Nepal is both the birthplace of Buddha and the last Hindu kingdom, so both religions are practised. Eye hears from a friend in New York about the death of her cat, and the sympathetic email she received from a Buddhist friend in Nepal. It reads:
'Sorry to hear about your cat. But this is the way of life. She have had a very good life with you. You made her sleep rather than a painful death because you do not want her to suffer. Long time ago I have done the same to my German shepherd (huge dog). He suffered from the disease with water in the lung. Within days I called vet doc and consulted with him. I do not want to see the dog suffering. He suggested an injection which made the dog sleep within a second.

'I gave him a nice little cremation with the participation of Suchitra, Tamsha and Situ [his daughters], they were very little. They still remember the cremation site on the river near my house. We offered him cloth, coins, uncooked rice and a packet of salt. Except salt, other items were for the eternal journey. Salt is meant for the quick decaying of the body.

'When we walk by that side of the river, we remember the dog. It is believed that animal life is the last life before being reborn as human being (the best of life one achieved after doing many good deeds in the past lifes). So may God bless your cat.'

Eye can’t think of a more consoling message after a loss.