Hi Jordyn. I am so sorry for your loss.
We lost our Siamese mix boy, Lyndon, on Sunday,May 5 of this year and I had the same question. My husband and I had both read some of the Bible and we go to church occasionaly but had no idea where to find an answer to our ?, so we got on the Internet.
Here are some websites that might help you and a brief summary:
www.all-creatures.org/ca/ark-186soul
www.all-creatures.org/murti/tsnhold-08
*Genesis 1:21-24 God creates living creatures. "And God said, Let the waters swarm with the swarmers having a soul of life".
"God created the great sea animals and all that creeps having a living soul."
*In 1990 Pope John Paul II says that "also the animals possess a soul and men must love and feel solidarity with our smaller brethren" and that animals are "fruit of the Creative Action of the Holy Spirit and merit respect" and are "as near as God as men are". He used several Bible verses and explains about different translations to back his view up. One is Psalm 104 "Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled; thou takest away their breath, they die and return to their dust. Thou sends forth thy spirit, they are Created and thou renewest the face of the Earth." The Pope says that Genesis 7:15-22 talks about how "God breathed life into them (animals) just like man" and that the Divine Spark of life means they also have souls.
*Ecclesiastes 3:19-20. "They all draw the same breath...all come from the dust and to dust all returns." The next verse that follows asks "Who knows if spirit of man goes upward and the spirit of the beast goes downward?" and Ecc.12:7 states "The spirit shall return unto God, who was the giver of thy spirt".
I think basically, the question is do animals have souls, bc if they do , they can go to Heaven. From what I have read and believe in my heart, yes animals DO have souls and since all animals are innocent of sin, they go to Heaven.
I believe in the "Rainbow Bridge" and that all our lost pets are waiting on us in Heaven. I am sorry that this is so long, but I remember how upset we were (and still are) when we lost Lyndon and wanted answers.
We buriend our boy at our private family cemetary and decorated his grave with wild flowers, a wooden cross until we get his sandstone grave marker, and some plastic containers with Jesus and Angels on them with flowers. :Lyndon was our favorite cat ,even tho we have 3 other ones. He "talked" to you and loved everyone, even the dogs. He had a 1-in-a-million freak fall off the entertainment center we have stored in our spare bedroom. The floors are unfortunately hard wood and he broke his little neck. My husband tried CPR and we called the vet, but it was too late.
He looked so peaceful and the accident was so weird, that I truly believe it was just his time. He was only 2 and a half y.o. We believe that God sent an Angel down from Heaven to bring him Home. A couple of nights after his death, we were talking about missing him, wondering if he was in Heaven,etc. My husband made the comment that he could still "feel" Lyndon in our home. Right as he said it, our lights flickered off, then back on. It was not raining, we dont have a short,etc. I think it was a sign saying he loved us, was safe, and acknowledging our grief. Maybe we're crazy but thats what we think. We have felt more peaceful since then.
We both still cry over him. I cried daily for a week. I am crying now writing this. Like I said, hope those websites help you to believe that animals have souls and go to Heaven. It is kinda hard to understand all of it, but explanations are given for the passages. Another place you might check out is "The Loving Ones" at www. bonfires.da/The Loving Ones. A guy on here told me about it and it is awesome. It is a story that an Angel Lady tells to a little kitten that has just passed over about humans and our love of animals.
Please accept our sympathy and know that you are not alone. The pain will never go away all the way and no cat will ever replace Simba, but time does lessen the pain. We are thankful to still have our other cats and our 2 dogs.
Brandi and Cody