Losing a Cat is Painful in More Ways Than People Realize

When losing a cat or other beloved pet, it can make you feel like you’re alone in how you’re expected to grieve – or rather, not grieve, the passing of a very dear friend.

“It’s Just a Cat”

I’m sure you know what I mean.  I remember moving to another state, and one of my cats developed FIP because the stress from the drive caused my cat’s immunity to become lower.  This happened about two months after I’d started a new job, and I told a coworker that my cat was dying, and later that he died.

His response?  “It’s just a cat.”

Yeah, it was maybe “just a cat” to him, but to me, it was the kitten I’d rescued.  Who I brought home from the shelter still asleep from being put under when he was neutered.  Who I sat and watched, and petted until he woke up – and boy, was he cute when he did.

He was Sebastian, who was an absolute sweetheart, full of kneads, headbutts and cuddles, who had the sweetest meow.  He was bonded to the other kitten I brought home the same day, and she never bonded with another cat like him again in her lifetime.  She lived to be 21!

I still hate that such a sweet little soul had to die so young, from something so awful.  He was not ‘just a cat’.  You’d better believe I made his final days the best that I could make them.

How Cats Help Humans

Here’s the thing about pets. When they’re taken care of properly, and loved as they should be, they really do become members of the family.  You can grow to love them just as deeply as any other living being, and don’t forget that there are those who have no one but their pets as a companion.  Some people even need depression treatment after losing a beloved pet.

If anyone ever tells you that their pet has passed away, it should never be brushed off as it being “just a cat” or “just a dog”.  They are SO much more than that.  In fact, here are a few ways cats are incredibly beneficial to their humans:

Cats Help You Sleep Better – believe it or not, studies have shown that women prefer to sleep with their cats more than they do their partners!

Your Kid Will Have Fewer Allergies – if you want your kid to have fewer allergies overall, know that high pet exposure when they’re young can help prevent your child from developing all kinds of allergies.

This includes allergies that aren’t even related to your pet, such as grass, dust mites and ragweed.  One way to help guarantee you’ll never need to treat allergies is to actually introduce an allergy!

Women Will Find You Attractive – if you’re male and you happen to be reading this, owning a cat (and actually enjoying owning a cat) will make you far more attractive to females.

Your Risk of Heart Disease Will Be Lower – although some might think owning a cat can bring stress into your life (you know, dealing with cat litter, meowing at night, etc), the opposite is actually true.  Cats help lower stress, which in turn will lower your chance of developing heart disease.  Even their purrs are known to have a therapeutic effect.

The next time you hear someone brush you off when you tell them that your pet passed away, you can take comfort in knowing that you know how to recognize unconditional love, even if they don’t.

If you’re suffering with the loss of a pet, or the death of a pet, know that there are many other pet owners who have also lost pets.  Thanks to the internet, many support groups and like-minded folk are located at our very fingertips.