, Brutus wanted to go OUT, which he NEVER did. So I took him out on the deck, and he smelled the air, and he didn't even care that his paws were wet..he looked like a young, healthy cat again. The following afternoon, he peacefully passed away at home, only when my son and husband returned from my son's football game did he take his last breath. I had him privately creamated, with his ashes returned to me...with the story of "The Rainbow Bridge". My mind never even made the connection because of my pain. Two days ago, I was longing to see the pictures I had taken of him in the final days before his death, and it was an overwelming NEED to see them. As I looked through my digital camera, there it was...the picture of the rainbow the evening before he died. No one can ever convince me that it was coincidence, or that I'm crazy...how often do rainbows happen? They are rare, and to happen the evening before...I believe God sent me the rainbow, and the overwelming urge to see it and make the connection in my mind, as a way of saving me. Saving me from the guilt of thinking of the times I could have given him an extra squeeze, but didn't. Saving me from the agony of wondering if I made the right decision. Saving me from the pain that takes my breath away and makes me physically hurt. When I was in first grade in Catholic school, I once asked the nun if animals went to heaven. She told me in no uncertain terms that they absolutely DID NOT, because God only gave souls to humans...I think that God, by sending me that rainbow, saved me mostly from that: the fear and pain and anxiety of thinking that my Brutus just ended, just stopped being anything. That is one of the things I dreamed about, and lost my breath over: where is he? Just gone and done and ended? It couldn't be, not after he unconditionally gave SO MUCH love to my family, and especially me. But having that rainbow has helped me to feel comfort. I now KNOW, with absolute certainty, that he is safe and happy. And I know that we WILL meet again, that the connection we had will never end, and that he wasn't just a pet...he was a part of my being. I will never be the same, and I will miss him until I take my last breath. But I now know that he is at peace, and that he is with me, and always will be. That is my story...I hope it helps someone to know that even if THEY don't see the rainbow...it IS there. I love you, Boo, and I always will.