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Do animals have souls?
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A priest in white and gold robes blesses a ginger cat perched on a person's shoulder during the San Anton animal blessing at a church in Madrid. Intricately cut and painted mizrah by Israel Dov Rosenbaum, featuring a central architectural motif, lions, birds, floral patterns, and Hebrew inscriptions in each corner. A decorative dove in a synagogue or church A priest in white vestments sprinkles holy water to bless a small dog held by a woman in a pink sling, surrounded by people outside a church in Mexico City. A girl in a pink dress sits on the ground creating a colorful rangoli pattern with powders to celebrate the Pongal festival in Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu, India. A Nepali woman kneels to feed and honor a cow adorned with marigold garlands and red powder during the Tihar festival rituals in Lalitpur, Nepal. Monks in orange and brown robes stand on a boat, releasing a fish from a green basket into the sea as part of a ritual, with green hills visible in the background. A woman helps a child release fish into Victoria Harbour from a net, joined by others along the waterfront as part of a Buddhist practice in Hong Kong. Jain nuns wearing masks to avoid accidental ingestion of small insects Digambara Jain monk seated nude on a mat beside a low reading stand and peacock-feather whisk in Shravanabelagola, India.
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A priest in white and gold robes blesses a ginger cat perched on a person's shoulder during the San Anton animal blessing at a church in Madrid.
Animal blessing A priest blessing a cat on the feast day of St. Anthony of Egypt, a patron saint of animals, on January 17, 2026, at the Church of San Antón in Madrid.

Do animals have souls?

Written by
Charles Preston
Charles Preston is Associate Editor for Religion at Encyclopædia Britannica.
Charles Preston
Fact-checked by
Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
Britannica Editors
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•History

The question of whether animals have souls can be deeply meaningful and also vexing. It might be pondered, for example, by people who love pets, consider the ethics of eating meat, or worry about the biosphere. The matter becomes complicated when we interrogate the words and categories. The word animal comes from the Latin word anima, meaning “soul.” Biologically, human beings are animals. The soul is a religious and philosophical idea. Different religions have varying...

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