Dealing with the loss of a cat

It is entirely natural to feel upset and emotional when your pet dies. Don't be afraid to show your feelings in front of the vet or your family. It will take some time to get over your loss, and you may go through a mixture of emotions - sadness, loneliness and even anger. This is all quite normal and part of the process of coming to terms with your loss. You should not feel guilty or blame yourself for your cat's death if you needed to put him to sleep - the decision for euthanasia is usually reached only as a last resort and as an act of kindness to avoid suffering. Treasure your memories; remember the good times and what you loved most about your cat.

Helping children to cope

Like most everyone, children will also have difficulty coming to terms with grief. This may be a first experience with death, and it is important to be honest with them. Tell them the truth and encourage them to talk about their feelings and share your feelings with them. Talk openly about your cat and try to concentrate on all the good times. If you have the cat's body, it can be helpful to go through the ritual of burial with the children and let them be involved in marking the grave or writing a message to the cat to be kept in a scrapbook with pictures of it. A new pet may help, but it is often better not to get another cat too soon as you and your child will need time to get over the death of the first pet.

Cats grieve too

For most of us, the death of a beloved companion animal inspires real and profound grief. But what of a feline who loses the human or animal companion with whom she has formed a lifelong attachment? Does she, too, experience feelings of loss and grief? Cats also have a need for closure. In one instance, two littermates were taken to the vet at a time when one cat was near death. They stayed together for a time and the terminally ill cat was given a euthanizing injection. As the ill cat passed on, the littermate stayed close by, offering comfort and a friend to the end. The remaining cat sniffed his companion thoroughly and then got up as if to move on. The process is never easy, but perhaps experiences like this one can help our animal friends to cope as well. Even veterinary experts, though they have a less sentimental view of these types of situations, note behavioral changes in animals adjusting to the loss of a friend. Pet owners and veterinarians have noted that a cat may express grief by refusing to eat, vocalizing more, or becoming less active. Whatever the behavior, it will usually last only a few weeks before the cat returns to normal. Try to comfort your cat in any case - give lots of attention and continue to play with her.

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