Cats often get a bad rap for being aloof and uncaring. But a recent study challenges this stereotype, suggesting that cats, like other animals, experience grief after the loss of a companion animal in the home. This includes the loss of other cats and even dogs.
While grief has been observed in highly social animals like dolphins and elephants, and studies have shown dogs experience sadness after a loss, relatively little research has focused on feline grief. Researchers from Oakland University in Michigan aimed to address this gap.
Their study, published in Applied Animal Behavior Science, surveyed over 400 cat owners who had previously lost another pet. Owners were asked about both short-term and long-term behavioral changes in their surviving cat.
The results revealed that cats exhibit behavioral changes similar to those seen in grieving dogs. These changes include altered eating and sleeping patterns, changes in the amount of attention sought from their owners, and even seemingly searching for their lost companion. Interestingly, the duration of cohabitation and the quality of the relationship between the cat and the deceased pet appeared to correlate with the intensity of the observed grief. While two-thirds of the cats in the study lived with other cats, a significant one-third had lived with dogs.
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It’s important to note that the study relied on owner observations, raising the possibility of owner bias. Owners experiencing personal grief might be more inclined to perceive grief in their cats. The researchers acknowledge this potential for projection and emphasize the need for further research. This study represents only the second investigation into feline grief related to the loss of other household pets.
Further research is crucial to determine whether these observed behaviors genuinely reflect feline grief or are projections of owner grief. However, considering existing research challenging the notion of cats as emotionally detached creatures, it’s plausible that they do indeed experience grief and miss their animal companions. The study highlights the complexity of animal emotions and the need for continued research to better understand the emotional lives of our feline friends.
