Cats Grieve Deaths Of Fellow Companion Animals, Study Finds

New research has indicated that cats grieve deaths of other animals in their households, including dogs.

The US study, published in the Applied Animal Behaviour Science journal, looked at 452 homes with cats who had recently experienced the loss of another companion animal. Two thirds of the deaths were other cats, while the remaining were dogs. The researchers observed the behavior patterns of the cats following the deaths of the other animals. It found that some cats went off their food, made yowling noises, and struggled to sleep following the loss. They also appeared to look for the lost animals and seek more attention from humans.

Cats are often considered to be more independent, aloof, and antisocial than dogs. But these findings may indicate that they have greater affection for their companions than previously thought.

A cat lying on a rug — Adobe Stock Cats are often considered to be antisocial and aloof

“Time that companion animals spent together engaged in daily activities predicted greater grief-like behaviours and fearfulness, while more positive relationships between the surviving and deceased animals predicted decreases in sleeping, eating and playing,” the researchers wrote.

“The length of time the animals had lived together predicted increased attention-seeking behaviours in the weeks and months following the companion’s death.”

Grief in non-human animals

The study authors pointed out that it’s challenging to empirically measure grief in non-human animals, and that most examinations on the subject have been anecdotal.

There is, however, a growing body of research that has uncovered grief in the animal kingdom. Species including dolphins and whales, elephants, black-billed magpies, as well as multiple species of primate, have all been observed carrying out mourning behaviors. A study published in 2022 found that dogs also appear to grieve when another animal in their household dies.

The new study on cats is only the second known study to research grief in companion cats. The study authors say more research is needed into the topic of cat grieving.