My cat, Dexter, had a sudden, tragic injury and had to be put to sleep.  I was devastated and stayed in bed grieving him through the second day of his passing, not able to get past the suffering he endured and losing him that way.  Some time that evening, before my husband came to bed I was lying there and felt Dexter jump on my bed and then curl up against my legs like he always used to do.  I was shocked and started to sit up.  At that moment I got the message in my head, "Everything is okay.  It will all be okay." and it came from him somehow. I instantly felt a peace and relief I hadn't since he died, and I laid back down and went to sleep feeling him against my legs.  I woke some time later and he was gone, but I still felt that peace he had given me.  After that I got out of bed and was able to go about my life, still missing him, but much better in handling it.

Was this experience difficult to express in words?            Yes

The communication is hard to describe.  I felt the words and their meaning as plain as if they were spoken, but they weren't.

Did you ONLY sense an awareness of presence of the deceased without actually seeing, hearing, feeling or smelling them?         No

Did you hear the deceased or hear something associated with the deceased?          No

Did you feel a touch or experience any physical contact from the deceased?            Yes

I felt the body of my cat curled against my legs, just like he did when he was alive.  I felt the weight and warmth.

            Was the touch familiar or unfamiliar?   Familiar, it was the way he always slept with me.

            Was anything communicated by the touch?  At that same time, I felt he was telling me he was okay.  I felt it in my mind like it was communicated to me and I remember being surprised and awed that it was happening.

            Is there any possibility what you felt was from any other source present in the surroundings at the time of your experience?  None.

Did you see the deceased?         No

Did you smell a distinct smell, scent, fragrance or odor associated with the deceased?      No

How long did the experience last?        For over a minute until I feel asleep

Was the beginning and end of the experience gradual or more sudden?         Beginning was sudden, ending was gradual because I closed my eyes and went to sleep still feeling him lying against me.

Could you sense the emotions or mood of the deceased?           Uncertain

Seemed to have kind of an authorities manner, which is strange because he was a cat, but it's like he had a kind of knowledge of things that I didn't and I knew what he was telling me was right.

Did the deceased give you information you did not previously know?  No.

How do you currently view the reality of your experience?           Experience was probably real

            Please explain why you view the reality of your experience as real or not real:           I think it was real.  I'm almost certain it wasn't a dream.  It's just hard to believe, I guess because it was a pet and I don't know why I was lucky enough to experience it.

            Was the experience dream like in any way?   Uncertain

I was groggy, but I was awake.

Describe in detail your feelings/emotions during the experience:           I was really surprised that it was happened, and thinking, "Is this really happening?" I also went from very sad, grieving to a much more comfortable feeling that it was all okay.

Was there any emotional healing in any way following the experience?           Yes

I was able to accept and move on.

What was the best and worst part of your experience?      Best was the feeling of comfort and peace that I was given. Worst was that I didn't stay awake and communicate more with him.  I just relaxed and drifted off to sleep while he was still lying there.

Has your life changed specifically as a result of your experience?         No      

Did you have any changes of attitudes or beliefs following the experience?   No       Did the experience give you any spiritual understandings such as life, death, afterlife, God, etc.?  Uncertain            I worry that I will never again see my pets after death, and this experience helps me believe that they go on too.

Death Compacts are when two or more living people promise among themselves that whoever dies first will try to contact the other(s).  Have you ever made such a compact?        No

Did you observe or hear anything regarding people or events during your experience that could be verified later?          No
What emotions did you feel during the experience?            Peace, and the realization that everything was okay.  I was still sad I lost Dexter, but the experience released me from the severe grief I was feeling.

Was the experience witnessed or experienced by others?           No

Did you have any sense of altered space or time?   No

Did you have a sense of knowing, special knowledge, universal order and/or purpose?    No

Did you become aware of future events?       No

Did you have any psychic, paranormal or other special gifts following the experience that you did not have prior to the experience?         No

Did you experience a separation of your consciousness from your body?     No

Did you meet or see any other beings other than the deceased?            No

Did you see a light?           No

Did any part of your experience seem to occur in a place other than the location described above?            No

Have you shared this experience with others?        

Yes     My husband and a friend.  My husband thinks I dreamed it.  My friend acted like she believed me, but I'm not sure she doesn't think I dreamed it too.

Have you shared this experience formally or informally with any other researcher or web site?   No

 Is there anything else you would like to add regarding your experience?       I wonder why I didn't look to see him and I wonder why I laid back down and closed my eyes while he was there.

Were there any associated medications or substances with the potential to affect the experience?            No

Following the experience, have you had any other events in your life, medications or substances which reproduced any part of the experience?         No 

Did you ever in your life have a near-death experience, out of body experience or other spiritual event?           Yes 

Sort of an out of body experience when I was given nitrous oxide during oral surgery.  I saw strange colors and shapes and felt like I whooshed back into my body 2 times during the surgery even though I didn't feel like I was out of it until I whooshed back in. It was weird and scary.  I will not have nitrous oxide again!

Did the questions asked and information you provided accurately and comprehensively describe your experience?               Yes