Companion Animal Grief: How Pets Experience Loss of Companions

Evidence on how dogs, cats and other companion animals experience the death of companion animals and how to support grieving pets.

Key Facts

Studies document behavioral changes in dogs following loss of canine companions including reduced food intake, sleep disruption and increased owner-seeking
A 2022 PLOS ONE study found 86% of dog owners reported behavioral changes in surviving dogs after loss of a companion dog
Cats show similar grief responses including searching behavior, vocalization changes and altered activity patterns after loss of bonded companions
Duration of grief responses varies widely from days to months with individual variation related to bond strength and individual personality
Surviving animals benefit from maintenance of routines, additional human attention and gradual reintroduction to normal activities
Some animals benefit from being present when a companion dies while others appear more distressed by the experience
Introduction of a new companion animal should typically wait until the surviving animal has stabilized to avoid compounding stress

Welfare Considerations

Companion animal grief is a welfare dimension that receives insufficient attention partly because acknowledging that animals grieve requires accepting the emotional depth of inter-animal bonds. The evidence clearly supports that many social companion animals experience genuine behavioral and physiological changes following loss of bonded companions, changes that parallel human grief responses sufficiently to warrant serious welfare consideration. Supporting grieving companion animals requires understanding their individual grief expression which differs between individuals and species, maintaining the stability and routine that helps them cope, and providing additional social support during the transition period. Rushing to replace a lost companion or dismissing behavioral changes as temporary can leave grieving animals without appropriate support during a genuinely difficult period.

What You Can Do

Watch for behavioral changes in surviving pets after loss of a companion and take them seriously
Maintain daily routines as much as possible to provide stability for grieving companion animals
Provide additional human attention and gentle social contact during the grief transition period
Allow surviving animals to be present at the death of companions if this can be done calmly and gently
Consult your vet if grief responses are severe or prolonged as medication may help in some cases
Wait until surviving pets have stabilized before introducing new companion animals