Have you ever experienced the death of a pet? I have. Life has a funny way of surprising you when you least expect it. I’ve experienced the sudden death of my first cat Precious. And I’ve also experienced having to euthanize my youngest Dusty due to complications with cancer. Both events changed my life forever.
Amidst the darkest time of my life, there were tiny blessings I did not anticipate. It is only through self-reflecting that I now recognize the blessings. Change is a part of life, and it can give you surprises, both good and bad. With that said, I’d like to share seven unexpected blessings I discovered after pet loss.
Unexpected blessings
Blessing #1: Extra free time for yourself
One of the unexpected blessings I have gained is more time for myself. That extra ten minutes in the morning I would normally spend feeding Dusty and cleaning up her litter box is now dedicated to sleeping a little longer.
Just think of your situation. Perhaps you had to take Fido out for a walk in the morning and feed him, but now you can use that extra time for what you want. If you are more motivated in the mornings, you can use that extra time to meditate or pray.
Additionally, it’s the perfect time to use that extra time to get moving and exercise. More free time allows more opportunities to use your time productively.
Blessing #2: Less monthly expense
A second blessing I really did not think about until after the fact was the monthly expenses. Sure when my cats Precious and Dusty passed away, there were ongoing and final expenses. There were also extra medical expenses with Dusty’s medical checkups in her last months every other week for her blood work. However, as a pet parent going through this, I was not thinking about how these expenses impact what I want. My concern was how I can pay for XYZ to ensure Dusty got the best care.
Now that both of them have passed away, I see more money in my account every pay period. I forgot how much caring for them impacted me that way, but I sure did not mind. They were part of the family; my kids with paws.
With less expense, one has a chance to spend the extra cash responsibly and pay toward credit card bills or pay off debt. Or, if you are debt-free, you can treat yourself to a spa treatment, a movie night, or donate to a local charity.
Blessing #3: Unexpected Opportunities
One of the blessings I have discovered is re-establishing my love of art. I wrote a separate post about my love of art earlier this year. I’ve painted a number of small canvases and unexpectedly gained a following of fans. My outlet has created an opportunity to turn my hobby into profit which I never saw coming.
I have gotten a chance to explore painting and try my hand at other forms of creativity, including writing this blog. I’ve used my own personal experience with pet loss to write my thoughts, feelings, and lessons learned. This space has given me a chance to share my experiences with others in an effort to inform and provide comfort. I know I’m not alone.
I hope using this creative medium helps others to heal and realize there is another person in the world that can empathize and understand exactly what they are going through.
Blessing #4: No need for a lint roller.
Any pet owner understands this one. We all know the real-life struggle against pet hair and our clothes, especially our black clothes! This is a simple blessing but a good one.
I no longer have a need for a lint roller to remove pet hair while rushing out the door to work. I don’t have to double-check my backside in the full-length mirror to ensure it is fur-free. That is a relief and, again, ironically, one less thing to buy.
Blessing #5: I can travel for longer time periods
Before Dusty passed away, I limited any traveling I would take to a weekend getaway. I would only take an overnight or weekend escape max. Whenever I left for a short trip, I often remember leaving double everything- 2 litter boxes, 2 bowls of food, and 2 huge water bowls for my kitty as a precaution.
With Dusty and Precious gone now, I honestly forgot how to take a full vacation without having to worry about food, water, and an emergency contact person to check on my cat in case. There is no more need for that now.
I know have the ability to travel freely and have many more options when it comes to traveling. Hello, spontaneity! That is one aspect that is a silver lining in the storm. One less worry and an unexpected blessing in disguise.
Blessing #6: Helping others helped me
When my youngest cat passed away, I really took it hard. She was the sweetest, most precious cat I could have asked for. After she passed, I was depressed and let myself go. After a while, I had to take stock of my situation and decide not to stay in that dark place and find a way to honor Dusty’s memory in a positive way. I had to start to take steps to add positivity and joy to my life.
The best way I knew how to honor Dusty was to do something with animals like volunteer. It was then that I decided to use the Internet and find a volunteer opportunity with a no-kill organization called Kitty Kind. Choosing to offer help with this organization allowed me the opportunity to get out of bed and turn my pain into purpose. I regained some joy in meeting new people, seeing cute cats, exchanging stories, and learning new skills.
The ability to help animals in need gave me a new purpose and a newfound joy. It was yet another blessing.
Blessing #7: My testimony is validation for someone else
Lastly, there is a blessing in trials and tribulations after pet loss. Although we may not understand it at the moment, some good can come out of the storm. With the death of my cats, I have been able to share my story and experience with other pet parents. Through my testimony, I can provide validation and comfort for others going through the same journey.
Just know I have been there and am getting through day by day and reclaiming my joy along the way.
Please know that you can do the same.
We are on this journey called life together. I am so blessed to have been a pet parent and know one day in the future I will be again. Life isn’t the same without a furry friend to call family. The human-animal bond is not only priceless but truly a blessing that is heaven-sent.
Share your thoughts
Did this post resonate with you? What unexpected blessings happened to you after pet loss? Comment and share your thoughts.
If you enjoyed this post, check out some of my other popular posts.
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18 Comments
Michelle & The Paw Pack!
What a great way to look at the glass as half full! I have to admit, I have thought about how much more time I’d have to myself if I didn’t have my two dogs. And about how much more money I’d be able to spend on myself, or save, if it wasn’t for their expenses. My fiance and I talk about traveling, but are held back because we just don’t feel comfortable leaving our dogs behind. Life would, for sure, be different without my pets, but I wouldn’t trade them for anything! They are SO worth not being able to take a nice vacation, and the time/money spent on them.
Admin
Michelle,
Exactly! Honestly these are all things I didn’t even think about until after Dusty passed away. We as pet parents know we will sacrifice our time, money and energy willingly for the love of our pets; after all they are our family! It’s just funny how much you realize you’re life is changed in unforeseen ways after they have transitioned. Thanks for sharing your insight!
Terri
These are great awarenesses when you have lost a pet. Although, every time, I was aware of not needing a lint roller or having more time, it always made me sadder. I suppose it’s just a process for each person. It’s a matter of changing the sadness to a blessing as you said. Great way of looking at the “new” life.
Admin
Terri,
Thank you for sharing your insight!
Robin
It is amazing what you’ve been able to accomplish as a result of your love for Dusty! This blog is awesome. Your art is really touching. I think that the biggest blessing that I’ve had from the loss of my Cinco is that I was able to give Dexter a place to live. He would have been homeless if it wasn’t for me. Also, I got to see Manna bond closely with Dexter. She didn’t really have a close bond with Cinco. They tolerated each other. I think she really loves Dexter. That is a great thing to witness!
Admin
Robin,
Thanks for sharing your testimony! I think that’s one of the greatest blessings to happen after loss. Bringing a new life into your home and sharing the love with a new furry family member is what it’s all about in the end, right? As tough as loss is, I’d do it all over again. It’s just a matter of time. I look forward to sharing that moment with you all.
Beth
I know you would trade all those things for more time with Dusty, but since we can’t make that kind of change, I’m glad you found so many silver linings in the cloud that was Dusty’s passing.
Admin
Thank you Beth! So true!
Marjorie Dawson
You made me laugh! No need for a lint roller – how true this would be! We spend a lot of cat food but I am guessing we benefit a lot from having the cats round!
Admin
Marjorie,
Ha! I’m glad I made you laugh 😀 Sometimes in reflection, you see the funny moments and little blessings you never paid attention to before. Thanks for sharing your insight too!
Ruth Epstein
This list is so true but although I tried to do many of them after Baby passed my life was too empty and went after 3 months to adopt Layla. I would rather be busy with my fur kid than be alone. LOL at the lint roller, that really made me laugh
Admin
Ruth,
Ha ha! I saved some money and space not getting any more lint rollers. My Dusty was a long-haired cat and had no problem shedding. LOL And about finding Layla, I understand. No judgment. Everyone is different and copes in different ways. 🙂 Just like Baby, Layla entered your life when you needed her most.
Cathy Armato
You’re so positive Kamira, I love that about you! I’m still in the very dark place after losing my little girl Phoebe, but #6 does resonate with me. I’m not ready yet, and I still have Icy with me thank God, but I can see going back to shelter or rescue volunteering. I loved it for nearly 8 years, and that’s actually how I found Phoebe.
Admin
Cathy, Thank you so much. I appreciate you! It’s a blessing to have another pet in the home when one is gone as well. Keep loving each other. Icy needs the extra belly rubs and attention too. I’m sure they understand. Things will improve with time, I promise. Yes, going to volunteer is a great idea. It really does help in the healing journey.
Dorothy "FiveSibesMom"
Kamira, I truly do love how you put things into perspective. My family has said things like this to me, but in my grief, I have to admit I found it hurtful. Now, as time goes on and can take a step back, they only true meant it to help me and give me a different focus. As always, I love your posts. I have shared some of them and find them to be not only comforting, but also encouraging to know that pet parents share the love and grief of sharing our lives with pets whose lifespans are sadly so much shorter. With several having medical care, it is strange to find myself having time. While I would do it all over again (caring for them), it is a strange space that is no longer filled. I do find continuing to reflect and write about my time with my FiveSibes to be not only cathartic, but also allows me to relive those visits and share with others. As you said, we are all on this journey called life together. And if we can somehow help each other, all the better. xo
Admin
Dorothy,
Thank you so much! I totally understand what you mean about everything from insensitive hurtful comments to not being ready to dive back into adopting. That’s how I discovered fostering. It worked for me. I also know people who just could not bring themselves to adopt again because it was just too much. I understand. We definitely can use our experience and pain to turn it into purpose and testimony for other pet parents. Yes, we are in this together. Thank you for sharing my posts to help bring other grieving parents validation for their feelings. I appreciate you!
jana rade
Helping others, focusing on making other people’s (or dogs’) lives better always helps, doesn’t it? After my heart dog’s passing, the first thing I did was to focus on my dog support group, which became her legacy.
Admin
Jana,
Yes indeed! I’m glad you were able to turn your heart dog’s passing into a positive legacy for the future.