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Aug 17

Does God Answer Prayers for our Animals?

REVISITING a Blog Post from 2015

I love my cat, Truffie. She’s a gift of joy in my life. Every day, she makes me smile. She loves me unconditionally, even when I’m not wearing lipstick or my hair is a mess. She loves me when I’m grumpy or had a bad day. She even loves me when I accidentally step on her tail.

There was a day that Truffie stopped eating. She lost weight. We took her to the vet twice. Though we racked up $600 in medical bills, the vet’s words held no reassurance, “All the lab tests and x-rays are normal. I don’t know what’s wrong with her. Maybe we could−”

“No,” I said. “I can’t afford to spend any more money. Not if we don’t even know what’s wrong or how to fix it.”

Five days had passed since she became ill. If something didn’t change soon, there was no hope for her. I took her home. I forced eye droppers full or water down her throat every few hours. She still wouldn’t eat. She had a fever. None of the medicine the vet had prescribed seemed to help.

I began to wonder. Does God care that Truffie is sick?

Sure, we know He cares about our health and our finances and foreign affairs and protecting the troops fighting in far-away places. But does God really care if my cat is sick? Would He take time from His busy schedule of healing folks and finding work for the unemployed, and protecting our troops and trying to make the 'Washington swamp' solve our problems... to heal a cat just because I asked? You see, I’ve prayed about all those things for a while now, but Truffie’s fever? Does He really care? Would it be too presumptuous to pray and expect God to care enough about a cat to heal her?

I asked my pastor, “Do you think God cares when our pets are sick? Would it do any good to pray for Truffie?” He told me that on a certain day, people bring their animals to the Catholic Church to be blessed, but he couldn’t think of a verse in the Bible that specifically mentions cats, much less that tells us to pray for healing for our pets.

I searched the Bible in hopes I’d find something to prove God cared about the animals and would answer our prayers when they’re sick. Matthew reminds us… Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. (Matthew 10:20 NIV) Sparrows... Cats... Not quite the same, but if He cares about birds, it stands to reason that He cares about cats too.

We’re all familiar with God’s blessings and promises. We know He gives us everything we need. Our home... Our loved ones... A job–well, most of us have a job, or we had one, before they downsized the company, and now some of us have unemployment. But not many of us are going hungry or sleeping in the streets, so even in our adversity, God supplies our needs. But that didn’t answer my question. Would it help if I ask Him to heal my cat?

I searched the scriptures for more about prayer and faith. Ask and it will be given to you. (Matthew 7:7 NIV). Was that the key? It went on to say that faith the size of the mustard seed could even move mountains. For truly I say to you. If you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move and nothing will be impossible. (Matthew 17:20NIV) That sounded promising. And lastly… how much more will the Father in Heaven give good gifts to those (his children) who ask Him. (Matthew 7:11NIV)

Now, we were getting somewhere. The Bible teaches us that it’s a matter of having faith when we pray, not the specifics of what we pray about.

What have I got to lose? So I prayed for Truffie. “Lord, you know how much I love her. You know how much joy she gives me and You know how it would grieve me to lose her. I’m calling on Your promise, Ask and it will be given…. I place this little cat in Your loving hands, Lord, and ask You to heal her and raise her up again. I have faith that she will be healed because You’ve promised…”

Now, I’m not going to tell you that a lightning surrounded my head or that the Heavens opened and God’s voice rang out, “Truffie. Rise up and walk,” but the next day, Truffie started to eat. Her mood brightened! She purred! She was on her way. She would recover.

I know that God cares for our cats and dogs and rabbits and horses and all our pets. Not because there’s a specific verse in the Bible that says so, but because we love them and He loves us…enough to want our joy to be complete. He promises that if we ask and have faith, we can move mulberry trees into the sea, or move mountains from here to there, or maybe it’s all about teaching us to take all our cares to the Lord, no matter how big or small and knowing He will hear and answer.

Truffie was eight years old this spring and has never been sick another day in her life. Truffie is living proof. God answered my prayer, and yes, I’m convinced.

God loves cats.

12 Responses for "Does God Answer Prayers for our Animals?"

  1. Ellen Cardwell says:

    How true it is, and you found the key. Truffle is proof of that.

  2. Thouroughly enjoyed this story...it was true too.

    Jean

    • Elaine Faber says:

      I was intrigued by the fact of so few full moons on a given day. Thought there were be many more. Glad you enjoyed the story.

  3. Vicki Aycock says:

    I took my cat, Sissy, to the vet last week. When I went to take her crate out of the car she had somehow gotten out of it. She jumped out of the car and ran frantically down the street into traffic. Miraculously, she did not get hit but she was terrified and running so fast. Others stopped to help me but she ran into thick woods and could not be found. I am so distressed and doing everything I can imagine to find her. Yes, I am praying and trusting that God will return her to me and I believe He will.

    • Jan Payton says:

      I'm so sorry to hear that your 🐱 cat ran away; but I pray that GOD will show his goodness, and help it to find it's way back home to you.

  4. Elaine Faber says:

    I am so sorry this has happened. Perhaps you can put food and her carrier near the woods where she disappeared. My best wishes and prayers that she will be found.

  5. Robert Gareau says:

    I have been praying for god to get me a job working with animals as a vet assistant or kennel assistant or some other type of job working with animals and have no experience and have been appying online on indeed.com for the past 4 mouth and not had much luck gettinf interviewed and hired and I am getting discouraged because I want to become a vet assistant and no one seem to be willing to hire me. Please pray for me. I feel like god is not answering me

    • Elaine Faber says:

      God does not always answer 'yes' to our prayers and requests. If you have no experience, it's no surprise the vet clinics don't hire you. I suggest you become a volunteer at a local SPCA or animal clinic. this will give you experience. Perhaps in some months, a vet clinic would then consider your qualifications and hire you. Good luck.

    • Luana V says:

      I had the same dream in working with animals, but I was never able to pay a vet school. So I prayed so much that God showed me the gift of rescuing dogs and cats…it’s a non paid job but just fills my heart with joy in my free time. I’m pretty sure God will definitely show you what to do and where to work with the animals 🙂

  6. Sherry says:

    I took my cat to the vet and he jumped out of my arms and wiggled out of his harness and fortunately took off toward the woods instead of the very busy road. I ran after him but couldn’t get him before he went into very large wooded area. Another lady and her husband came to help but we couldn’t find him. I thought I would never see him again. I called my daughter-in-law and told her and she said in Jesus name you will find him but I had no faith at all. When I was walking out of the woods I saw this movement I can’t explain and I looked to the right of it and there was my cat sitting quietly under a tree looking like he didn’t know how he got there. So I hope this gives others faith in Jesus Name. I know an angel brought him back. God bless all who read this and thank
    you Elaine for that enormous faith building story. My son’s dog has been having seizures and I am trusting the Lord has healed him too.

  7. Connie says:

    I was really looking for some answers. Two weeks ago I watched two stray doberman pinchers kill my cat in front of me. And I’m like God why. Then yesterday, We had to put down my daughters cat. There was really no explanation what the blockage was. We prayed and prayed, we asked our Friends and family to pray. But God does not heal Milo. I am truly losing faith. I don’t think he really cares call the baby for some people, but sure not me my family.

  8. Elaine Faber says:

    As humans, we can't understand why bad things happen to us or our pets. God's word never promised we wouldn't experience bad things, only that He would be with us and comfort us in times of trouble. I'm so sorry for your loss. I know that your heart is big enough to love another kitty that needs a home. I hope you'll make an effort to bring a new baby into your life soon. Perhaps being an inside-only cat is the best way to protect them from the dangers outside.

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