When a family member or a beloved pet dies, naturally the remaining members of the household will go through a grieving process as you all try to deal with your loss. But do cats grieve too? Whether it’s the loss of a feline or human companion, or even another pet, such as the family dog, you may notice a change in your cat’s behaviour that may be attributable to grief.
Do Cats Grieve?
Cats may not process their grief in the same way we do as humans, but you’ll often notice changes in the behaviour of a cat after the death of someone in the household, whether feline, canine or human. When someone who was a part of your cat’s life is suddenly gone, your cat will have to adjust to this and any changes in his normal routine. For example, your cat will have to accept that someone else will feed him from now on, or that he’ll have to eat alone instead of alongside another family pet.
How Can I Tell if My Cat is Grieving?
There are a number of ways that cats exhibit grief, and the most common is that they seem to search for their lost companion. You may find your cat appears to be looking everywhere, and could even call out for them, and this can be very distressing to pet parents. Naturally your cat won’t understand why his companion has disappeared, and unfortunately you can’t explain to him why they’re not around anymore. Your cat may also show symptoms of anxiety and depression, such as a loss of appetite, lethargy, hiding, excessive grooming, or inappropriate toileting.
An ASPCA study of grief in animals showed that 65% of cats exhibited four or more behavioural changes after losing a pet companion. 46% of cats ate less than usual after the death of a companion cat, 70% showed a change in vocalization pattern (they meowed significantly more often, or significantly less, than normal), over 50% became more affectionate and “clingy” with their owners, and many of the cats slept more and changed their sleeping location.
How Can I Help my Grieving Cat?
- If your cat is grieving, he’ll need extra love and attention to reassure him that despite the change in your household, you’re still there for him.
- It’s also important to try to keep your cat’s daily routines such as feeding and playtime as close to normal as possible.
- A plug-in feline pheromone diffuser often helps to calm and reassure cats that are stressed, so it’s always worth trying to see if it helps your cat through the grieving process.
- If your cat is an outdoor cat, consider preventing access to the outside world for a period of time in case he wanders too far away looking for his lost companion.
- In severe cases of grief, some cats will stop eating completely. In this case, you’ll need to see your vet for advice and perhaps medication to help encourage him to eat.
- Although you may think that getting another cat straight away will provide companionship for your cat, it’s not necessarily a good idea until after your cat has gone through the grieving process. Introducing a new pet at such a delicate time may cause territorial issues and confusion for both your existing cat and any new family member.
Just like us humans, all cats are different, and we all grieve differently. Your cat may not show any signs of grief at all, and this isn’t a bad thing. In fact, after the loss of a companion cat, you may notice your remaining cat actually starts to display more dominant behaviour because the dynamics of the household have changed and now he can.
Have you had a cat who has grieved the loss of a companion? What signs of grief did they display and how did you help them cope?
Image: Irita Kirsbluma via Flickr
What a research study on pet loss from the book I’m writing corroborates that pets do grieve for humans and their own or other species. The range of feelings and duration of grieving varies though. It’s good to discuss and share all the emotions of loss.
Cats absolutely do grieve. A pair of cats at our local rescue just passed within a week of each other, and we truly believe the grief contributed largely to the second one’s passing. They were about 11 years old, litter mates, and had never been apart. 🙁
Totally true ! When Angel Céleste disappeared, Angel Loupi came with us to search her by foot in locations he usually never went ; and when Angel Loupi died, Zorro went to search him in Loupi’s territory, where he usually never dared to go. Purrs
This is the first time I’ve had more than one cat at a time and fortunately, they haven’t experienced any losses yet. Thanks for your helpful advice.
This is absolutely true. Zoey was so very much attached to my husband, Vic and when he passed away (Sept 2012) her grieving was very apparent, not just in the early days and weeks, but for several months. She wandered to all the places they shared together and would stay there for long periods of time. She seemed to search for him often. I believe there was a real sadness in her eyes, and a mood I could not always comfort. In time, it did pass and she began to accept the new world around her, but it was a very difficult time for her, and of course, added to my own loss and pain at the time.
Its a good article. Not enough people give animals credit for their feelings. I had a shelter in SA, a brother and sister were given up (moving!) one of the volunteers let the sister out by mistake. Her brother literally committed suicide. He would not eat, drink or talk. We gave him fluids, force fed him and spent extra time with him. He died anyway. He was heartbroken. This was 30 years ago. He broke my heart too. His name was Fridge. The ex owner said he was a cool cat.