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Indoor Cat Initiative

Death of a Human or Animal Family Member

Cats, like people, take time to adjust to loss. They go through the same stages of grief that humans do. Your cat may experience loss of appetite, become anxious or depressed, behave inappropriately and become more vocal. Don't attempt to punish your cat for changes in her behavior at this time. Try to keep her routine as normal as possible during this period of transition. Provide her with a refuge and increase the amount of playtime or petting and grooming she receives to help reassure her.

If the deceased was the cat's primary caretaker an article of clothing that belonged to that person can be placed in the cat's refuge. Ideally the new caretaker should be someone the cat is familiar with. If that is not possible and the cat needs to be re-located, the guidelines for moving the cat to a new home should be followed (see Moving to a New Home).