Cats have special bonds with their owners.
Many people think of cats as indifferent and believe that they don’t care about their owners or miss their pet humans if they die. This is not the case. These animals form bonds with their owners, and when a human dies at home, they mourn his death.
At first, it may take a few days for the cat to realize that someone is missing. You probably know that something is wrong, since animals tend to detect strong emotions, but you won’t immediately notice that the person doesn’t come back. When the animal begins to miss the person, he usually starts looking for him.
When a cat’s owner dies, the cat may begin to sleep where its owner slept.
The animal will look at places where it is used to seeing that person, such as a favorite chair or a room. It will often meow in these places, apparently calling the person. Often, he anxiously approaches other family members, meowing, going to the room or place of the deceased, trying to understand where the person has gone.
A cat may anxiously approach other family members when trying to understand where its owner has gone.
The cat may start sleeping where the person slept, and will often look around that favorite spot, as if to see if the person has returned to it. This type of “seeking” behavior can last anywhere from two weeks to a month. Even after this period, the animal may wander, seeming to know that something is still not right. Most get their spirits up after a while, but some get depressed.
Depression is a sign of feline grief. Depressed cats are listless, perhaps with poor appetite and a dull coat. They may seem to lose interest in things that were once exciting, just like humans. Older animals may even show signs of confusion or dementia when a human companion dies. As with humans, this radical change of life seems to send cats into a tailspin and they are not always able to cope with the loss.
If the animal seems very sick, the owner may need to take it to the vet to rule out any illness. Your vet may also prescribe medications to help stimulate your pet’s appetite, which can help encourage recovery from depression. Owners should also pay special attention to their pets, making sure they get plenty of physical activity, and perhaps should also consider another pet if the cat is not elderly and accepting other pets.
Cats like their routines, and an owner can help shorten the grieving period by trying to stick to the same routine. The homeowner should wait a few months before making drastic changes like renovating the house or even doing a lot of interior decorating. These animals normally hate disorders of this type and keeping them to a minimum will help them recover faster.
Animals cry, just like humans. However, they do not have the advantage of being able to understand death or absence; they just know that someone they were in a relationship with is no longer home. This confusion certainly increases his depression. Fortunately, a loving owner can make a difference by giving your pet more love, attention, and activity.