If you’ve ever wondered whether cats mourn the loss of another pet, or a human close to them, new research seems to show felines can indeed experience grief.
Signs include going off their food; not wanting to play as before; seeking extra attention from their owners or spending more time alone. Some cats will also search out the deceased animal, and in some cases stay by their side for quite a long time.
The team of researchers from Oakland University in Michigan surveyed over 400 hundred cat owners about their pet’s behavior, after another cat or dog in the household passed away. “It made me a little more optimistic that they are forming attachments with each other,” said Jennifer Vonk, a professor of psychology at Oakland University, who co-authored the study, published in the journal Applied Animal Behaviour Science.
Credit: NPR News npr.org
