I inherited my mom’s cat when she passed. She was mourning and confused. My mom had suddenly gone into the hospital in the middle of the night and never came back. A few weeks after it happened, I was very distraught myself and went outside to cry alone but her cat came outside with me.
As I was sitting on a step crying, I looked at her and I said “I miss my mommy. I miss our mommy. She’s gone forever.”
I have never seen an animal comprehend something like she did. I could see the realization on her face. She knew exactly why I was crying and what I was trying to convey. And she suddenly cried out the most heart wrenching wail I have ever heard and then hung her head down as if defeated.
She still grieved but it was different after that day. She tried harder to become part of our family and move on. She’s very happy now.
Talk to her. That sounds goofy, but try to explain to her. Show her an item that belonged to your cat so she knows who you are talking about and try to use your emotions to tell her.
Absolutely for sure! My first cat, Nala, is who made me a cat person. She adopted me one day and hasn’t left my side since, but I remember talking to her and thinking, “this cat understands me”. The last 2.5 years and two additional cats later has taught me that generally cats are emotionally intelligent but my first girl is something special. She’s my soul cat and I swear sometimes we can communicate with looks. My husband laughs but ultimately ended up agreeing with me after he’s seen her reactions to certain things lol. Cats are amazing, I feel like a chump for counting them out in my younger years.
They are amazing. I figure they can see into other dimensions. I think cats and horses are here to heal us and dogs are here to teach us how to have fun!
I just cried reading your story.
I am sorry for the loss of your mother. She would be pleased with how you’re taking such great care of her animal. Wishing you, your cat, and the rest of your family all the best.
My heart goes out to you, your dog and your family :( this made me cry so hard. especially all the sweet sentiments of talking to your dog. That sounds like the best way to grieve together. I hope it works so you both can heal.
I'm crying so hard as I type this.
I lost my soul cat Leo of 11 years in April. His brother Zeus, a 10 year pup, was his best friend. He has never known a day without him.
Leo hadn't been doing well for a while, and I knee it was coming. I had a home vet visit where he was peacefully euthanized, in my arms.
I talked to both of them about this. I told Leo that he would just fall asleep in my arms, and go to the most beautiful place he's ever been. I told Zeus how he knew Leo wasn't doing well, and that his brother wouldn't be with us, and about the rainbow bridge he was going to.
I laid with Leo, propped up, on my bed, curled on my chest. As we were waiting for him to pass, the breeze was blowing in from his favorite window, with a warm sunbeam across us. I talked to him the whole time, I told him to be patient until we see eachother again.
I don't know how to help Zeus. I talk to him about it still, letting him know his brother is watching over him, and that he will visit him in his dreams. As much as my heart hurts, I feel like his is even more broken.
I adopted a kitten, which I don't think is helping, but time will tell.
I'm going to cry myself to sleep now.
I just wanna say this happened with my cat when my other cat passed. She was 3 years older so he had never known a home without her in it. He would just sit in the middle of the room and cry and nothing I did would comfort him. He knew what happened, he's the one who alerted me to something wrong and led me to her body. He just really missed his sister. 12 years together is such a long time.
After over a year the crying and discontent wasn't getting better. He started needing to be touching me or my husband at all times. We decided to adopt a new cat to keep him company. The first 2 months I wondered if I made a huge mistake. But we are halfway through month 3 and they're absolutely best buds now. So don't give up on the new kitten being able to be a good friend for your pup. Since the kitty is just a baby it might take a bit longer for them to bond with the energy levels being so different but I have no doubt it'll happen.
Sending hugs and love and hoping all our babies are playing at the bridge together while they wait for us. It's just not fair that they have to leave us so soon. I have absolutely been more broken up about pets passing than I have people in my family. Sad as that is. The pets never betrayed me.
Your words warm my heart. Today is the first day I saw Zeus really playing with Poe (chaos kitten). It made me cry tears of happiness. I am torn everyday because I'm like man, is this kitten just exhausting him (he has 1000 toys and cat towers and scratchers, Poe just really loves Zeus already). It doesn't help that he also tries to nurse on him, but that's another story 🙃
Thank you for this message, I needed it. I am so happy your babies are friends now. 🩷🩷🩷
I just lost my 18 year old kitty that I’ve had since childhood, and this made me tear up holy shit 💔
I’m so sorry for your loss, sending you all the hugs friend
I'm so sorry for the loss of your baby, too. Thank you kind friend for your words, they mean everything right now. I hope Leo welcomed your kitty to the rainbow bridge with catnip and purrs. 💜💜💜
Thank you as well 💗💗💗 it’s the one single part of owning a pet that I truly, truly hate. But I’m sure our babies are up there together, happy and at peace. My DMs are always open to you if you ever need to talk 🫂
Our cat, Ringo, has never stopped mourning his brother. Now, when the dogs go outside he walks around yowling until they come back inside. One of my dogs declined after our other dog died. He never got over it.
I’m waiting on some test results for my cat Samson who I’ve have for ten years, since he was 3 months old. He’s been having breathing issues for a few years now which I thought was asthma but I believe the test will say it’s cancer and he doesn’t have much time left. When the doctor spoke to me last week about running this final test, I could tell he was gently letting me know I should most likely prepare for a goodbye much sooner than I ever anticipated.
I want to do a home euthanasia and your post gave me even more confidence that it’s the best thing for us both. I want to do it on the couch, in our favorite chill spot, while I kiss his little head like I’ve done for years.
I am so deeply sorry to hear this. I know how much your heart is hurting. Cherish every moment you have with him. I took some time to do some paw prints, which turned out to be an absolute mess, and he smacked me in the face with neon pink paint (gently, he's a sweetheart), and it makes me laugh. There is still paint on the floor and wall that I cannot bring myself to wash off. I also bought a little jar in the shape of a heart that I clipped some of his fur and have it in.
Despite being such a traumatic loss, the experience of having the in home euthanasia was really peaceful. I wasn't sobbing while he was on my chest, just talking to him softly the whole time. If it were in a vet office, I think it would have shattered me.
When it was time for them to take him, as I laid him down on the blanket, his little arms crossed over eachother and over his face. He looked like an angel.
You've given your baby such a good life. I don't have a lot of advice as I'm still shattered. Just know that being with your kitty during their final moments as they cross over will be everything. We will get to see them again, that's how we will get through this, ok? 💜💔
Thank you so much, this is so sweet. I will definitely get some paw prints and we’re spending lots of quality time together.
He was on an allergy free/hydrolyzed protein diet for six months when I thought he might have food allergies, but now he’s getting alllll the fancy feast, temptations treats and his favorite kibble. I’ve also gotten him a giant cat tree - the biggest one he’s ever had in his life! He’s been camped out in it for days 😂
If this is the end of the road for him, he’s going out fat and happy!
It’s a weird spot because realistically I know that whatever the news is, it’s not gonna be good. His lung CT was very concerning and the oncology department already looked at the first round of tests and suspected cancer. His coughing has also gotten even more frequent and intense. It seems painful and hard for him to breathe at times although it quickly passes and then he’ll be fine, sometimes for several hours.
He’s been my best friend for a decade 💕 We’ve lived in two states, gone through 3 jobs, 3 long term boyfriends, five apartments, a Covid summer at my parents and so many other life moments. It’s just so hard to imagine that soon he might not be here anymore. I knew he wouldn’t live forever (although I would joke that he was immortal) but I didn’t think I’d be considering all this after only ten years. It was actually two days before the ten year anniversary of me taking him home that I placed the order for the cancer test. 😔
But, all things considered, I wouldn’t trade my time with him for anything! He made me a real adult and brought so much love and stability to my life. I’ve loved him every single day and will continue to do so long after we say goodbye.
You are the best mama he could have had. It's an absolute travesty the short amount of time we get with our pets (literal fur children to us), especially when we feel like their life was cut short by nearly 10 years. I'm sending you all of the warmth and sunshine I can to you both. 💚
Yes this is true. Our pets are so much smarter than we give them credit for.
They definitely understand the language being spoken in their homes.
Look on YouTube for animals that are being taught to speak with buttons and you will have your mind blown.
For animals and humans to be able to communicate this fundamental experience to each other proves to me that the complex “human” emotions like love and grief are not human at all. They’re a universal experience of life.
My little kitty and I have always been able to do this together. We can communicate in a way I’ve never connected with an animal. I can sometimes tell he feels when I need him, knows the difference between what to do when I am sad (Velcro) vs in pain (staying right nearby). He was recently diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor and will likely pass in the next few months, at only 8 years old, and I’m devastated. Reading this gives me hope that his little spirit may be somewhere else out there, waiting to find me in a new friend who will be just as special in his own way.
This is just completely unfair and heartbreaking. I'm so sorry. I hope you can let go of the pain in these last months to just enjoy your baby and love him as much as possible in the time you have. Is it possible to adopt another cat now so he can show the new guy the ropes and pass the duties when its time?
Thank you. I try to remind myself the universe is random, but I can’t help but think he needed to be recalled because he did his job so well and is ready for his reward.
I thought about it, but he doesn’t love other animals and is definitely king of the house, so I feel he’ll be happiest getting 100% of the attention for his remaining life. How I found him was a CRAZY story and i expect the next one will be too.
I came to comment this same thing. When one of my cats suddenly passed, the other cat was staring at a door where the one would sometimes get caught behind. I told her that Sunkissed was gone and that I was very sorry all while crying. She understood and stopped staring at the door, cuddling with us a bit more than usual.
I'm sorry for you loss, truly. Similar, one of my cats died and Elwood, the other cat who raised her, and never went outside cried for two days, then demanded to go out. He was trembling, but determined to find her. I followed him, as he'd never been out and didn't know anything about traffic, or where he was going. He must have smelled her, because he walked the path that she and I used to. He'd scurry several feet, crouch down and cry. He was terrified, but would not quit looking for her. I was snot crying while telling him that she wasn't there, "She's gone Elwood." I'm sure we looked a pair, and sounded horrible, both loud crying. Nearly crying now, and that was in the early 90's. It feels like it took him half an hour just to get to the edge of the woods out back, then I picked him up and brought him in. He was still shaking, but he'd done what he needed to do, and never asked to go out again. We spent days curled up together grieving. They were my first two pets as an adult, and it was soul crushing. We both gradually got better, and he eventually got a new kitten to raise. He was in love once again.
I wish you the best. Thank you for knowing that pets have very deep emotions.
My mom had two dogs. A Katrina Rescue and this other character. Her one dog got very sick suddenly and my Dad rushed her to the vet. I stayed home with their other rescue. He kept going to the door. Finally. He came and sat beside me and let out this howl and put his head down. I looked at my phone, looked at the time and thought it was so strange. Later I found out Our other dog passed away with my Dad by his side at that exact moment.
sorry for your loss. get another cat, ideally a kitten who can acclimate to the pup more easily. If anything will fix her, it's that.
other thing to do next time is to show your dog the cats body. intelligent animals can understand death, and that might help her to know what happened rather than forever wondering where her friend went.
I put down my cat last month and showed his body to my other animals. they didn't care.
>other thing to do next time is to show your dog the cats body. intelligent animals can understand death, and that might help her to know what happened rather than forever wondering where her friend went.
I've experienced this quite a few times with my rats. I had to have many euthanised at the vets, and the pack mates, especially the true sisters, would look and search for them for days. It was heartbreaking, but I couldn't bring myself to put the body back in the enclosure because I was afraid the others would associate the death with me. Idk, maybe that was wrong. But with those rats who died peacefully at home, the others just kind of accepted it. I'm sure they were sad, little rats have big feelings, but they understood it.
When I had to put one of my rats down at the vet I brought her back and let them see and investigate her body. I didn’t leave her with them. Just for about 15 minutes and I stayed with them. The vet had wrapped her in a small blanket and I just uncovered her head, put her near their cage and opened it up to let them come out on their own. When I took her away I gently stroked all of them on their noses starting with her then wrapped her face again and slowly took her. They just went back in their hidy hammock on their own and cuddled up together, I even kept it open if they wanted to come to me. I think her sisters “finding” her was a more organic way. It wasn’t like I suddenly put her body in the cage, they found her then (in their eyes) I found her as well and comforted them. They grieved but didn’t continue to search for her.
When it was time for one of my kitties, I had a vet come to the house for this exact reason, so the other kitty wouldn't be confused. Other kitty had zero issues.
We just did the same. He was in my lap while we did everything and I felt like it didn't upset him at all. They weren't besties, but they snuggled sometimes. I haven't seen him look for her or cry once. He does get much more upset when I'm gone now though.
>other thing to do *next time* is to show your dog the cats body.
Oh I know what you mean, but that's a bittersweet sentence to read. Having animals is such a joy, but they will never live as long as we do, and it's so hard to put ourselves through- even if it's 'only' every 15-20 years
Pets can smell odors we don’t. My friends had two bonded cats. One died at the vets office so the other couldn’t say goodbye. The second cat kept looking for her buddy, wailing. The day they got the ashes from the crematorium, they let her sniff them. She knew. She stopped looking, she got quiet, she ate, drank and slept. She knew. So if it’s possible, let the dog smell the ashes. Don’t just get a new cat, animals are more intelligent than that. They don’t accept a substitute just like that. Best of luck and sorry for your loss!
Yes, if this is possible, you should always do this. My dad died and our dog heard him. Friends came to take the dog while we made arrangements for the funeral. When the dog returned, she was searching for my dad. He had died upstairs, so every time someone went upstairs, she freaked out. We let her look around upstairs, to show her he was gone. She never felt quite relaxed with anyone going upstairs again.
my dog sniffed my elder dogs body after he was put to sleep. he understood. he still grieved but he knew. he tried to defend his body when we got near. it was very sad
Dogs understand a lot of human speech, so i agree on talking to her. Also agree that a kitten would be a great idea in a little while too. She will mourn though, just as we do, and the first 2 or 3 weeks are its height. Animal charities like cats protection etc have info on animals grieving which may help. Sitting and crying with her might bring her out of her solitary grief as she will realise how much you are hurting too. It wouldnt help to have a chat with your vet either, for advice on how to support her through this and when you might need to intervene if food continues to be rejected for more than a few days; you accept she needs to mourn but you dont want her to pine away altogether. Pets lose their buddies though and they get through it, and im sure your vet will have seen this situation before. Im so sorry for your loss of your sweet little kitty, and wish you the best of luck helping your sad little girl
Ooh sorry! Typed "wouldnt help to talk to your vet" but meant to write "wouldnt HURT to talk to your vet" doh! Im sure you read between the lines there though thankfully! The vet is a really good place for support and will be able to advise on how to get her through this physically with regard to not eating/ not drinking enough; they even have things they can use to stimulate appetite if need be. Sorry for dumb typo! I would consider the new kitten after about a month or so; as her grief slowly lifts it would be an invaluable distraction, but it will be baby steps at first, until she warms to the little mite. I really wish you the best with it all
If you’re able, let your dog smell your cat so it understands she has passed.. that’s one way animals are able to understand why their bestie is no longer going to be around.. I had to do that and it helped a lot..
Always show the animals their siblings body afterwards.. always if you didn't.. they'll understand. Then they can grieve more easily. Can your dog smell the cats ashes?
My dog was unfortunately the one that found her body :( I think she knows that Piper (my cat) is dead, however her constant search for her today and last night threw me off a little bit… I couldn’t bear to see her body so my brother took care, but I might have him take my dog to see her body again. Thanks for your advice ❤️
Some things just need time, if it's real bad and being affectionate and supportive doesn't help, I'd go talk to a vet. Spoil her, she deserves it. But if super yummy food doesn't make her eat, and she's so stressed out - calming and even depression drugs from the vet will make her feel better. Pets grieve just as we would, it's a process and can't be skipped. I've heard about pets getting depression after the loss of companion and meds do help.
I brought our younger dog with when we had to put our older dog down. He was there and cried with us as we said good bye. We spent the next week or so mourning our loss. He wouldn’t eat and just laid around so i did the same with him. Eventually he started eating treats so we spoiled ourselves with expensive treats from the homemade dog treat store and ice cream. We started going on walks again and he stopped at every regular pee spot of our other dog and sniffed those spots like his life depended on it. Then i just went all in and made my whole life even more so about him and eventually he found his happy again. We started Puppy Adventures where we did something new and exciting once or twice a week and he *loved* it. He was a really happy boy again but it took a few weeks.
I know it’s really hard for you all right now so sending love and thoughts. But a new young kitten friend for your dog would be good (not only would you be rescuing a little kitty, but your dog will have a friend) grief is just love with nowhere to go. If she has a new friend to love, it will be going somewhere ❤️
This is truly so kind, thank you so much for your words, grief being love with no where to go makes it easier for me to grieve this. Thank you for your advice ❣️❣️
I know of a ranch where two horses got out of the pasture and went down the road to another place where a horse had just died. Their owner said it was as if they’d gone to pay their respects.
Another cat won't help. Did you let your dog say goodbye to your cat? Just give your dog lots of cuddles and grieving. It will take time. Font forget while you're all at work. Your dog and cat are together. They're like siblings. It's going to hurt for a while and will take time. Just be there for your dog and say "I know Sweetie, it's okay" ❤️❤️
Did they see the cat’s body when she passed on? I heard that they tend to move on and accept the death when they see the body. Animal or human. If not… Talk to them. They understand. Or hire an animal communicator to let them know what happened and ask what you can do better to help them grieve and move on.
My golden did this when she was 4. For months. When my fiancé took off one night when I was cooking and never came back. It was brutal. I ended up going to the shelter and adopting another dog. I’m soooooo happy I did. For them both. She was so distracted by the new pet it broke her out of that mindset. It was so bad …I don’t even want to type out the things she was doing…. Just half heartedly remembering it right now as the memory comes back into my head my eyes immmediqtely fill with tears. Worse than what he did, 1000x worse, was going thru that and having to watching him cause her that kind of pain. I begged him to come back and spend time with her….he just ….left her like nothing. He was her “person”. That was 5 yrs ago, and I remember that more vividly than anything. Adopting a new dog was so good for us both. Maybe consider a new pet…if you’re up to it.
Dogs feel the loss of a pack member just like we do. Spend some extra time with her and do things she enjoys (walks, ice cream, etc). We have lost many dogs in recent years and some of the dogs have taken months to get over it.
Just wanted to thank everyone for their kind words and advice, all of you are helping me and my sweet pup through this experience so much. I send so much love and appreciation to all of you truly ❣️
When my cat passed, our dog was frantic. He was like that and once I brought home my cat’s ashes he calmed down. But he occasionally still looks and sniffs the place with a rare whimper.
I’ve asked everyone and I do mean everyone. From veterinarians to a pet psychic, wish I was joking, and the general consensus was because our dog wasn’t there for the death and never saw the body. It left him unsure of where his best friend was.
The pet psychic alluded to them being more than friends. Our neutered male cat used to mount & hump our fully intact large breed male dog. F’ing creepy how spot on.
When my 16 yr old dog died my husky watched us bury her, very intently. She knew. She grieved, but not too badly. My cat was there, i put him next to the body and it just didn't register for him. Fortunately i stuff zipping hypoallergenic pillow cases with fur when i brush the pets. The cat slept on that pillow for a week. Now he sleeps on her old bed, which he never ever did before. Look for old clothes of hers for him to sleep on. In there isn't anything rub a drop each of her lotion, shampoo, soap and perfume on an old teeshirt. Add hair from her brush.Hold him and cry and say mommy gone. Strength and peace to you.
I'm sorry for your loss.
I wish I had an answer. We just had one of our 3 dogs put to sleep after a sudden illness (he was a perfectly healthy 13 year old dog, as far as we knew). We did have Lap of Love come to the house for the euthanasia so the other dogs were there, and the vet said to the the other dogs sniff him afterwards, which we did. He was the oldest, and the leader of our little pack. The next oldest is blind so she kept looking for him for about a week. She's definitely not as active as she used to be. But the 7yr old dog has become sooooo clingy to me. And if we're apart, he gets very upset. He is technically my son's dog and slept in there every night but now when he goes in he shakes and whines. It really is heart breaking.
My husband doesn't want to get another dog, but I do. I think the 7 yr old really needs a friend. Maybe in the fall, or maybe I'll foster - something I've wanted to do for awhile.
Anyway -- sorry I don't have any advice but just wanted to let you know, you're not alone. Best of luck.
Extra love, and talk to them.
We lost our dog, after a few days the cat realized he was missing, watching him look for the dog and crying for hours was heart breaking. We just gave him extra hugs and changed our routine a bit.
When my dog was alive one of the guineapigs passed and he would sniff Shadow and look around for Oreo and then would come back, and check on Shadow and continue searching. I think he finally realized after I kept telling him that Oreo was gone. When the dog was in his last two days, I brought Shadow over to say goodbye and he cuddled with the dog and got under the blanket with him. For a few days after, he stayed in his hidey house and wouldn’t come out much, but he was able to heal.
Shadow and Mello (the dog) were buddies, Mello would move his bowl in front of Shadow’s water bottle and they would eat and drink together. Mello always had a big smile on his face being able to spend time with his buddy.
When my mom died in 2012, our dog Lily (my younger sister) went into the morning. She lost 10 lbs, and I got so worried. I took her to the vet, and he told me to cuddle and show her we missed mom too. She started to choose my dad as her next favorite human in the house, and my daughter would read to her every night and show her animal videos. After a year, she gained her weight back and a few more. She crossed the rainbow bridge at 15 in 2022. Then, my daughter went into the morning; she hated having a quiet house. Honestly, I did too. In February 2023, we got a 9-week-old shit-tzu puppy.
Do you have her collar? My dog was grieving for his fur brother. Once we gave him his collar, he was okay. He cried and slept with it for a few nights.
Do you know anyone that has a kitten or cat that is friendly with dogs or perhaps another dog that’s friendly. You could try arranging a play date with your dog. It might give your pup a bit of a distraction
My old cat knew when his buddy was gone. We had taken him to the vet and came back with the empty carrier, he knew something was different and looked straight at the carrier. He was depressed for a bit, didn’t eat a lot but he seemed to get over it after a bit as much as he could.
Animals understand more than we think sometimes.
In my dog’s last two days, I let the guineapig be by his side so they can see eachother one last time and I’m so glad I did. I’m surprised by how well he handled it. He cuddled with the dog and crawled under the blanket to be with him.
You're acting differently, and that's what your dog's reacting to. If you can sit down and pet your dog, and just be in the moment with your dog, they will be in that moment with you.
They need you. Not necessarily another cat or pet, but you. I'm sorry for the loss of your cat. Simply, you miss your cat, so you are acting differently in a way that's stressing out your dog.
My relative has a golden, and went through something similar. Goldens are hyper, but stable (so can have anxiety). Anyhow, they were besides themselves about the golden. So, I sat down and picked up one of the dog's toys, and called him over. I gave him cheek rubs and sat on the floor with him. He was fine. My relative was just so emotional themselves and didn't realize that how they were acting was affecting the dog, and instead thought it was the loss of the other pet.
So, I came over daily and sat with their dog for an hour for a couple of weeks, and then it was fine after that.
Again, I'm so sorry for your loss.
Animals deal with grief the same way human beings do. I feel sad for what's happening with your dog. But I think you have the right idea about getting a new cat. Try and adopt a cat that looks like your dead Piper even if it's just in colour. It may help your dog.
I have also been through this, many times. You have some beautiful replies here. As for what you can do,
1. Change things up. Have an xtra walk, dog park, play session. Changing patterns will help.
2. Cook some boneless chicken thighs for your dog. Let it simmer with some carrots and celery, pour over brown rice. Add this (a cup) over her regular food. No seasoning. They cant resist!
3. Most importantly, your girl is also reacting to your emotions/grief. Its normal for you both. Give her xtra attention, soothing.
What did NOT help was trying to replace your kitty right now. Critters are much too smart for that, annd it can foster resentment, so go slow.
I am so sorry. I really hope this helps.
We had two cats. One was elderly and passed suddenly. My other cat grieved hard. We decided to get another cat within 4 weeks and this seemed to help him.
When my ❤️ corgi passed five years ago, his younger sister grieved his passing. He was I’ll for about a year beforehand, so I think she quickly realized something was up. Also, I was devastated. She went looking for him the day after he passed. After that day, I could no longer let her out alone because would just wonder around looking for him. It is heart breaking, but they do adjust. Talk to her, and reassure her just like you would a grieving child.
Have you considered fostering a cat ? It may be a way for you all to deal with your grief and possibly finding your next cat.
When my dog was at the end of his life, I had him in doggy hospice as I called it. I had him on a soft foot stool and had a towel on the bottom, and put his favorite blankies on him and surrounded him in his favorite toys. I brought the guineapig over to say goodbye, and I’m so glad I did. He sat with the dog for a while and cuddled him. He even got underneath the blanket with him. I could tell he seemed to understand what was happening.
Tell your pet what happened and that it's okay to miss them. They DO understand. They do grieve the loss. Hold them a bit more and tell them it's gonna be all right. Before getting another cat or dog, ASK your pet if they want another brother or sister. They will tell you. I did that with my older dog scrappy. He sneezed a yes every time I asked for over a month. Then, my chi weeny came into our lives. He followed my scrappy around for about a year before he passed. Then, literally 2 months after scrappy passed, Scrappy sent me my little girl and both of my young pups love each other. I was not going to get another puppy but, my little girl is really an angel and it did come from my Scrappy. So, I couldn't say no.
Don’t get a new cat right away. We waited months after our chi cross was stolen, and even then neither the cat nor the other dog was very happy with the rescue pug we got. Of course, they love him now, but they likely wouldn’t have adjusted so well if the replacement had been immediate.
I’ve asked vets for advice and tried to read any type of advice and the only thing is to let them grieve, take them on walks, play with them, look happy and talk to her in a happy tone.
Let her sleep with you and just give as much love as possible.
To help her eat, try putting some chicken in her food or a type of food topping.
Just like humans, dogs need time to grieve. Bringing in a new pet too soon might cause additional stress. It might be beneficial to wait until the dog shows signs of recovery from its grief.
This is heartbreaking. If dogs are anything like people (and I suspect they are) then opening your family up to another cat sooner rather than later might not be such a bad idea. It was the only thing that made me feel a bit better when my Ernie passed away. Took me a few months to "forgive" my new cat for not being her… But I also knew basically instantly he would be my best friend.
My boy had to go on Prozac when his littermate passed. I took him to see his body which didn’t actually seem to bother him too much but he cried and howled all day long for weeks. Vet finally said to try it since he want getting over it. Maybe Leida could pick a kitten out? Otherwise meds can be super helpful.
Like us, animals need time to grieve and comfort during their time of grief. Give her extra attention, talk to her so she knows what’s going on, and if you’re ready for another pet take her to the animal shelter and see if she connects with someone new.
I'm so sorry, OP. My family took in my uncle's dog when he unexpectedly passed. She was an older lab- incredibly devoted. And of course, very distressed and grieving. I think she was also picking up on the family's mood as well though. After a few days I offered her her favorite toy, to play a bit. It took a bit but she came around and after that was noticeably happier.
I think grieving is inevitable, and should have its moment. But our pets look to us for guidance in everything. It might be hard for you, but try to cheer her up a bit. Either a toy, or her favorite park, just seeing you offer some joy. It'll probably help you too.
My cat just died, way way way too young at age 4, and both my other cat (bonded pair) and my dog have really needed to adjust during the extended vet stays and eventual passing. A lot of affection and comfort helped get them through it. He was our first of the three and really the older brother figure for both. Figuring out the dynamics and routine between the two without him has been very strange but they’re far closer than they were prior to the beginning of our tumultuous last two months.
I’m going to get a kitten in the fall if I’m up to it, but I don’t expect it to fully fill the gap my boy left. The dynamics will still be new, there’s a transition and introduction period, and the big brother will become the little sister. But I think it will be a good thing.
I'm so very sorry for your loss.
I think your little girl will accept another addition to the family with joy. She's pining for her companion, and although she may stop crying, it's going to be a long time before she stops waiting for her to return.
Please update. 🫂 🤗 ❤️ for Leida.
I had two brothers one died unexpected. The one left has always been more of clingy cat but he been way worse it's been over 6 months he doing better but he still has to sleep with or near me. He fallows me everywhere but he playing now and spending time with other people besides me
I had two horses. I had to put one down because of a condition that’s finally took its toll on her. When I tell u I’ve never heard anything like a horse scream like that, it was awful. I tried to shield my young daughters in the house but they knew. All three screaming, I was crying, awful awful day. I’m so sorry you’re going through this.
We lost our older dog about 2 years ago. Our younger dog was so sad and scared for a while.
I would talk to him, and letting him smell her stuff seemed to help. He loved to smell her collar.
Dogs definitely understand you. My dog was living with my mom when she passed, before coming to live with me. It’s been almost 4 years now but I still get sad randomly, and my dog seems to understand. She gets teary eyed the same way I do when I talk to her about our mom. Sometimes when I’m sitting in front of mom’s urn to talk to her, the dog will come and sit next to me and we talk to mom together. There no right or wrong thing to do for your grieving dog, just like there isn’t for a grieving person. You just do the same thing you would for a person: talk to them, love them, hug them, and be there for them ❤️
They grieve like we do. But they also get over it like we do. I wouldn't bother doing anything to remedy the situation in the sense of emotionally helping them through it or process the loss, but I would try to refocus them on a new routine.
Maybe you visit a new park three times a week. Maybe you go on a walk at dawn daily before you go to work. Maybe you play fetch each evening now at 5:30. Maybe mealtimes start randomly moving and you do a training session for 5 minutes before she's paid with breakfast. Maybe a special ball comes out once per day for 10 minutes. Etc. Just mess up their routine a little. Livestock owners understand that once a cow breaks through a fence, you have to just keep them away from there for about two weeks and they'll stop testing that area of the fence over and over, the idea is gone from their brain. Dogs will do the same eventually, they'll stop revisiting ideas that don't have positive outcomes.
It's hard for them, as it is for us, but just bear with it. A new kitten would certainly help, but a stuffed animal might be just as good. I had a dog lose a litter of puppies (small litter, just two, both stillborn) and she chose beanie babies as her substitute 'puppies' and we just had two weeks of her ferrying beanie babies around before she kinda snapped out of it. They figure it out.
What I did when one of my cat's siblings died (14 weeks old) was showed them her body. They all began grooming her and mewing. It was heartbreaking but I know they understood. After that, they seemed to move on easier. If you have anything that smells like her, keep it with your pup, things will get easier. I'm sorry for your loss
My golden retriever was in a deep depression after his best friend, our other dog, died suddenly. He watched us bury his friend and then went into deep mourning. He wouldn’t go off the porch unless we went with him, he was super sad. I would go home at lunch just so I could walk him or he wouldn’t go out to relieve himself. After a few weeks of this I took a new job, which meant I couldn’t come home at lunch anymore. So we got another dog from a shelter. She wasn’t the same to him as his best friend who died, of course, but she did help him cheer up and return to his usual self. Your dog may really need a companion to help him recover, when you are ready.
When I was little we had a dog pass suddenly from licking a toad, and our other dog would paw at the sliding door to our backyard all night until her paws were bleeding and then kept scratching at the door. The dog that passed away was a yorki and we just got another yorki soon after that to replace her lost friend. From what I remember she got better quick with the addition of a new dog.
I was in the same situation several years ago. Our German shorthair died suddenly and very unexpectedly at about 2 years old. Our Rottweiler mix grieved so badly for him. She wasn’t eating, drinking, we had to take her to the vet. Our vet actually suggested we get another dog to see if it would help her. And when she saw the new little pup she lit up and just came back to life. I really think she would have grieved herself to death.
I know it sounds crazy, but sit down with your animals and talk to them. Tell them whats going on. I know that dogs and cats cannot understand all that we say, but they can feel what we say, and see what we say, and smell hormones and pheromones from the emotions we give off. Tell them whats going on from the beginning to now so they can start to comprehend whats going on, as they are worried and confused right now without a clue in the world.
If you have the cats collar bring that to them to sniff as well. Animals are smart, they will pick up on what you are trying to get across to them and it will ease there suffering and help them through the mourning process. Some things are universal and language has no bounds, this is true with animals as well.
Tell them everything and give them some comfort at the end that everything is going to be fine now even though their friend is gone. This is something that my veterinary technician teacher always emphasized to us to do and it does work.
When I had to send my sick cat over Rainbow Bridge, my other cat seemed to be doing okay. Then he found the washable incontinence pads I had used. He fished it out with his claws, unfolded it, then buried his face in it and kept sniffling. He decided to sleep on that pad that night.
My two cats had barely tolerated each other, yet he missed her.
If you have something with your cat's scent on it, it might be a comfort to your dog.
Thing happened to my dog when I had to put my other dog down she was so in love with him. What I did was, I took her out to meet other dogs and other people to my local hangout spot which is called sovereign Kava and it helped her so much you can’t believe it. He needs to go out and meet other dogs and people.
Number one see your vet and get a prescription yesterday.
Number two, sit on the Big Emotions Bench with your dog and let them cry it out.
Number three, doggie daycare or dog parks asap. Other dogs, nature. Do ThIS.
I’m sorry for your loss. What a beautiful relationship they had. Take care. It will hurt less soon enough.
Hugs to both of you.
Alarmingone5100
I hat the same experience.i recently had to put my dog down after trying to keep her comfortable for the last year after I was told she had cancer.shr was 14 yrs old.a couple years ago I got a puppy pitbull.my older dog took her under her wing and was very motherly towards him..my pitbull had the most ultimate respect for her..he went thru a depressed state and was almost lost with out her.they were always together.i can relate to your heart being broken.a friend that I let stay with me ended up leaving her cat behind.my pit and this cat have become good pals. He even tries to share his ball with the cat and they both snuggle together on his dog bed at night.i highly recommend you get another pet for your dog.
Dogs are pack animals so getting another pet helping as mentioned in other comments makes sense. This is not to pressure you and your family before they are ready of course but even fostering could help. Sorry for your loss!
We have 6 year old brother and sister cats that we got from a rehome situation because their owner died and they hid and cried at first, and going out of our way to pet them and talk to them even when they’re hiding helped tremendously. I know it’s a dog that OP is talking about though, so ymmv
We had two dogs, best friends. One was sick, dying. When it was time we had the younger there when we said goodbye so he would understand. He came up and smelled the body, he knew. He was majorly depressed for months afterward. We spoiled him. Extra everything. We just focused on him, which the vet suggested but also it helped us and helped him too. I was wrecked when my first buddy passed but we got through it as a family. Time really does help but it never gets easy. I’m sorry for your loss. We did get another dog, but it was probably a year or so.
Give your dog a lot of time & attention. Talk to her & explain about Piper if you haven't already. Idk if your dog was able to see your cat's body, but as a former farm kid, it really does help animals to see the deceased and spend time with them if possible. It doesn't mean they won't grieve at all or get very upset during the viewing, but it makes the overall grieving process much better for them.
My older dog outlived the younger and it's taken a year for her to not look for her. I just hug her more and told her where she was. I believe they understand in some way
My pup was very depressed after our girl died last year. Wouldn't eat, wanted to sleep next to me when he hated it before, he even lost about 5 pounds because he just wouldn't. He knew she was dying before I did (she had epilepsy and seized for about 15 minutes, he whined the whole time when he normally just ignored her during a seizure). I just had to spend a lot of time with him. A lot of cuddles and treats and walks. We got a new puppy a few months later and having a sister again seemed to help him (although he wasn't sure about being the big brother now). It's been a year. He's been doing much better in the last 6 months or so. Just give them and you lots of space and grace to heal.
I recommend you talk with your dog ( and cat) using an animal communicator.
I’ve known and used Debbie Johnstone for 20 years. Listen 2 Animals . com.
She can help your dog and also bring you comfort.
Animals often struggle with moving on if they don’t have a chance to see the body. If have the cat’s remains or buried it, I suggest bringing your dog to the grave to help with the mourning process. If you can’t do that, try giving your dog something that used to belong to the cat (a toy, collar, blanket, etc.).
I inherited my mom’s cat when she passed. She was mourning and confused. My mom had suddenly gone into the hospital in the middle of the night and never came back. A few weeks after it happened, I was very distraught myself and went outside to cry alone but her cat came outside with me. As I was sitting on a step crying, I looked at her and I said “I miss my mommy. I miss our mommy. She’s gone forever.” I have never seen an animal comprehend something like she did. I could see the realization on her face. She knew exactly why I was crying and what I was trying to convey. And she suddenly cried out the most heart wrenching wail I have ever heard and then hung her head down as if defeated. She still grieved but it was different after that day. She tried harder to become part of our family and move on. She’s very happy now. Talk to her. That sounds goofy, but try to explain to her. Show her an item that belonged to your cat so she knows who you are talking about and try to use your emotions to tell her.
Thank you for sharing this beautiful story. Blessings to you and your family.
Oh man, you made my eyes leak
Your story reminded me about how my dad’s cat would sit on my lap and let me cry into her fur after he passed away. I miss them both.
Gosh I wasn’t expecting to randomly open the Reddit app and weep like this. I’m sorry for your loss, and thank you for this beautiful story. ❤️
I believe animals understand. 🩷
Yeah. It’s hard to know how much they understand but it’s very easy to see that they’re trying to understand. I’m willing to bond with that.
Absolutely for sure! My first cat, Nala, is who made me a cat person. She adopted me one day and hasn’t left my side since, but I remember talking to her and thinking, “this cat understands me”. The last 2.5 years and two additional cats later has taught me that generally cats are emotionally intelligent but my first girl is something special. She’s my soul cat and I swear sometimes we can communicate with looks. My husband laughs but ultimately ended up agreeing with me after he’s seen her reactions to certain things lol. Cats are amazing, I feel like a chump for counting them out in my younger years.
They are amazing. I figure they can see into other dimensions. I think cats and horses are here to heal us and dogs are here to teach us how to have fun!
I just cried reading your story. I am sorry for the loss of your mother. She would be pleased with how you’re taking such great care of her animal. Wishing you, your cat, and the rest of your family all the best.
Thank you for sharing this, so much appreciation for you and I will definitely speak to my dog. Blessings to you and your mother ❣️
My heart goes out to you, your dog and your family :( this made me cry so hard. especially all the sweet sentiments of talking to your dog. That sounds like the best way to grieve together. I hope it works so you both can heal.
This is everything.
I'm crying so hard as I type this. I lost my soul cat Leo of 11 years in April. His brother Zeus, a 10 year pup, was his best friend. He has never known a day without him. Leo hadn't been doing well for a while, and I knee it was coming. I had a home vet visit where he was peacefully euthanized, in my arms. I talked to both of them about this. I told Leo that he would just fall asleep in my arms, and go to the most beautiful place he's ever been. I told Zeus how he knew Leo wasn't doing well, and that his brother wouldn't be with us, and about the rainbow bridge he was going to. I laid with Leo, propped up, on my bed, curled on my chest. As we were waiting for him to pass, the breeze was blowing in from his favorite window, with a warm sunbeam across us. I talked to him the whole time, I told him to be patient until we see eachother again. I don't know how to help Zeus. I talk to him about it still, letting him know his brother is watching over him, and that he will visit him in his dreams. As much as my heart hurts, I feel like his is even more broken. I adopted a kitten, which I don't think is helping, but time will tell. I'm going to cry myself to sleep now.
I just wanna say this happened with my cat when my other cat passed. She was 3 years older so he had never known a home without her in it. He would just sit in the middle of the room and cry and nothing I did would comfort him. He knew what happened, he's the one who alerted me to something wrong and led me to her body. He just really missed his sister. 12 years together is such a long time. After over a year the crying and discontent wasn't getting better. He started needing to be touching me or my husband at all times. We decided to adopt a new cat to keep him company. The first 2 months I wondered if I made a huge mistake. But we are halfway through month 3 and they're absolutely best buds now. So don't give up on the new kitten being able to be a good friend for your pup. Since the kitty is just a baby it might take a bit longer for them to bond with the energy levels being so different but I have no doubt it'll happen. Sending hugs and love and hoping all our babies are playing at the bridge together while they wait for us. It's just not fair that they have to leave us so soon. I have absolutely been more broken up about pets passing than I have people in my family. Sad as that is. The pets never betrayed me.
Your words warm my heart. Today is the first day I saw Zeus really playing with Poe (chaos kitten). It made me cry tears of happiness. I am torn everyday because I'm like man, is this kitten just exhausting him (he has 1000 toys and cat towers and scratchers, Poe just really loves Zeus already). It doesn't help that he also tries to nurse on him, but that's another story 🙃 Thank you for this message, I needed it. I am so happy your babies are friends now. 🩷🩷🩷
I just lost my 18 year old kitty that I’ve had since childhood, and this made me tear up holy shit 💔 I’m so sorry for your loss, sending you all the hugs friend
I'm so sorry for the loss of your baby, too. Thank you kind friend for your words, they mean everything right now. I hope Leo welcomed your kitty to the rainbow bridge with catnip and purrs. 💜💜💜
Thank you as well 💗💗💗 it’s the one single part of owning a pet that I truly, truly hate. But I’m sure our babies are up there together, happy and at peace. My DMs are always open to you if you ever need to talk 🫂
Our cat, Ringo, has never stopped mourning his brother. Now, when the dogs go outside he walks around yowling until they come back inside. One of my dogs declined after our other dog died. He never got over it.
I’m waiting on some test results for my cat Samson who I’ve have for ten years, since he was 3 months old. He’s been having breathing issues for a few years now which I thought was asthma but I believe the test will say it’s cancer and he doesn’t have much time left. When the doctor spoke to me last week about running this final test, I could tell he was gently letting me know I should most likely prepare for a goodbye much sooner than I ever anticipated. I want to do a home euthanasia and your post gave me even more confidence that it’s the best thing for us both. I want to do it on the couch, in our favorite chill spot, while I kiss his little head like I’ve done for years.
I am so deeply sorry to hear this. I know how much your heart is hurting. Cherish every moment you have with him. I took some time to do some paw prints, which turned out to be an absolute mess, and he smacked me in the face with neon pink paint (gently, he's a sweetheart), and it makes me laugh. There is still paint on the floor and wall that I cannot bring myself to wash off. I also bought a little jar in the shape of a heart that I clipped some of his fur and have it in. Despite being such a traumatic loss, the experience of having the in home euthanasia was really peaceful. I wasn't sobbing while he was on my chest, just talking to him softly the whole time. If it were in a vet office, I think it would have shattered me. When it was time for them to take him, as I laid him down on the blanket, his little arms crossed over eachother and over his face. He looked like an angel. You've given your baby such a good life. I don't have a lot of advice as I'm still shattered. Just know that being with your kitty during their final moments as they cross over will be everything. We will get to see them again, that's how we will get through this, ok? 💜💔
Thank you so much, this is so sweet. I will definitely get some paw prints and we’re spending lots of quality time together. He was on an allergy free/hydrolyzed protein diet for six months when I thought he might have food allergies, but now he’s getting alllll the fancy feast, temptations treats and his favorite kibble. I’ve also gotten him a giant cat tree - the biggest one he’s ever had in his life! He’s been camped out in it for days 😂 If this is the end of the road for him, he’s going out fat and happy! It’s a weird spot because realistically I know that whatever the news is, it’s not gonna be good. His lung CT was very concerning and the oncology department already looked at the first round of tests and suspected cancer. His coughing has also gotten even more frequent and intense. It seems painful and hard for him to breathe at times although it quickly passes and then he’ll be fine, sometimes for several hours. He’s been my best friend for a decade 💕 We’ve lived in two states, gone through 3 jobs, 3 long term boyfriends, five apartments, a Covid summer at my parents and so many other life moments. It’s just so hard to imagine that soon he might not be here anymore. I knew he wouldn’t live forever (although I would joke that he was immortal) but I didn’t think I’d be considering all this after only ten years. It was actually two days before the ten year anniversary of me taking him home that I placed the order for the cancer test. 😔 But, all things considered, I wouldn’t trade my time with him for anything! He made me a real adult and brought so much love and stability to my life. I’ve loved him every single day and will continue to do so long after we say goodbye.
You are the best mama he could have had. It's an absolute travesty the short amount of time we get with our pets (literal fur children to us), especially when we feel like their life was cut short by nearly 10 years. I'm sending you all of the warmth and sunshine I can to you both. 💚
💖💛 sending you all the good vibes in return 💛💖
Oh my gosh this made me cry, how beautiful. I believe they do understand also ❤️
I am so sorry for the passing of your mom and your poor baby kitty’s grief. So glad you were there for each other.
Yes this is true. Our pets are so much smarter than we give them credit for. They definitely understand the language being spoken in their homes. Look on YouTube for animals that are being taught to speak with buttons and you will have your mind blown.
I love animals. This is why. I don’t believe it when people say they aren’t capable of understanding our communication style and love.
For animals and humans to be able to communicate this fundamental experience to each other proves to me that the complex “human” emotions like love and grief are not human at all. They’re a universal experience of life. My little kitty and I have always been able to do this together. We can communicate in a way I’ve never connected with an animal. I can sometimes tell he feels when I need him, knows the difference between what to do when I am sad (Velcro) vs in pain (staying right nearby). He was recently diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor and will likely pass in the next few months, at only 8 years old, and I’m devastated. Reading this gives me hope that his little spirit may be somewhere else out there, waiting to find me in a new friend who will be just as special in his own way.
I hope you have a very special next few months with your kitty. All the best love
This is just completely unfair and heartbreaking. I'm so sorry. I hope you can let go of the pain in these last months to just enjoy your baby and love him as much as possible in the time you have. Is it possible to adopt another cat now so he can show the new guy the ropes and pass the duties when its time?
Thank you. I try to remind myself the universe is random, but I can’t help but think he needed to be recalled because he did his job so well and is ready for his reward. I thought about it, but he doesn’t love other animals and is definitely king of the house, so I feel he’ll be happiest getting 100% of the attention for his remaining life. How I found him was a CRAZY story and i expect the next one will be too.
I’ll pray for you
Your story brought tears to my eyes. Sometimes our pets serve as medicine for us.
This broke my heart
Oh gosh this is the saddest, sweetest thing I've read in ages, I'm bawling. But I'm so glad you had each other 💕
this just made me cry. i’m sending you so much love and best wishes. can i ask what your cats name is?
that broke my heart 💔 i hope your all doing better now
Wow this hit me so deeply. I’m so sorry for your loss but thank you for sharing your story with us.
Why am I crying at my desk 🥹🥹🥹
LITERALLY SAME
I'm not crying, you're... no, OK I'm crying. Such a heart-wrenching story. Thank you for sharing.
I came to comment this same thing. When one of my cats suddenly passed, the other cat was staring at a door where the one would sometimes get caught behind. I told her that Sunkissed was gone and that I was very sorry all while crying. She understood and stopped staring at the door, cuddling with us a bit more than usual.
This made me cry, I’m so sorry.
I'm sorry for you loss, truly. Similar, one of my cats died and Elwood, the other cat who raised her, and never went outside cried for two days, then demanded to go out. He was trembling, but determined to find her. I followed him, as he'd never been out and didn't know anything about traffic, or where he was going. He must have smelled her, because he walked the path that she and I used to. He'd scurry several feet, crouch down and cry. He was terrified, but would not quit looking for her. I was snot crying while telling him that she wasn't there, "She's gone Elwood." I'm sure we looked a pair, and sounded horrible, both loud crying. Nearly crying now, and that was in the early 90's. It feels like it took him half an hour just to get to the edge of the woods out back, then I picked him up and brought him in. He was still shaking, but he'd done what he needed to do, and never asked to go out again. We spent days curled up together grieving. They were my first two pets as an adult, and it was soul crushing. We both gradually got better, and he eventually got a new kitten to raise. He was in love once again. I wish you the best. Thank you for knowing that pets have very deep emotions.
Omg this is beautiful and made me tear up. Thanks for sharing.
My mom had two dogs. A Katrina Rescue and this other character. Her one dog got very sick suddenly and my Dad rushed her to the vet. I stayed home with their other rescue. He kept going to the door. Finally. He came and sat beside me and let out this howl and put his head down. I looked at my phone, looked at the time and thought it was so strange. Later I found out Our other dog passed away with my Dad by his side at that exact moment.
sorry for your loss. get another cat, ideally a kitten who can acclimate to the pup more easily. If anything will fix her, it's that. other thing to do next time is to show your dog the cats body. intelligent animals can understand death, and that might help her to know what happened rather than forever wondering where her friend went. I put down my cat last month and showed his body to my other animals. they didn't care.
>other thing to do next time is to show your dog the cats body. intelligent animals can understand death, and that might help her to know what happened rather than forever wondering where her friend went. I've experienced this quite a few times with my rats. I had to have many euthanised at the vets, and the pack mates, especially the true sisters, would look and search for them for days. It was heartbreaking, but I couldn't bring myself to put the body back in the enclosure because I was afraid the others would associate the death with me. Idk, maybe that was wrong. But with those rats who died peacefully at home, the others just kind of accepted it. I'm sure they were sad, little rats have big feelings, but they understood it.
When I had to put one of my rats down at the vet I brought her back and let them see and investigate her body. I didn’t leave her with them. Just for about 15 minutes and I stayed with them. The vet had wrapped her in a small blanket and I just uncovered her head, put her near their cage and opened it up to let them come out on their own. When I took her away I gently stroked all of them on their noses starting with her then wrapped her face again and slowly took her. They just went back in their hidy hammock on their own and cuddled up together, I even kept it open if they wanted to come to me. I think her sisters “finding” her was a more organic way. It wasn’t like I suddenly put her body in the cage, they found her then (in their eyes) I found her as well and comforted them. They grieved but didn’t continue to search for her.
When it was time for one of my kitties, I had a vet come to the house for this exact reason, so the other kitty wouldn't be confused. Other kitty had zero issues.
We just did the same. He was in my lap while we did everything and I felt like it didn't upset him at all. They weren't besties, but they snuggled sometimes. I haven't seen him look for her or cry once. He does get much more upset when I'm gone now though.
>other thing to do *next time* is to show your dog the cats body. Oh I know what you mean, but that's a bittersweet sentence to read. Having animals is such a joy, but they will never live as long as we do, and it's so hard to put ourselves through- even if it's 'only' every 15-20 years
it's the price we pay for 15-20 years of unconditional love.
And as awful as that loss and grief is, it’s worth every single second.
I agree. The baby is not a replacement. She’s a new friend!
I brought my late cat's body home after she was euthanized (we only had the option at the vet), and let my dog and other cat have some time with her.
>I put down my cat last month and showed his body to my other animals. they didn't care. Savage
Pets can smell odors we don’t. My friends had two bonded cats. One died at the vets office so the other couldn’t say goodbye. The second cat kept looking for her buddy, wailing. The day they got the ashes from the crematorium, they let her sniff them. She knew. She stopped looking, she got quiet, she ate, drank and slept. She knew. So if it’s possible, let the dog smell the ashes. Don’t just get a new cat, animals are more intelligent than that. They don’t accept a substitute just like that. Best of luck and sorry for your loss!
I heard something similar from my friend, that when the owner dies you can let them sniff the body so they know their owner is gone
Yes, if this is possible, you should always do this. My dad died and our dog heard him. Friends came to take the dog while we made arrangements for the funeral. When the dog returned, she was searching for my dad. He had died upstairs, so every time someone went upstairs, she freaked out. We let her look around upstairs, to show her he was gone. She never felt quite relaxed with anyone going upstairs again.
my dog sniffed my elder dogs body after he was put to sleep. he understood. he still grieved but he knew. he tried to defend his body when we got near. it was very sad
Dogs understand a lot of human speech, so i agree on talking to her. Also agree that a kitten would be a great idea in a little while too. She will mourn though, just as we do, and the first 2 or 3 weeks are its height. Animal charities like cats protection etc have info on animals grieving which may help. Sitting and crying with her might bring her out of her solitary grief as she will realise how much you are hurting too. It wouldnt help to have a chat with your vet either, for advice on how to support her through this and when you might need to intervene if food continues to be rejected for more than a few days; you accept she needs to mourn but you dont want her to pine away altogether. Pets lose their buddies though and they get through it, and im sure your vet will have seen this situation before. Im so sorry for your loss of your sweet little kitty, and wish you the best of luck helping your sad little girl
Thank you so much ❣️
Ooh sorry! Typed "wouldnt help to talk to your vet" but meant to write "wouldnt HURT to talk to your vet" doh! Im sure you read between the lines there though thankfully! The vet is a really good place for support and will be able to advise on how to get her through this physically with regard to not eating/ not drinking enough; they even have things they can use to stimulate appetite if need be. Sorry for dumb typo! I would consider the new kitten after about a month or so; as her grief slowly lifts it would be an invaluable distraction, but it will be baby steps at first, until she warms to the little mite. I really wish you the best with it all
If you’re able, let your dog smell your cat so it understands she has passed.. that’s one way animals are able to understand why their bestie is no longer going to be around.. I had to do that and it helped a lot..
Always show the animals their siblings body afterwards.. always if you didn't.. they'll understand. Then they can grieve more easily. Can your dog smell the cats ashes?
My dog was unfortunately the one that found her body :( I think she knows that Piper (my cat) is dead, however her constant search for her today and last night threw me off a little bit… I couldn’t bear to see her body so my brother took care, but I might have him take my dog to see her body again. Thanks for your advice ❤️
This.
Some things just need time, if it's real bad and being affectionate and supportive doesn't help, I'd go talk to a vet. Spoil her, she deserves it. But if super yummy food doesn't make her eat, and she's so stressed out - calming and even depression drugs from the vet will make her feel better. Pets grieve just as we would, it's a process and can't be skipped. I've heard about pets getting depression after the loss of companion and meds do help.
Keep track of your own grief. Hold your pet, talk to her and grieve together.
I brought our younger dog with when we had to put our older dog down. He was there and cried with us as we said good bye. We spent the next week or so mourning our loss. He wouldn’t eat and just laid around so i did the same with him. Eventually he started eating treats so we spoiled ourselves with expensive treats from the homemade dog treat store and ice cream. We started going on walks again and he stopped at every regular pee spot of our other dog and sniffed those spots like his life depended on it. Then i just went all in and made my whole life even more so about him and eventually he found his happy again. We started Puppy Adventures where we did something new and exciting once or twice a week and he *loved* it. He was a really happy boy again but it took a few weeks.
I know it’s really hard for you all right now so sending love and thoughts. But a new young kitten friend for your dog would be good (not only would you be rescuing a little kitty, but your dog will have a friend) grief is just love with nowhere to go. If she has a new friend to love, it will be going somewhere ❤️
This is truly so kind, thank you so much for your words, grief being love with no where to go makes it easier for me to grieve this. Thank you for your advice ❣️❣️
Turn on Bluey. There might be an episode about grief to help
The budgie episode
I know of a ranch where two horses got out of the pasture and went down the road to another place where a horse had just died. Their owner said it was as if they’d gone to pay their respects.
Another cat won't help. Did you let your dog say goodbye to your cat? Just give your dog lots of cuddles and grieving. It will take time. Font forget while you're all at work. Your dog and cat are together. They're like siblings. It's going to hurt for a while and will take time. Just be there for your dog and say "I know Sweetie, it's okay" ❤️❤️
No advice, but my cat Piper just passed away last weekend. I hope our Pipers are in kitty afterlife chasing mice ❤️
I am so sorry for your loss as well, sending love to your Piper ❣️🌷
Did they see the cat’s body when she passed on? I heard that they tend to move on and accept the death when they see the body. Animal or human. If not… Talk to them. They understand. Or hire an animal communicator to let them know what happened and ask what you can do better to help them grieve and move on.
According to another reply from the OP, the pup was the one who found the body of the cat 🥺
😔😔😔😔
My golden did this when she was 4. For months. When my fiancé took off one night when I was cooking and never came back. It was brutal. I ended up going to the shelter and adopting another dog. I’m soooooo happy I did. For them both. She was so distracted by the new pet it broke her out of that mindset. It was so bad …I don’t even want to type out the things she was doing…. Just half heartedly remembering it right now as the memory comes back into my head my eyes immmediqtely fill with tears. Worse than what he did, 1000x worse, was going thru that and having to watching him cause her that kind of pain. I begged him to come back and spend time with her….he just ….left her like nothing. He was her “person”. That was 5 yrs ago, and I remember that more vividly than anything. Adopting a new dog was so good for us both. Maybe consider a new pet…if you’re up to it.
Oh my god I am so sorry. Sending love to you, thank you for sharing this story ❤️
If you get another cat maybe get a young adult cat and do a foster. If it works out you can do a "foster fail" to keep the animal.
Have you been to vet, they may be able to provide some medication to assist with the transition?
Dogs feel the loss of a pack member just like we do. Spend some extra time with her and do things she enjoys (walks, ice cream, etc). We have lost many dogs in recent years and some of the dogs have taken months to get over it.
Just wanted to thank everyone for their kind words and advice, all of you are helping me and my sweet pup through this experience so much. I send so much love and appreciation to all of you truly ❣️
When my cat passed, our dog was frantic. He was like that and once I brought home my cat’s ashes he calmed down. But he occasionally still looks and sniffs the place with a rare whimper. I’ve asked everyone and I do mean everyone. From veterinarians to a pet psychic, wish I was joking, and the general consensus was because our dog wasn’t there for the death and never saw the body. It left him unsure of where his best friend was. The pet psychic alluded to them being more than friends. Our neutered male cat used to mount & hump our fully intact large breed male dog. F’ing creepy how spot on.
When my 16 yr old dog died my husky watched us bury her, very intently. She knew. She grieved, but not too badly. My cat was there, i put him next to the body and it just didn't register for him. Fortunately i stuff zipping hypoallergenic pillow cases with fur when i brush the pets. The cat slept on that pillow for a week. Now he sleeps on her old bed, which he never ever did before. Look for old clothes of hers for him to sleep on. In there isn't anything rub a drop each of her lotion, shampoo, soap and perfume on an old teeshirt. Add hair from her brush.Hold him and cry and say mommy gone. Strength and peace to you.
I'm sorry for your loss. I wish I had an answer. We just had one of our 3 dogs put to sleep after a sudden illness (he was a perfectly healthy 13 year old dog, as far as we knew). We did have Lap of Love come to the house for the euthanasia so the other dogs were there, and the vet said to the the other dogs sniff him afterwards, which we did. He was the oldest, and the leader of our little pack. The next oldest is blind so she kept looking for him for about a week. She's definitely not as active as she used to be. But the 7yr old dog has become sooooo clingy to me. And if we're apart, he gets very upset. He is technically my son's dog and slept in there every night but now when he goes in he shakes and whines. It really is heart breaking. My husband doesn't want to get another dog, but I do. I think the 7 yr old really needs a friend. Maybe in the fall, or maybe I'll foster - something I've wanted to do for awhile. Anyway -- sorry I don't have any advice but just wanted to let you know, you're not alone. Best of luck.
Extra love, and talk to them. We lost our dog, after a few days the cat realized he was missing, watching him look for the dog and crying for hours was heart breaking. We just gave him extra hugs and changed our routine a bit.
When my dog was alive one of the guineapigs passed and he would sniff Shadow and look around for Oreo and then would come back, and check on Shadow and continue searching. I think he finally realized after I kept telling him that Oreo was gone. When the dog was in his last two days, I brought Shadow over to say goodbye and he cuddled with the dog and got under the blanket with him. For a few days after, he stayed in his hidey house and wouldn’t come out much, but he was able to heal. Shadow and Mello (the dog) were buddies, Mello would move his bowl in front of Shadow’s water bottle and they would eat and drink together. Mello always had a big smile on his face being able to spend time with his buddy.
When my mom died in 2012, our dog Lily (my younger sister) went into the morning. She lost 10 lbs, and I got so worried. I took her to the vet, and he told me to cuddle and show her we missed mom too. She started to choose my dad as her next favorite human in the house, and my daughter would read to her every night and show her animal videos. After a year, she gained her weight back and a few more. She crossed the rainbow bridge at 15 in 2022. Then, my daughter went into the morning; she hated having a quiet house. Honestly, I did too. In February 2023, we got a 9-week-old shit-tzu puppy.
Do you have her collar? My dog was grieving for his fur brother. Once we gave him his collar, he was okay. He cried and slept with it for a few nights.
My dog was grieving my elder dog passing, shortly after i got a puppy. he hated the puppy for a while. i don’t recommend that
Do you know anyone that has a kitten or cat that is friendly with dogs or perhaps another dog that’s friendly. You could try arranging a play date with your dog. It might give your pup a bit of a distraction
My old cat knew when his buddy was gone. We had taken him to the vet and came back with the empty carrier, he knew something was different and looked straight at the carrier. He was depressed for a bit, didn’t eat a lot but he seemed to get over it after a bit as much as he could. Animals understand more than we think sometimes.
In my dog’s last two days, I let the guineapig be by his side so they can see eachother one last time and I’m so glad I did. I’m surprised by how well he handled it. He cuddled with the dog and crawled under the blanket to be with him.
You're acting differently, and that's what your dog's reacting to. If you can sit down and pet your dog, and just be in the moment with your dog, they will be in that moment with you. They need you. Not necessarily another cat or pet, but you. I'm sorry for the loss of your cat. Simply, you miss your cat, so you are acting differently in a way that's stressing out your dog. My relative has a golden, and went through something similar. Goldens are hyper, but stable (so can have anxiety). Anyhow, they were besides themselves about the golden. So, I sat down and picked up one of the dog's toys, and called him over. I gave him cheek rubs and sat on the floor with him. He was fine. My relative was just so emotional themselves and didn't realize that how they were acting was affecting the dog, and instead thought it was the loss of the other pet. So, I came over daily and sat with their dog for an hour for a couple of weeks, and then it was fine after that. Again, I'm so sorry for your loss.
Animals deal with grief the same way human beings do. I feel sad for what's happening with your dog. But I think you have the right idea about getting a new cat. Try and adopt a cat that looks like your dead Piper even if it's just in colour. It may help your dog.
I have also been through this, many times. You have some beautiful replies here. As for what you can do, 1. Change things up. Have an xtra walk, dog park, play session. Changing patterns will help. 2. Cook some boneless chicken thighs for your dog. Let it simmer with some carrots and celery, pour over brown rice. Add this (a cup) over her regular food. No seasoning. They cant resist! 3. Most importantly, your girl is also reacting to your emotions/grief. Its normal for you both. Give her xtra attention, soothing. What did NOT help was trying to replace your kitty right now. Critters are much too smart for that, annd it can foster resentment, so go slow. I am so sorry. I really hope this helps.
We had two cats. One was elderly and passed suddenly. My other cat grieved hard. We decided to get another cat within 4 weeks and this seemed to help him.
Did she get to see the body?
Get a kitten/cat from a refuge, let your dog choose their companion by walking past the cages. The dog will know which cat/kitten suits them.
When my ❤️ corgi passed five years ago, his younger sister grieved his passing. He was I’ll for about a year beforehand, so I think she quickly realized something was up. Also, I was devastated. She went looking for him the day after he passed. After that day, I could no longer let her out alone because would just wonder around looking for him. It is heart breaking, but they do adjust. Talk to her, and reassure her just like you would a grieving child. Have you considered fostering a cat ? It may be a way for you all to deal with your grief and possibly finding your next cat.
Please people, when a pet or a human dies, let remaining pets sniff them!!!
When my dog was at the end of his life, I had him in doggy hospice as I called it. I had him on a soft foot stool and had a towel on the bottom, and put his favorite blankies on him and surrounded him in his favorite toys. I brought the guineapig over to say goodbye, and I’m so glad I did. He sat with the dog for a while and cuddled him. He even got underneath the blanket with him. I could tell he seemed to understand what was happening.
Tell your pet what happened and that it's okay to miss them. They DO understand. They do grieve the loss. Hold them a bit more and tell them it's gonna be all right. Before getting another cat or dog, ASK your pet if they want another brother or sister. They will tell you. I did that with my older dog scrappy. He sneezed a yes every time I asked for over a month. Then, my chi weeny came into our lives. He followed my scrappy around for about a year before he passed. Then, literally 2 months after scrappy passed, Scrappy sent me my little girl and both of my young pups love each other. I was not going to get another puppy but, my little girl is really an angel and it did come from my Scrappy. So, I couldn't say no.
Can you bring your dog to the shelter to meet other cats? Maybe you two can pick out a new friend to bring home.
Don’t get a new cat right away. We waited months after our chi cross was stolen, and even then neither the cat nor the other dog was very happy with the rescue pug we got. Of course, they love him now, but they likely wouldn’t have adjusted so well if the replacement had been immediate.
I’ve asked vets for advice and tried to read any type of advice and the only thing is to let them grieve, take them on walks, play with them, look happy and talk to her in a happy tone. Let her sleep with you and just give as much love as possible. To help her eat, try putting some chicken in her food or a type of food topping. Just like humans, dogs need time to grieve. Bringing in a new pet too soon might cause additional stress. It might be beneficial to wait until the dog shows signs of recovery from its grief.
This is heartbreaking. If dogs are anything like people (and I suspect they are) then opening your family up to another cat sooner rather than later might not be such a bad idea. It was the only thing that made me feel a bit better when my Ernie passed away. Took me a few months to "forgive" my new cat for not being her… But I also knew basically instantly he would be my best friend.
My boy had to go on Prozac when his littermate passed. I took him to see his body which didn’t actually seem to bother him too much but he cried and howled all day long for weeks. Vet finally said to try it since he want getting over it. Maybe Leida could pick a kitten out? Otherwise meds can be super helpful.
This seems like a good idea, supportive medication and finding a kitten that the dog actually likes.
Like us, animals need time to grieve and comfort during their time of grief. Give her extra attention, talk to her so she knows what’s going on, and if you’re ready for another pet take her to the animal shelter and see if she connects with someone new.
Kitten!
I'm so sorry, OP. My family took in my uncle's dog when he unexpectedly passed. She was an older lab- incredibly devoted. And of course, very distressed and grieving. I think she was also picking up on the family's mood as well though. After a few days I offered her her favorite toy, to play a bit. It took a bit but she came around and after that was noticeably happier. I think grieving is inevitable, and should have its moment. But our pets look to us for guidance in everything. It might be hard for you, but try to cheer her up a bit. Either a toy, or her favorite park, just seeing you offer some joy. It'll probably help you too.
Maybe try a doggy daycare in your area. Your dog can make some new friends and it might distract him from his grief.
My cat just died, way way way too young at age 4, and both my other cat (bonded pair) and my dog have really needed to adjust during the extended vet stays and eventual passing. A lot of affection and comfort helped get them through it. He was our first of the three and really the older brother figure for both. Figuring out the dynamics and routine between the two without him has been very strange but they’re far closer than they were prior to the beginning of our tumultuous last two months. I’m going to get a kitten in the fall if I’m up to it, but I don’t expect it to fully fill the gap my boy left. The dynamics will still be new, there’s a transition and introduction period, and the big brother will become the little sister. But I think it will be a good thing.
I'm so very sorry for your loss. I think your little girl will accept another addition to the family with joy. She's pining for her companion, and although she may stop crying, it's going to be a long time before she stops waiting for her to return. Please update. 🫂 🤗 ❤️ for Leida.
I think that the best think to do would just be there for her as much as you can. Hug and comfort her.
Look for a foster at a rescue or pond. Try to bring over to help. See what happens.
I had two brothers one died unexpected. The one left has always been more of clingy cat but he been way worse it's been over 6 months he doing better but he still has to sleep with or near me. He fallows me everywhere but he playing now and spending time with other people besides me
I had two horses. I had to put one down because of a condition that’s finally took its toll on her. When I tell u I’ve never heard anything like a horse scream like that, it was awful. I tried to shield my young daughters in the house but they knew. All three screaming, I was crying, awful awful day. I’m so sorry you’re going through this.
kitten.
We lost our older dog about 2 years ago. Our younger dog was so sad and scared for a while. I would talk to him, and letting him smell her stuff seemed to help. He loved to smell her collar.
Dogs definitely understand you. My dog was living with my mom when she passed, before coming to live with me. It’s been almost 4 years now but I still get sad randomly, and my dog seems to understand. She gets teary eyed the same way I do when I talk to her about our mom. Sometimes when I’m sitting in front of mom’s urn to talk to her, the dog will come and sit next to me and we talk to mom together. There no right or wrong thing to do for your grieving dog, just like there isn’t for a grieving person. You just do the same thing you would for a person: talk to them, love them, hug them, and be there for them ❤️
They grieve like we do. But they also get over it like we do. I wouldn't bother doing anything to remedy the situation in the sense of emotionally helping them through it or process the loss, but I would try to refocus them on a new routine. Maybe you visit a new park three times a week. Maybe you go on a walk at dawn daily before you go to work. Maybe you play fetch each evening now at 5:30. Maybe mealtimes start randomly moving and you do a training session for 5 minutes before she's paid with breakfast. Maybe a special ball comes out once per day for 10 minutes. Etc. Just mess up their routine a little. Livestock owners understand that once a cow breaks through a fence, you have to just keep them away from there for about two weeks and they'll stop testing that area of the fence over and over, the idea is gone from their brain. Dogs will do the same eventually, they'll stop revisiting ideas that don't have positive outcomes. It's hard for them, as it is for us, but just bear with it. A new kitten would certainly help, but a stuffed animal might be just as good. I had a dog lose a litter of puppies (small litter, just two, both stillborn) and she chose beanie babies as her substitute 'puppies' and we just had two weeks of her ferrying beanie babies around before she kinda snapped out of it. They figure it out.
What I did when one of my cat's siblings died (14 weeks old) was showed them her body. They all began grooming her and mewing. It was heartbreaking but I know they understood. After that, they seemed to move on easier. If you have anything that smells like her, keep it with your pup, things will get easier. I'm sorry for your loss
My golden retriever was in a deep depression after his best friend, our other dog, died suddenly. He watched us bury his friend and then went into deep mourning. He wouldn’t go off the porch unless we went with him, he was super sad. I would go home at lunch just so I could walk him or he wouldn’t go out to relieve himself. After a few weeks of this I took a new job, which meant I couldn’t come home at lunch anymore. So we got another dog from a shelter. She wasn’t the same to him as his best friend who died, of course, but she did help him cheer up and return to his usual self. Your dog may really need a companion to help him recover, when you are ready.
When I was little we had a dog pass suddenly from licking a toad, and our other dog would paw at the sliding door to our backyard all night until her paws were bleeding and then kept scratching at the door. The dog that passed away was a yorki and we just got another yorki soon after that to replace her lost friend. From what I remember she got better quick with the addition of a new dog.
I was in the same situation several years ago. Our German shorthair died suddenly and very unexpectedly at about 2 years old. Our Rottweiler mix grieved so badly for him. She wasn’t eating, drinking, we had to take her to the vet. Our vet actually suggested we get another dog to see if it would help her. And when she saw the new little pup she lit up and just came back to life. I really think she would have grieved herself to death.
I know it sounds crazy, but sit down with your animals and talk to them. Tell them whats going on. I know that dogs and cats cannot understand all that we say, but they can feel what we say, and see what we say, and smell hormones and pheromones from the emotions we give off. Tell them whats going on from the beginning to now so they can start to comprehend whats going on, as they are worried and confused right now without a clue in the world. If you have the cats collar bring that to them to sniff as well. Animals are smart, they will pick up on what you are trying to get across to them and it will ease there suffering and help them through the mourning process. Some things are universal and language has no bounds, this is true with animals as well. Tell them everything and give them some comfort at the end that everything is going to be fine now even though their friend is gone. This is something that my veterinary technician teacher always emphasized to us to do and it does work.
When I had to send my sick cat over Rainbow Bridge, my other cat seemed to be doing okay. Then he found the washable incontinence pads I had used. He fished it out with his claws, unfolded it, then buried his face in it and kept sniffling. He decided to sleep on that pad that night. My two cats had barely tolerated each other, yet he missed her. If you have something with your cat's scent on it, it might be a comfort to your dog.
Could you get a new kitten? I know it can be tough to move on but I’ve found for grieving pets who don’t understand, it can really help
Thing happened to my dog when I had to put my other dog down she was so in love with him. What I did was, I took her out to meet other dogs and other people to my local hangout spot which is called sovereign Kava and it helped her so much you can’t believe it. He needs to go out and meet other dogs and people.
This makes me so sad. 😢💔
Number one see your vet and get a prescription yesterday. Number two, sit on the Big Emotions Bench with your dog and let them cry it out. Number three, doggie daycare or dog parks asap. Other dogs, nature. Do ThIS. I’m sorry for your loss. What a beautiful relationship they had. Take care. It will hurt less soon enough. Hugs to both of you.
Alarmingone5100 I hat the same experience.i recently had to put my dog down after trying to keep her comfortable for the last year after I was told she had cancer.shr was 14 yrs old.a couple years ago I got a puppy pitbull.my older dog took her under her wing and was very motherly towards him..my pitbull had the most ultimate respect for her..he went thru a depressed state and was almost lost with out her.they were always together.i can relate to your heart being broken.a friend that I let stay with me ended up leaving her cat behind.my pit and this cat have become good pals. He even tries to share his ball with the cat and they both snuggle together on his dog bed at night.i highly recommend you get another pet for your dog.
mourn with her. if the cat did not pass at home she will need help with closure. Cry and hug it out.
Dogs are pack animals so getting another pet helping as mentioned in other comments makes sense. This is not to pressure you and your family before they are ready of course but even fostering could help. Sorry for your loss!
We have 6 year old brother and sister cats that we got from a rehome situation because their owner died and they hid and cried at first, and going out of our way to pet them and talk to them even when they’re hiding helped tremendously. I know it’s a dog that OP is talking about though, so ymmv
oof i’ve been there, my dog got SO depressed when my cat died he lost hair :(
We had two dogs, best friends. One was sick, dying. When it was time we had the younger there when we said goodbye so he would understand. He came up and smelled the body, he knew. He was majorly depressed for months afterward. We spoiled him. Extra everything. We just focused on him, which the vet suggested but also it helped us and helped him too. I was wrecked when my first buddy passed but we got through it as a family. Time really does help but it never gets easy. I’m sorry for your loss. We did get another dog, but it was probably a year or so.
Give your dog a lot of time & attention. Talk to her & explain about Piper if you haven't already. Idk if your dog was able to see your cat's body, but as a former farm kid, it really does help animals to see the deceased and spend time with them if possible. It doesn't mean they won't grieve at all or get very upset during the viewing, but it makes the overall grieving process much better for them.
Our dog passed 2 years ago. Our cat still mourns but not as bad..I thi k they are like humans. Time will make it better but it never goes away
My older dog outlived the younger and it's taken a year for her to not look for her. I just hug her more and told her where she was. I believe they understand in some way
My pup was very depressed after our girl died last year. Wouldn't eat, wanted to sleep next to me when he hated it before, he even lost about 5 pounds because he just wouldn't. He knew she was dying before I did (she had epilepsy and seized for about 15 minutes, he whined the whole time when he normally just ignored her during a seizure). I just had to spend a lot of time with him. A lot of cuddles and treats and walks. We got a new puppy a few months later and having a sister again seemed to help him (although he wasn't sure about being the big brother now). It's been a year. He's been doing much better in the last 6 months or so. Just give them and you lots of space and grace to heal.
I recommend you talk with your dog ( and cat) using an animal communicator. I’ve known and used Debbie Johnstone for 20 years. Listen 2 Animals . com. She can help your dog and also bring you comfort.
I’d be cautious of a new cat unless it has come from a previous dog home. Maybe a pup would be better?
Animals often struggle with moving on if they don’t have a chance to see the body. If have the cat’s remains or buried it, I suggest bringing your dog to the grave to help with the mourning process. If you can’t do that, try giving your dog something that used to belong to the cat (a toy, collar, blanket, etc.).