New Study Reveals How Cats Grieve & It's Downright Fascinating

I've always hated when people make the (incorrect) assumption that cats can't grieve, much less feel affection. Cats may not display their emotions as outwardly as dogs do, but that doesn't mean they aren't capable of feeling or exhibiting them. I've witnessed my own cat grieving recently after our old family dog, Kasey, passed away this May. Though he never seemed overly fond of Kasey in life, he became noticeably more anxious in the first few weeks after her passing, to the point where we had to prevent him from overgrooming himself.

I'm aware that anecdotal evidence is no substitute for scientific proof. But don't just take my word for it. A recent study from researchers at Oakland University in Michigan suggests that cats do indeed grieve the loss of other pets - yes, even dogs.

People Magazine covered the findings from the Oakland University study, which was published in Applied Animal Behavior Science earlier this month. The study's co-authors, Jennifer Vonk and Brittany Greene, surveyed more than 400 cat owners about their cat's behaviors after another cat or dog in their household died.

Related: Husky's Cries of Grief Over Losing Beloved Sibling Are Absolutely Heartbreaking

Vonk and Greene's study determined that on average, cats exhibited behaviors associated with grief like eating and playing less, sleeping more, spending more time alone, and seeking out extra attention from their pet parents. Some of them purportedly even appeared to search for the deceased pet - as if the study's other findings weren't already heartbreaking enough.

Grief and Feline Social Evolution

While the study's results were absolutely tearjerking, Vonk and Greene see a silver lining to the sadness.

"It made me a little more optimistic that they are forming attachments with each other,” Vonk said in a recent NPR interview. "It’s not that I want the cats to be sad, [but] there is a part of us, I think, as humans that wants to think that if something happens to us, our pets would miss us.”

Vonk also told NPR that the behavioral changes they saw mirrored those observed in dogs, who evolved in a more social, emotionally expressive way than cats have. Furthermore, Vonk noted that the cats' behavioral changes were "consistent with what [they] would expect for grief," based on the length of time the pets had spent together and the quality of their relationship.

The inner emotional life of the house cat is still an enigma to many animal researchers and pet parents alike, partially contributing to the aforementioned stereotype that cats are cold and unemotional. However, this study strongly suggests that cats really do feel more deeply than many suspect, especially when a household companion passes away.

Helping Your Grieving Cat

So what should pet parents do to help their grieving cat? As long as they're not dangerously undereating or exhibiting extreme levels of aggression or anxiety that necessitate medical intervention, the best thing to do is to treat them like any other gireving person or pet: show them lots of love.

VCA Animal Hospitals advises showing a grieving cat extra affection, spending more time with them, engaging in their favorite pastimes, and surprising them with treats. If they're still struggling for a prolonged period after a pet's death, you may want to ask your vet about medication to reduce your cat's anxiety, or testing to rule out any other systemic issues.

Healing from grief takes time and love, and chances are, you probably need that time and affection too after the loss of a beloved pet. If you and your cat can be there for each other during that grieving period, it might just make it a little easier for both of you to weather the storm.

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