Cats can experience grief responses after the loss of a companion. Understanding feline grief enables owners to provide appropriate support during the bereavement period.
Feline grief welfare involves recognising that cats form genuine attachments and can experience the behavioural and physiological changes of loss. A cat that has lived with a companion for years and shows reduced appetite, vocalisation, and searching behaviour after that companion's death is not merely confused — it is experiencing genuine social loss. The welfare-positive response provides increased engagement, routine maintenance (familiar feeding times, play sessions), gentle additional social contact if welcomed, and patience for the resolution of grief behaviours. Premature introduction of a new companion can add social stress to an already stressed individual; allowing the grieving cat to stabilise first produces better outcomes for both the existing and new cat.