Book Review – In Heaven Kittens Play by Nick Sacco
Author & Radio Host, Nick Sacco
I recently had the distinct honor and pleasure of being a guest on Pet Talk Radio with host, Nick Sacco, to talk about all things Zee and Zoey related. This former Marine and police motorcycle officer might appear gruff on the surface – he has the look of someone who could stop trouble in its tracks, but one quickly learns that Nick is a kind and gentle soul with an endless supply of love, compassion, and support for all creatures, but, in particular, for cats.
In that regard, he has written a book called In Heaven Kittens Play that, through his own personal experiences with what he calls the “Blue Angel and Her Garden of Pets,” details why he believes the loss of a pet through death is not the end, but only the beginning for them. Many of us are already familiar with the term “The Rainbow Bridge” – that place just before heaven where your pet goes and waits for you, until you too pass one day, and then you can cross the bridge together on to heaven. The Rainbow Bridge is a beautiful place filled with wondrous gardens, plenty of food, and health is renewed to full vigor.
For Nick, The Blue Angel is his own personal pet guardian that comes to him in visions and greets each animal in Nick’s life that has passed on. Nick has been privileged to witnessing these creatures, many old, many sickly, transformed before his very eyes to beautiful creatures, beaming with health and radiance as the Angel takes them to the Rainbow Bridge. He retells these visions with vivid detail and while each passing is unique, the commonality is the joy and happiness that these animals experience with the Blue Angel.
While we all may have different views on the afterlife and religion, I think as pet lovers, we would at least agree that given the choice, we would want our pets to move on in peace and comfort to a happy, joyful, and welcoming place. I think this is especially true for the millions of animals that are abandoned each and every year without a loving forever home. Where do they go when they pass? Thankfully, Nick feels that they too, are finally given the love and friendships they so deserve as they live with the Blue Angel and Her Garden of Pets.
What makes this book so special is that Nick writes with a lot of heart, warmth, humor, and realism that readers are quick to identify with. He is not looking to teach us lessons or to judge us as people. He is just offering comfort to us in the knowledge he has found, that not only do our pets go on to a beautiful and happy place, but they will be waiting for us, when we too cross over one day. You will be certain to both laugh and cry as you read this book as his stories about the individual animals in his life tug at your heartstrings.
Thumper was one of the many rescue cats in Nick's life that was blessed to find a wonderful forever home.
For me, the most incredible part of the story was the strength of Nick himself and the respect and integrity he has for animals. He and his now passed wife had been caretakers to all those creatures, broken and neglected, often left in dumpsters or on the side of a road to die. He always took them in, hopeful to mend them to recovery and a new forever home. But, more times than not, these creatures were not to make it and when he knew it was their time to pass on, he would cradle them in a warm blanket and let them sleep with him, at least secure and content in his arms until the Blue Angel would come to him in a vision and take the animal to her special garden for a new home, filled with love and renewed health.
This is a very quick book to read and is an ideal gift for someone who may have recently lost a pet, or may, unfortunately, be tasked with the sadness of letting a pet go one day soon. To buy this book and learn more about Nick, please visit his website at: http://www.nicksacco.com/index.html
“Heaven goes by favor. If it went by merit, you would stay out and your cat would go in.”
(Apologies to Mark Twain – his original quote referred to a dog).
I’m looking forward to reading Nick’s book, it sounds comforting, reassuring and insightful. How sad that we live so many human years and yet our feline companions can only accompany us for a mere fifteen percent of It, if we are so fortunate. It truly is a fearful thing to love what death can touch, but life is not fully lived without the love, joy and companionship a cat can bestow upon you. No heaven will not ever heaven be, unless my cats are there to welcome me.
What a beautiful comment Dan…. another sentiment that has touched my heart and brought me to tears… Much as it is a subject I prefer to block out, knowing that one day we will all be unitied and cross that Rainbow Bridge together is quite comforting and welcoming indeed…
This sounds like a wonderful book – it’s going on my TBR list! Thank you for this great review.
Dan’s comment made me cry – it’s beautiful!
Dan’s comment made me cry too, Ingrid! You and I well know how hard it can be to open our hearts to a pet, only to know one day they will leave us. But, it is always worth it in my opinion. The love and lessons they teach us, however long or short a time they are with us, far outweighs any pain that can be caused.
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This is a difficult one for me, as being a Christian (though not the usual kind i.e. Catholic or Protestant!) I believe animals have souls, but not spirits. What happens to them after they die, I couldn’t hazard a comment, but trust God that He is in control of the destiny of all living creatures.
I hope that doesn’t upset you, Deb (or Dan)? We are all so different. It’s what makes us interesting lol xx
Caro – your comments do not upset me at all. In many ways, this was a very difficult review to do, because the subject of death and the afterlife is very unique and personal to all of us. Becasue we do not have concrete evidence of the unknown, we can only be subjective in our thoughts and these subjects can cause heated debates around the world! I honestly don’t know one way or another what happens, and quite frankly, the subject does scare me. I can only hope that there is a wonderful place for all of us in the afterlife, but that is something I cannot be the judge of! xoxo
CATachresis, nothing upsetting at all. None of us TRULY has this infinite knowledge as ABSOLUTE fact.
You raised an interesting point: “animals have souls, but not spirits” — is there a difference? That’s the first time I’ve ever heard that stated. I had always considered both one in the same.
Personally, I believe that when we ultimately depart this world, the only thing we take with us is that which is found within the heart. In my humble opinion, I think the beliefs set forth within world religions regarding an afterlife are simple explanations to something that is incomprehensible to the human mind. Sort of like trying to define and visualize infinity. 😉
You guys are great and are obviously thinkers. I agree, we cannot know anything for certain. Defining and visualizing infinity would make my head burst. Re: soul and spirit. My take is that the soul comprises thinking and emotions; feelings etc. The spirit is the part that goes on after death and in humans that includes the soul, but not in animals. I hasten to say that I am not being didactic. In this relativistic age in which we live, there are lots of opinions 😉 We can only live according to the light we have. xox
Hi Nick…
I bought your book years ago. Did just read it last week. I rescued a cat to mostly cheer up my husband.
He’s going through a hard time adjusting to his new pumps for his type one diabetes at age 60. But
loves cats. Have you heard of Cat Connection? Anyway, we have two bassets and already two cats.
And the dogs got ahold of him with their prey instinct, I guess. They cornered him on the window sill
when he was enjoying watching the birds. My husband named him Leo and told him he will make him
a strong lion. It was very sad because he did not make it… Just happened to go to Cat Connection because
I love garage sales and I stopped and there was Leo. Stole my heart. So I am now reading your book.
And am finding comfort. Thank you. Kim
And I first thought this was Nick Sacco from Daniel Simone summer Smash hit The Peirre Hotel Affair with an amazing story. And I thought that this was not that Nick Sacco for sure now because he was a tough guy and the person responsible is a Comfort and he was working with an Albanian guy buy the name of Nalo Sammy. And they started pulling off heists for the Lucasese Crime Familiy . Fantastic Heist over 3 million dollars was taken in jewels and more because there was safe deposit boxes filled with New Year’s Eve jewelry . Mr Comfort & Sammy Nalo pulled off a perfect heist and got away is the most important criminal fact until they all got caught. Someone talked. And Ratted out the crew of thieves, Mr Comfort was from upstate. NY . Daniel Simone has the latest version of this Amazing story .