Signs That Your Cat is Grieving & How You Can Help

How can we help?

There are a number of things you can do to help a grieving cat to overcome the loss. Minimizing change gives the cat time to come to terms with the loss of a companion cat. Keep the cat 's routine the same. Changes in feeding times or even simply moving furniture around can cause further stress. A grieving cat may go off its food. A cat that goes off its food for several days is in danger of a potentially fatal liver disease called hepatic lipidosis. Encourage eating by warming food slightly or putting water or meat juice or it. Sit with your cat during meal times to provide reassurance. Don't be tempted to change diets to stimulate appetite as this may cause digestive upsets. If the cat does not eat for three days seek veterinary advice.

Quality time

Spend more time with the cat grooming, stroking and playing. This will give a positive feel to any changes in the house that the cat senses. Don't attempt to replace a lost cat immediately. While your remaining cat may be missing a long term companion, she is unlikely to welcome a stranger when she is still unsettled about the loss. A new cat at this time simply provides an extra source of stress. Like many species, time spent sniffing and nuzzling the dead body of their companion may be a necessary part of the grieving process. It can therefore be helpful to bring the body of a euthanized cat home rather than have it cremated at the vet's. Whenever dramatic changes in behavior occur, the cat should always be checked by a vet for any underlying physical problem. Unresolved behavioral problems can be referred onto animal behaviorists.

Pet loss support

Helping your cat to overcome grief can be especially difficult if you are having trouble coming to terms with the loss of your cat yourself. Sometimes it helps to share your feelings with someone who knows from personal experience just how distressing the loss of a pet can be. The Pet Bereavement Support Service is a confidential telephone helpline that offers such support through a national network of trained volunteer Telephone Befrienders. The Helpline is run by two charities, The Blue Cross and The Society for Companion Animal Studies. The Helpline is open daily 8.30am to 5.30pm with an answer phone outside these hours.
To make contact, call the, free phone number: 0800 096 6606
A co-ordinator will give you details of the nearest Telephone Befriender. Ref: Feline Advisory Board - www.fabcats.org