Cats Grieve, According to Study

Lisa Selvaggio
by Lisa Selvaggio

Pet parents know how difficult it is to lose a companion, but some people are unsure of whether cats grieve like people do when another pet dies. A recent study has revealed that, yes, cats do grieve. Keep reading to learn about how the study was conducted and what the researchers discovered.

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A Study on Grief in Cats


The goal of this research was to figure out if cats grieve the loss of fellow cats or dogs in the family. Experts surveyed more than 400 cat parents to learn about their relationship with their deceased pet, their surviving cat’s relationship with the deceased pet, and changes in their cat’s behavior that occurred after a pet died. What they found was that cats grieve, and there are factors that influence how much they grieve the loss of a companion.


Surviving cats experienced fearfulness and grief-like behaviors, especially if they had spent a lot of time with the companion they lost. Changes in behavior, such as eating less, playing less, and sleeping less, were seen in cats that had a positive relationship with the deceased. And if a surviving kitty lived a long time with their deceased companion, they were likely to seek out more attention from their humans and other pets in the household. Other behaviors that were seen in cats following the death of a companion included sleeping more, hiding, looking for their deceased friend, and spending time alone.


What’s also interesting is that people with stronger attachments to their pets were more likely to notice signs of grief in their surviving pet, so the researchers question whether pet parents might be projecting their own emotions onto their cats.


Consider Your Cat’s Emotions After the Death of a Pet


Kitties can experience a range of emotions that some people might not believe they’re capable of experiencing, including grief after the death of another pet. In fact, cats exhibited changes in behavior that are similar to those that dogs exhibit after a death.


Cats are social animals who form strong bonds with the people and pets they live with, and they can experience grief just like humans do when a pet dies. Understanding this could help cat parents ensure their kitties move through their grief and heal alongside their family members.


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Lisa Selvaggio
Lisa Selvaggio

Lisa Selvaggio is a freelance writer and editor, and our resident cats-pert, with certifications in pet nutrition and pet first aid. She enjoys producing content that helps people understand animals better so they can give their pets a safe and happy home.

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