By pure energy I mean energy that is not limited by thoughts, mind, assumptions, stereotypes, will, purpose, a concept of future or past - just life itself with no borders and limitations at all, in which what we feel is the immediate reality. That, in my view, is the language of animals. :)

The bodies you felt might as well have been cats if you have good relationships with them. Cats are very strong at astral projection - that's what they do all the time when it seems that they are napping or sleeping. :) Living is a physical body does not hold them back from living a very spiritual life, so, if they like a person or are just traveling around, they enjoy visiting and observing places and beings, and often continue doing it after their physical body dies. It doesn't mean that much to them as it does to us.