5 Ways To Help Your Pet Get Through the Grieving Process
Mommy why duz it have to get cold outside? Why duzn’t da sun always shine? Why don’t all kitties have a home? Mommy, why do our furiends have to die? And why duz me feel so sad when they do?
Oh Dezi you sure are full of questions today aren’t ya’? Honey, I don’t know why our friends have to die. I mean, I know that death is part of life, and the Bible says that it’s appointed unto man but once to die. (Hebrews 9:27) And that means all creatures who live on this planet, including our friends baby. Sometimes they just get old and their body gets tired and just can’t go on. And sometimes they get sick and there is no cure for what they have. And sometimes as awful as it is there are accidents that take our friends way before their time. Us humans have control over a lot of things, but only God controls life and death. God allows us all a chance to live and find happiness like we have with each other; until the day He calls us back to heaven. Our friends in heaven are no longer sick or old or in pain. As much as we loved them and wanted them to be a part of our lives forever, they are in a far better place now. The sads we are left with are called grief honey.
Grief comes in stages and no one can escape going through them. For humans the five stages of grief are:
- 1. Denial
- 2. Anger
- 3. Bargaining
- 4. Depression
- 5. Acceptance
But animals grieve as well and we, your care takers should be sensitive to that. When an animal bonds with another animal or human, they grieve the loss of that animal or human. Grief in animals can be harder to spot because often the changes are subtle and can range in severity. Some of those changes are:
- 1. Appetite (eating less or not at all)
- 2. Becoming more or less vocal
- 3. Appear lost or confused
- 4. Wandering in an attempt to find their lost companion
- 5. Change in sleep patterns (sleeping more or less)
- 6. Spending more time with a toy or item used/favorited by their lost companion (clothing, blanket, bedding, etc.)
- 7. Becoming more clingy to remaining household members
- 8. Acting Out
These are just a few symptoms of grief in animals. As humans we must pick up on these subtle changes and do what we can to help you get through the grieving process. A few ways we can help are:
- 1. Let survivors view the body of their lost loved one. ( funerals are for the living. A last chance to say goodbye and accept the finality of a loved ones’ passing.)
- 2. Spend extra quality time with the surviving pet(s). Grooming, longer walks and more playtime are just a few ways to spend that extra time.
- 3. Maintain your routine as closely as possible.
- 4. Maintain discipline for those pets that act out.
- 5. Depending on the severity of grief, adding a new animal to the household might be more stressful. Know your pets, you will be the best judge of when it’s time to bring home a new furry friend.
Although you can’t speed up the grieving process, remember that cat’s shouldn’t go without food for more than 24 hours before it starts affecting their health. And if this process drags on, a trip to the vet might be called for to make sure there’s nothing physically wrong. Animals, just like humans will get through it. God has given us all the capacity to love, accept loss and love again. And also remember your anipals pick up on their humans’ emotions.
Fank you mommy fur takin’ da time to explain what meez sads are and how to help us anipals get fru it. Me hopes this will help meez furiends too. We have lost so many furiends this year and it’s still January. Me wants it to stop, but at least now me knows dat they are goin’ to a better place and dat me can get over da sads. Weez joinin’ Rascal and Rocco fur da Pet Parade and tomorrow weez’ll be sharin’ meez Carwood Derby entry fur Cat Scouts. Weez changin’ da day we share our adoptable furiends so stay tuned.
Do you know any other ways to help you or your pets get through the grieving process?
Till da next time…………………………………….Be Blest!!!
Service Cats U.S. 
What a lovely post, girls, with lovely pictures of you two. It’s so sad that animals grieve because we can’t explain things to them or talk through it. You’re so right about the stages of grief and not being able to avoid it as much as we would like to. Thanks for sharing.
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Excellent post, it is so important to realize that our cats grieve too. Sadly, I have seen this too much lately. XO
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Yes awnty Ellen we know. We like mommy wish there was sumfin’ we kuld do. But dat’s da fing ’bout grief, there’s not a whole lot you can do to help it. You just have to let it run it’s course. Weez sendin’ purrayers.
Luv ya’
Dezi and Lexi
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Thank you for this! Working at a vet clinic I frequently get questions about other cats grieving the loss of their friend/sibling. A friend of mine is going through this right now after the loss of one cat, the other cat wouldn’t leave her side. I think he is still clinging to her.
In my own life, I was lucky enough that when Sam (the first of three cats to go) died, he did so unexpectedly at home. His brother and sister were able to see and sniff his body. I truly feel this made all the difference for them. It was heartbreaking and comforting at the same time.
I think it is also important to note that you can see signs of grieving and/or adjustment even if the cats weren’t close. Sneakers was confused when the other two cats died, even though they weren’t as close as he would have liked. It is also important to watch for changes in the shifting dynamic if there are multiple cats at home. Even if the kitty who died wasn’t alpha, the dynamics will be shaken up as the remaining cats adjust to the loss of a friend (or enemy as the case may be).
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Fank you. Yous so right, da dynamics of da house change any time there’s a loss regardless of da closeness as you mentioned. We are so sorry yous furiend is havin’ to go fru this, loss is never easy on any of us, furry or not. And yes, when passing happens in da house and da survivors can witness, it really duz help wiff da grieving process. Weez sendin’ ourrayers fur yous furiend and you and Sneakers.
Luv ya’
Dezi and Lexi
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dezi & lexi….thanx for sharin thiz post; we think most peepulz due knot reel eyes animals due in fact grieve for each other…all species…..just last week we saw a post bout a kangaroo who had lost his mate….. 😦 😦 😦 it waz heartbreaking ~~~~~ ♥♥♥
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You all are very wise and we always appreciate you sharing your wisdom with us. Love you sweet girls.
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Dezi, your final “arty” photo is so amazing. Mom fears that when Fiona passes, which she now knows will not be from old age, that Giulietta will be inconsolable. It does seem that so many of our anipals have left us recently. We all get so sad as they all become a part of our family. XOCK, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth and Calista Jo
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Very interesting Dezi and Dezi’s mom. This will be a sad time but with mom’s love I will get through it. There is no way to stop the grief process as we all accept loss in different ways.
Nose Rubs,
Shoko
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Dat’s right Shoko. And yes, you have a pawsum mommy and no matter what, everythin will be okay.
Luv ya’
Dezi and Lexi
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What a wonderful post. Animals certainly do go through a grieving process, and I’ve seen it in my own animals after the loss of another pet in the home. It is sad, but it’s also very true. Thank you for sharing this very important information!
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Thank you. Yes when our animals grieve we feel so helpless. But we can love them thru it. And it’s something we need to take as seriously as we do a humans grief. Thank you for reading and commenting.
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Thank you so much for this post!
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Oh Dezi that was such a good Post today, When my sister Maggie passed, Ms Murphy (a tabby like Maggie) was so grief stricken, she wouldn’t leave the bed they shared. Stll two years later, Ms Murphy spends the most time in dad’s lap. She misses dear Maggie as much as the rest of us, but she shows it more. Dad gives her lots of extra snuggles.
Thank you for sharing this with us.
Love and Blessings,
Pete and the Girls
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Fank you all. Weez sorry ’bout Ms. Murphy, but weez sure yous daddy takes real good care of her and she knows it’s all gunna be okay.
Luv ya’
Dezi and Lexi
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