Last year, within a short period of time after coming home from seeing the fireworks in my town, my cat, Otis, passed away in front of my family and me. It was extremely painful to see, but I was thankful that we were able to hug him one more time and say goodbye. He was such a kind and loving cat, and we still miss him so much! However, I’m so blessed that I am still able to feel him whenever he comes around to let me know he is okay.

Because I’m a psychic medium, I am often asked if animals continue to exist after they die, and if they are able to come through. The answer is always a definite “yes!” These wonderful creatures actually stay around their owners for a long time after their crossing. And according to those who have had “near-death-experiences,” pets often were among the first to greet them after they left their bodies.

I have had many experiences of receiving messages from animals; many times the animals actually give me their names and even show me their favorite activities and toys. When I first started getting these messages, I was surprised at what I was receiving because, after all, animals do not normally “speak” to us in the same way humans do. However, these experiences showed me that pets are much more aware than we realize of what went on in their lives and are anxious and able to communicate with their owners after they have left their bodies. They want their owners to know they are still with them and love them very much.

Losing a pet is so much more painful than most realize. Often those who do not like animals or do not have a pet cannot understand how we can grieve so much for them. They do not realize that animals were very much a part of our family, and were – and still are manifestations of complete unconditional love!

Please know that their beautiful souls continue to exist after their physical bodies have died. They often even come around us to let us know they are okay and can still be with us. After all, heaven would not be heaven if they couldn’t still be a part of our lives!

Just make sure to look for signs from your beloved pet. Ask him or her to come to you in a dream and to wake you up after the dream so that you remember it. Remember, your pet is no longer suffering and is totally free and at peace now. He or she is okay, and would want you to be okay too!

Karen Noé is a renowned NJ based psychic medium, spiritual counselor, and healer with a two-year waiting list. She is the author of The Rainbow Follows the Storm: How to Obtain Inner Peace by Connecting with Angels and Deceased Loved Ones and Through the Eyes of Another: A Medium’s Guide to Creating Heaven on Earth by Encountering Your Life Review Now. She is the founder of the Angel Quest Center in Ramsey, NJ where she teaches classes, gives readings, and practices alternative healing. You can listen to Karen on The Angel Quest Radio Show by tuning to www.wrcr.com on the first Saturday of every month at 1:05pm EST. Please visit Karen’s website.