A leading animal charity is shedding light on the profound impact of pet loss during Grief Awareness Week (2-8 December).
This comes as Cats Protection reveals that hundreds of people contacted its Paws to Listen pet grief service this year, indicating the significant need for compassion for those grieving the loss of a pet.
According Cats Protection’s latest research in the Cats Report 2024, the top reasons that people choose to own a cat are companionship, reducing loneliness and reducing stress collectively.
Given that the wellbeing benefits of ownership are a strong motivator, losing a cat can have a very negative impact and the emotional toll underestimated says the charity.
“Animals can be an enormous solace during difficult times but their loss is so often minimised,” said Catherine Joyce, Paws to Listen Team Leader at Cats Protection. “Losing a cat is deeply upsetting and no one should carry the burden alone or feel ashamed by the magnitude of their grief. This grief can often be accompanied by feelings of guilt when a cat no longer has a good quality of life and you need to make the difficult decision to have them put down.”
Paws to Listen puts grieving owners in contact with trained volunteer listeners who are ready to offer emotional support and practical information for owners whose cats have passed away, gone missing or are separated for other reasons such as rehoming.
One of those volunteers Susan Anthony had to say goodbye to her beloved cat Tabitha last year following a stroke and says it was the hardest thing she’d ever done.
“The lack of her presence made the house a very sorry, empty place – no longer a home,” she said. “I feel that we let her live a week too long and I still hate myself for putting her through that.”
According to Cats Protection’s research, previous loss of a cat prevented over a quarter of those surveyed acquiring another cat for fear of experiencing this intense grief again.
“Just like people, each cat has its own personality and the relationship we have with each one is unique. We’re often asked when is the right time to get another cat, the answer is usually that each individual will know when it’s right for them as there’s no prescribed timetable for grief,” said Susan.
“Volunteering for Paws to Listen is sometimes hard as it’s difficult to hear the pain some of our callers are in but it’s a very rewarding role to undertake. Talking to someone outside your family or circle of close friends about grief is often easier as there are no expectations and no need to worry about upsetting anyone. Knowing that the person on the end of the line understands just how important the relationship was is also helpful and validates the feelings our callers may be experiencing.”
Those interested in volunteering for Paws to Listen can apply at pawstolistenvolunteer@cats.org.uk.
