Owner Loses Family Dog, Left in Tears After Making Realization About Cat

A social-media post has left people in tears after a pet owner shared what their black cat did after the family dog died. 

On the subreddit r/blackcats, user Lanky_Process_1835 posted photos of their black feline snuggled up against a stuffed animal modeled after their late dog. The post, titled “My sweet girl made me tear up this morning,” quickly captured the hearts of thousands.

In the caption, the owner wrote: “My dog died last year. He was her best friend. She’d snuggle up with him every chance she got. Today I was feeling especially sad missing him. I went into my daughter’s room and found her lying on the stuffed animal of him. I guess she was missing him too. I just laid next to her and pet her and cried.”

The cat and dog had formed a deep bond when the canine was alive, with old photos posted alongside the story showing the two animals curled up together. 

Do Cats Feel Grief?

The cat in the post is not alone in feeling grief for a fellow pet. A study published in Applied Animal Behaviour Science explored how domestic felines respond to the death of a companion animal. 

Researchers found that surviving cats often show noticeable behavioral changes, including increased vocalization, clinginess, withdrawal, or altered eating and sleeping habits. 

Many cats sought more attention from their owners, while others displayed signs of distress such as searching for the lost companion. 

The study suggests these behaviors mirror grief-like responses and highlight the strong social bonds that felines can form with other animals. Importantly, it emphasizes that cats, like people, may need extra support during bereavement.

Internet Reacts

The post struck an emotional chord online, amassing more than 18,000 upvotes and hundreds of comments from fellow pet lovers sharing similar experiences of grief and animal friendships.

“I am sorry for your loss and your post made me cry, too. My void is missing my husband who passed away last year. They really do grieve,” said one commenter. 

Another wrote: “I had a similar situation with my old dog and my cat Fig. Besties right from the start.”

The poster Lanky_Process_1835 even shared an update in a follow-up comment and said: “I keep considering another dog, but I’m worried she wouldn’t react the same since she was in my house since she was a kitten. And now that she’s been there for a couple years I wonder if it would be hard for her to adjust.”

Newsweek reached out to Lanky_Process_1835 via Reddit for comment.