What Does God Teach Us through Our Pets?
Our pets are our family members. We play with them, cuddle with them, and take care of them. As any pet parent will tell you, it's an honor to provide for the creatures God has put in our care. By putting them in our care, God is also teaching us things through our pets. Lessons of unconditional love, loyalty, compassion, and empathy. Here are some lessons we can learn from our pets. I'll be sharing several stories about my own pets, past and present, as well.
Unconditional Love: Reflecting God's Affection
Like God loves us unconditionally, so do our pets. We are their world and they love us no matter what. It doesn't matter if we've had a good day or a bad day, or what our mood is, they love us.
My cat Carlton used to sleep between my husband and me with his face towards my pillow and his tail draped over my husband's neck. Our other cat, Colin, used to sleep between us with his back to my husband and his paws stretched out against my back. He always had to be touching one or both of us.
Our cat Cupcake sleeps on my husband's side of the bed until he gets in, and then he sleeps on his stomach most of the night. These are the ways our cats have shown their love for us over the years. Sweet and unconditional, always.
Loyalty and Faithfulness: Lessons from Our Companions
Dogs are extremely loyal and faithful animals. They have a profound bond with their owners and reflect the nature of God in being this way. A good scripture to help reference this is Proverbs 17:17.
"A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in times of need." (Proverbs 17:17, NLT)
Loyalty to God: A Reflection of God's Character
A dog's loyalty can remind us of the loyalty and faithfulness we should have to God on our spiritual journey. Joshua 24:15, NLT says: "But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today who you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestor served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord."
Obedience: How Our Pets Teach Us to Mirror God
Dogs are obedient to their owners, following their commands and showing their trust and faithfulness. We should do the same with our relationship with the Lord. When dogs obey their masters, everyone lives a happy life. We should do the same by obeying God.
John 14:15 NLT says, "If you love me, obey my commandments."
We feel this way with our dogs obeying our commands like God feels this way with us.
The Power of Presence: Finding Peace in Their Company
Another thing our pets teach us is the power of presence. When they are with us, it's all about us. They don't get distracted by social media, the TV, or their phones. The most they get distracted by is a critter outside the window, having to go out to take care of business, or a noise they don't recognize.
Every night when I go to bed, our cat Cupcake joins me not long after. She lies down on my husband's side of the bed, and I stroke her face until I fall asleep. It's a simple part of my day, but it's also my favorite part: being able to relax and spend time with my sweet girl.
Joy in Simple Moments: A Divine Reminder
The simple moments in our lives are when we remember how much God and our pets love us. When we receive an answered prayer. Thanking God for waking us up in the morning. A sign in nature of his love for us.
The moments with our pets don't have to be profound, either, to find joy in the little moments. Cuddling on the couch with your dog. Playing with your cat. Watching your rabbit hop around in their playpen. All these simple moments bring such joy.
This morning I got up to feed Cupcake, and she was watching me from her perch on her cat tree. As soon as I put her bowl down, she jumped down, trotted past me, and gave me a cute little 'thank you' meow, reminding me how much I love being her mom.
Compassion and Empathy: Understanding through Animal Connections
Just like God has compassion and empathy for us when things go wrong, so do our pets. I learned this from our cat, Sophie. Technically, she was my mom's cat, but I helped take care of her and pay half her vet bills.
In 2008, I wound up having to have surgery for a herniated disc in my back and was off work for six months. One day post-surgery, I was getting stressed out about things and totally lost it. I was supposed to be up and around using my walker, so I started taking laps around our kitchen table, crying. Sophie followed me with her own little pathetic meow, which made me cry harder. I could tell by the way she meowed that she felt my pain deeply, showing her empathy.
Most people think cats are aloof and don't care about their owners, but that isn't entirely true. Sure, some cats are aloof. Overall, they are independent, but they also need social interaction. Sophie stayed with me throughout my recovery. Sleeping on the couch across from me, on the arm of my recliner, or in my lap. She was by my side before my surgery, always keeping a watchful eye. Her expression of deep empathy touched my heart and still brings me to tears to this day. Sadly, we lost her to chronic kidney disease several years later.
Playfulness and Joy: Embracing God's Lightheartedness
Animals and kids embrace playfulness and joy like no other creature on earth. They will run and do silly things and not care what anybody thinks. Animals don't think like us, but you get the point. They enjoy themselves with no bounds.
When I was a kid, I had a boxer dog named Scuffy, and she loved to run and play. We lived along a highway in Pennsylvania and had an enormous field out back for her to run in, and she loved it.
She would run all over the place, follow my grandfather on the tractor, and pull me in the snow by the rope of my saucer. Scuffy loved to suck snow up her nose and blow it out, and in the winter, she would go 'ice skating' with the frozen water from the cat's dishes.
We had two outside cats that lived in a well-insulated pen and when the water in their bowl would freeze in the winter, we would give it to Scuffy and she would put both of her front paws on it and 'skate' around the yard.
Watching our animals play is a reminder for us to get back to our inner child and take up something we used to love when we were young. Adulting doesn't always have to be serious. Engaging in something we used to love can bring us great joy and reduce stress.
Stewardship and Responsibility: Caring for God's Creatures
Animals can teach us a lot about stewardship and responsibility. Stray cats have to learn how to fend for themselves and handle their own survival.
Feral mama cats have to do everything for themselves and their kittens. Find safe places to be, keep an eye out for predators, hunt for food, etc.
When a female lion gives birth, the other females in their colony will go out and hunt for food and bring it back for her and her cubs. This is a great example of stewarding what you have.
Therefore, we should take great pride in our responsibility of providing for our pets. They look to us for everything and we should make their lives as happy, healthy, and enriching as possible.
Patience and Forgiveness: The Surprising Wisdom of Pets
Animals are very forgiving and can overlook things easily.
For example, have you ever watched a dog or cat with a baby or toddler that does something they don't like? Most of the time, they don't snap, bite, hiss, or scratch. Some may, but overall they tolerate it. God has put this instinct in them. They somehow know this is a baby and they aren't being mean. Just like their own kittens or puppies may do something they don't like, but tolerate it anyway.
When we moved from Pennsylvania to Illinois to live with my aunt and uncle, my youngest cousin was three years old. One day, I went out to the kitchen, and he had his hands on the back of Sinead, one of my aunt's cats, to keep his balance as he stood up. She just stood there and let him do it, all the while giving me a look of 'help'. My point is, she somehow knew he wasn't trying to hurt her, so she just took it.
Sometimes I've accidentally stepped on the tail or paw of one of my cats. My cat Colin used to get under my feet in the kitchen all the time. I would tell him how sorry I was, and minutes later, he would be back, head-butting me and winding his way through my legs, showing me his forgiveness.
Our pets aren't only our faithful companions; they can also teach us a lot about life, love, and happiness.
Originally published July 17, 2025.
