A cat has died - how to survive the death of a cat or a beloved cat: what feelings a person experiences, how to come to terms with the loss, how to get rid of guilt towards him and how to start living again, advice from a psychologist

It is impossible to prepare for death in advance - it will always be a blow. Whether it is relatives, close people or pets, the bitterness of loss overtakes the mourner, leaving him in a difficult state. Most owners will have to face the death of a pet, one way or another, since the life of a cat or dog is much shorter than the life of a human. When we get an animal, we know deep down that it will not outlive us, but we prefer not to focus on this. The question of how to survive the death of a cat appears during the immediate experience of loss and leaves a person in confusion and despair. We will talk about how to understand this loss and, if possible, cope with it in this article.

How to survive the death of a cat

How to survive the death of a cat: cats die alone

There are many cases where cats left the home where they lived with a person for a long time before their death. This usually happens after the appearance of characteristic symptoms:

wool loses its shine;
eyes become dull;
loss of appetite;
the animal does not drink water;
heartbeat is disturbed - the rhythm is slow;
There is an unpleasant odor coming from the mouth and from the fur.

Against the background of these symptoms, the pet loses weight. The cat's general appearance tells people that he is sick. It doesn't get any easier after a visit to the vet. The animal is left at home to die. But often cats go off in an unknown direction. This does not always happen immediately before death, it can happen in advance. Moreover, owners usually do not find the cat’s body in the surrounding area. Animals hide in secluded places.

There is also plenty of evidence that pets are living out their last days at home. This happens in the case of a quick death or under certain circumstances, for example, when he lives in an apartment, which means he is not able to move freely.

Conflicting evidence makes it difficult to reach a consensus on why pets leave home before they die and whether they actually have premonitions of death.

One hypothesis is that animals are in a state close to depression when they feel unwell. They leave in search of a secluded place so that no one will disturb them. It is unknown whether the animal will die or not, so sometimes cats return after a long absence.

Why do animals leave home before they die?

A frequently asked question: Why does a cat or dog try to leave the house before it dies? Under no circumstances should animals be humanized. They do this unconsciously; trying to leave the house is not at all a concern for the psychological state of the owner. So that he does not suffer, does not worry, does not cry. The action is rather instinctive. Animals are looking for a place of solitude and tranquility, as was originally intended in their natural wild environment.

If your cat or dog is looking for a place to go, fussing, veterinarians, of course, will recommend not touching the animal, not trying to calm it down - this will still not be of any use, but also not letting it out, giving them the opportunity to do as they want instincts. A lost, weakened animal can get into trouble. It’s best to take him to the clinic; perhaps you need some urgent help; competent veterinarians will be able to sort it out.

Our beloved cat has died: we bury our pet correctly

Many owners, not knowing how to cope with the death of a cat, try to bury the animal closer to their home: under the balcony or in the yard. But this is a violation of the law, today for such actions you can get a fine of up to 5 thousand rubles. Many people think that the body of a pet is small, and therefore will not cause harm to the environment or other people. But this misconception sometimes comes at a cost, because before death the pet could have been a carrier of the infection, and after death the corpse began to represent hazardous biological waste.

If, during burial in the ground in an area not intended for this, someone witnesses what is happening, they can file a complaint. Then you will have to pay a fine. Moreover, even an appeal in court will not help to avoid punishment. Owners need to consider alternative burial methods:

cremation: the most humane method, permitted by law, the remains in this case do not pose a danger to others;
collection points for animal corpses in veterinary organizations: disposal is carried out without the participation of the owner, this method is not suitable for everyone, since the reception of corpses occurs without special ceremonies, it is better for overly sensitive people with weak nerves not to be present, for owners who love their pets very much, this the option should also not be considered;
sending the corpse to veterinary and health care plants, where biological remains are processed into meat and bone meal.

When a cat dies, some owners consider burying it in the traditional way - in the ground. But this is possible provided that there is a pet cemetery in the city.

When the pain of loss goes away

When considering how to survive the death of a cat, there are several stages that each owner must go through. First of all, this is denial; the owner does not fully realize that the pet has left him forever. Next comes anger, a sense of guilt, and an understanding that life is unfair. It is at this time that the pain is most severe; you don’t have to be ashamed of your tears.

How to place kittens in good hands: tips

Many owners, experiencing loss, begin to hope for a miracle. Deep down they believe that the pet will return to them. The next stage is acceptance. Right now the owner realizes that the pet is gone from his life forever. Gradually the pain disappears, leaving behind positive memories of how much fun it was to spend time with the cat.

Note! Sometimes, looking through photographs of a pet, the owner will experience light sadness.

Experiences associated with the death of a pet

When a person is forced to bury a pet, it is difficult to cope with. After the death of a cat, his owner experiences a whole range of feelings and problems, starting with denial of what is happening, disbelief in what happened, right up to depression. The death of a cat is especially difficult for lonely people, pensioners or those who have suffered a lot in life and therefore cannot bear the death of an animal. In order not to miss the moment of transition from a state of mild apathy to a destructive feeling of self-destruction, you need to notice the characteristic symptoms in time.

Hallucinations or wild imagination

When a person lives for a long time with a cat under the same roof or experiences strong love for him (and often both factors play a role), he cannot immediately accept the death of a pet. After the loss of a cat, memory and consciousness can create images; a person thinks that he hears the sound of the animal’s paws, its meowing. It seems as if the cat has returned home; out of the corner of his eye there is some movement in the room. But this is just a game of the imagination, creating images that a person wants to see again. This is how the consequences of stress manifest themselves against the background of the death of a pet.

Anger at the whole world or universal injustice

People who have a strong love for their pet can experience its loss in the same way as the death of a relative - hard. At the same time, at the stage of grief that follows the denial of death, such a person may feel anger. He will blame everyone around him, from the veterinarian to his friends.

People who are at fault (from the griever's point of view) may be attacked. Against this background, relationships with loved ones often deteriorate, unless they have enough wisdom to understand that this is a protective reaction of the body in a stressful situation. You need to wait it out, not contact the person for now, or try to communicate and support. The person is angry with everyone because he cannot yet take responsibility for the death of the pet.

Accepting Guilt

When the owner of a deceased cat stops blaming others, he notices that he should be held accountable. A feeling of guilt immediately arises, but there is an even greater danger here. If your beloved cat has died, you need to find out the reason. Sometimes a person blames himself regardless of the situation. He tries to find mistakes in his behavior and actions, and to remember if there were any signs of illness that went unnoticed.

It is quite difficult to get out of this state on your own. We need someone who can support and console the grieving person, explain that no one is to blame for the death of the animal, you just need to accept this fact and move on.

Deep depression

When a person feels guilty, he is still fighting with himself. Much more dangerous is the condition in which the owner of a deceased pet (kitten or adult cat) gives up. He may experience despair or a feeling of deep depression. This is incipient depression, and it can develop hidden, even for the most grieving person. As a result, others cannot notice changes in a person’s behavior in time to provide help and save.

With depression, negative emotions do not find a way out; they remain sealed at the bottom of the soul. However, over time there will be a discharge. Feelings will spill out, a person will not be able to survive pain of such magnitude. The consequences can be dire. As a rule, unexperienced guilt also plays a role here.

Causes of psychological trauma

Psychological trauma is now a scourge of society, because... Any problem that surfaces in any way is equated to psychological trauma. This is a very apt term for expressing some kind of dissatisfaction in everyday life. It happens that a person says something banally, and the answer is: “Don’t say that, I’m about to experience psychological trauma.” This is a very common term that has long gone beyond the boundaries of psychology and psychiatry, but even in general beyond the boundaries of some kind of psychological work and norm. This term has become so socially necessary and significant that such a phrase can be heard not only from adults, but also from children during games. After all, children are the first to capture and reflect the trends and needs of society with their unbiased perception.

Psychological trauma usually refers to an effect that has an impact on the psyche and refers to milder effects compared to mental trauma. Mental trauma carries a stressor, which affects the psyche in a certain way, affecting the state of the individual

It cannot be said that the causes of mental and psychological trauma are different; in fact, the boundaries of this topic are very blurred and depend only on the personality itself and its mental structure, since it is the perception of events that is very important, and not always their composition

There is a neurobiological concept of the impact of psychological trauma. This state is a subtype of response - a reaction that is formed in the form of a reactive response to some traumatic situation. Psychological trauma also has its own pathophysiological aspects of manifestation. It is believed that some influence is manifested in stimulating brain activity unnecessarily, which significantly overpowers the body's functioning. Hormonally, psychological trauma is accompanied by a powerful release of catecholamine hormones. Adrenaline and norepinephrine have the most powerful effects. And in general, the vegetative system is strongly activated.

External causes have a variety of manifestations. Psychological trauma also depends on internal factors; these are two key differences between the root causes of psychological trauma.

Psychological traumas are divided into several subgroups, which are divided for ease of classification:

• Situations that ultimately end up resulting in severe physical dysfunction and exhaustion. Especially such psychological traumas are formed as a result of sports exhaustion. Such burnout occurs among professional athletes, because when injured or exhausted, they simply lose their life purpose and are completely unable to cope with the need to continue their life path without sports, only remembering past achievements.

• Situations that are traumatic or catastrophic for life are a very strong cause for psychological trauma, especially if there were also physical injuries or watching someone die. Such situations as an example: plane crashes, accidents, natural disasters. Infectious diseases in susceptible individuals, as well as emergency and any surgery. Situations related to robberies, hooliganism, and malicious actions. Various types of injuries, especially those leaving tangible marks.

It cannot be said that only physical situations significantly affect an individual, leading to psychological trauma. Since the social role is very important, situations that involve social failures, complete failure or significant changes easily lead to psychological trauma. Also psychologically traumatic is the death of relatives and congenial people. Significant factors include loss of ability to work, work changes, various types of loss of means of comfortable living, and debt.

Sudden changes and events do not always cause psychological trauma. Sometimes these are chronic stressors, such as anhedonia, imprisonment, constant protracted conflicts on any side.

Symptoms of loss

People who experience the death of a cat feel so bad that their psycho-emotional state affects their physical state. At the same time, you can simultaneously experience pain in the soul, a feeling of guilt, experience other sensations, and also suffer from a disorder of the nervous system, respiratory system, and other pathological conditions. To understand whether a set of symptoms is related to a serious illness or is one of the consequences of stress, you need to learn more about them.

Physiological symptoms

A person who has experienced the death of a beloved cat cannot always quickly come to terms with the loss. Against the background of deep grief, signs appear:

chest tightness;
pain in the heart (occurs even in the absence of pathologies of the cardiovascular system);
spasm in the throat, feeling of a stuck lump;
headache;
abdominal discomfort.

Behavioral features

After saying goodbye to your cat, it’s difficult to immediately return to your old life. At first, the person experiences the loss at home, but later tries to return to work, do his usual things, but he is not very good at it. Symptoms that can be noticed at this stage:

attention disorder;
absent look;
problems with concentration, the person cannot concentrate;
absent-mindedness;
illogical actions, which are due to the factors listed above, the sequence of actions is often disrupted if a person is busy with his thoughts, deep within himself.

Cognitive

In severe cases, when the pet owner is completely immersed in his grief and cannot get out of this state on his own, the symptoms become more and more alarming:

memory is impaired, gaps arise;
thoughts are confused;
there is a violation of the logical chain, the grieving person expresses himself incomprehensibly;
a feeling of absence when looking into the eyes.

Treatment of psychological trauma

With psychological trauma, the statement is true: time is the best healer. Indeed, over time, the grief experienced loses its relevance, the person returns to the usual rhythm of life. However, for many contemporaries, the process of recovery from psychological trauma is very difficult. Or, instead of achieving the desired balance, a person ends up with real neurotic or mental disorders that require treatment.

All people, without exception, who have experienced a psychotraumatic situation, need to seek medical help if the experience of psychological trauma persists for more than three months. Clear signs of the need for treatment are:

depressed state and melancholy mood;
thoughts about the futility of life and ideas about death;
obsessive fear of loneliness;
total fear of death;
irrational anxiety, anticipation of an inevitable catastrophe;
insomnia or insomnia;
uncontrollable outbursts of aggression;
chronic pain in the absence of organic disease;
loss of strength and other manifestations of asthenia;
sexual dysfunction;
panic attacks;
signs of anorexia or bulimia;
psychosensory disorders: depersonalization and derealization;
pronounced memory lapses;
motor excitement;
violation of social adaptation;
the emergence of obsessive forms of behavior.

It is necessary to urgently begin treatment of psychological trauma if a person demonstrates suicidal behavior or has developed harmful addictions: alcoholism, substance abuse, uncontrolled use of pharmacological drugs.

Depending on the essence of the psychological trauma, the symptoms demonstrated, and the stage of development of the neurotic disorder, the method of psychotherapeutic treatment is chosen. Good results in treating the consequences of psychological trauma are shown by:

cognitive behavioral psychotherapy;
Gestalt therapy;
neurolinguistic programming;
psychosuggestive therapy;
methods of provocative therapy.

It should be borne in mind that in a state of stress an individual cannot provide himself with the necessary help. Therefore, in times of crisis, adequate, competent, targeted assistance from an experienced specialist is extremely important. The insidiousness of psychological trauma is that its consequences may not be noticeable immediately, but after decades. At the same time, the depth of the impact of stress factors may lie outside the sphere of consciousness, and the presence of a real problem may be invisible to a non-specialist. Psychological assistance, and, if necessary, treatment, will allow you to overcome psychological trauma more quickly and minimize the risk of developing a dangerous mental disorder.

Stages of Grief

A person needs to know what to prepare for if a cat dies. Anyone who is very attached to a pet can face enormous difficulties - and feelings arise that cannot be dealt with. You need to understand what happens during the period of grief, then you can take the necessary measures to help the cat’s owner and calm him down.

Stages	Features of behavior, experienced feelings
Negation	When a person is not ready to face reality, his body creates barriers to reduce the impact of a stressful situation, this happens when a beloved pet dies and its owner cannot survive it. If the news heard reaches consciousness, the pain will be too intense
Anger, resentment, malice	Anger is a consequence of a person’s powerlessness in the face of a disaster; it is a reaction that occurs when the cat’s owner already understands what happened, the stage of denial has passed, and the time has come to search for the cause of death.
Guilt	When those around them were already blamed for what had happened, common sense prevailed, and they all moved from the category of accused to the category of sympathizers and supporters. At this stage, the person begins to believe that he is to blame. Finds many reasons for this, usually they are far-fetched
Depression	Despair, emptiness, lack of outlet for pain - all these factors create fertile ground for the development of depression. A severe emotional state can be a consequence of a lack of support, unlived guilt, daily difficult thoughts, feelings also affect
Acceptance of tragedy	This stage does not begin soon after your beloved cat has died. Acceptance becomes possible when a person’s worldview changes, he understands that the cat’s death does not depend on him, it was inevitable, all that remains is to accept what happened. The onset of this stage largely depends on the support of loved ones, the forbearance of the grieving person - whether he is ready to forgive himself
Recovery	The owner of a deceased cat moves to the stage when he is ready to say goodbye to his pet, open a new page in life, and perhaps get another pet.
Reorganization of everyday life, way of life	If a person cannot say goodbye to the past, the cat’s accessories and toys should be removed. As long as they are in sight, it will not be possible to completely get rid of difficult memories and enter a new life.

Psychological stages experienced by an owner who has lost a pet

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According to many psychologists, after a person has lost his beloved pet, he goes through several stages, which in most cases end in humility and acceptance of the situation.

The death of a dog becomes a very big grief for the whole family.

Aggression, guilt

Initially, any owner experiences a period of emotional prostration. In this case, the person wants to be alone and give vent to tears. Even a little reassurance can result in a new stream of tears if at least something reminds you of your pet.

However, this stage is quite short. After it, the owner experiences a period when he begins to blame himself and others for the death of his dog. At the same time, anger and aggression may appear against those who, in the owner’s opinion, are guilty of the current situation.

Deep grief, depression

Immediately after the loss of a pet, the dog owner experiences a feeling of great grief, which can gradually develop into prolonged depression. In the absence of other diseases that have worsened against the background of the experienced situation, the duration of the depressed state lasts approximately 2-3 weeks.

Important! If depression persists for a longer period of time, psychological help may be needed.

Awareness of loss and humility

After some time, the owner begins to accept the fact of the pet’s death and the fact that it is impossible to return it. The person comes to terms with the situation, everyday activities gradually crowd out sad thoughts.

Memories of wonderful days will help you cope with loss

Adoption

The last psychological stage is the acceptance of grief. The owner is left with a feeling of light sadness. He understands that the dog cannot be returned, and remembers with a warm feeling all the moments spent with the animal.

How to tell a child how to help him

When talking to children, it is important to tell the truth about the death of an animal. There is no need to go into detail about euthanasia (if any), accident, injury, or other cause of death that may have caused the cat's death. It is enough to simply and clearly explain what death is, where a pet goes after death (half-truths are fine here, one can say about the existence of some kind of “cat heaven”). When a child knows that a pet is happy in a new place after death, he perceives his departure more calmly.

You cannot tell an outright lie, for example, that the animal ran away from home, was sent to the village to live with his grandmother, etc. The child will wait for the cat to return, and when he accidentally finds out the truth, this will traumatize him, but there will also be distrust in relation to parents.

How to bury a pet, will it be possible to rebury it?

Owners of deceased pets are forced to decide how to bury their tailed family member. If the cat’s owner resorted to the procedure of euthanasia, the veterinary clinic will offer to bury it themselves, or, more precisely, cremate it. In other cases, in order to bury a cat, you will have to contact a veterinarian and act in accordance with his instructions.

Cremation of a cat In some municipalities, special places are allocated for the burial of pets. To bury a pet in such a cemetery, the owner must present a veterinary certificate in form No. 4. The animal's corpse will be opened, the cause of death will be determined, and if it was not the result of an infection, it will be buried without being burned. Otherwise, the body will be disinfected, cremated and only then buried.

It is impossible to rebury a pet without breaking the law. For violating the requirements of the law, a loving owner who buried his deceased pet in a yard or forested area risks paying a fine of 5,000 rubles.

Euthanasia of an animal

In what cases can euthanasia be recommended (a procedure that results in deep medicated sleep, after which the animal dies):

advanced age, due to which many functions of the body are disrupted and organs fail;
injuries incompatible with life, while the cat experiences severe pain.

Euthanasia allows the animal to die more peacefully, avoiding severe suffering. The procedure is carried out with the approval of the pet's owner, which leaves an imprint on his future life due to a strong sense of guilt. In this case, it is important to understand that the dying cat is in great pain. And in the end, he won't survive anyway. The inaction of the cat's owner will only lead to his life being extended by several hours/days (no one can accurately predict). But the animal will spend this period of time in terrible pain. For this reason, you need to come to terms with the fact that the cat will die because of the decision of its owner, and in his arms.

How to get rid of guilt after going to sleep

Often, owners have to make a difficult decision about euthanasia, for example, if an animal is terminally ill, prolonging its life means exposing it to physical suffering and pain. It is much more humane to euthanize a terminally ill cat than to watch him suffer every day.

It is necessary to understand that the decision to euthanasia is not a desire to get rid of a pet, but an attempt to provide him with salvation from suffering. That is why you should not blame yourself; the owner cannot revive or heal the cat, but he has the right to make a difficult decision on his own.

Note! If the feeling of guilt does not subside, you can go to church and pray.

Sometimes euthanasia is the only way an owner can help his pet; he needs to take on this burden.

Cat mysticism

Cats represent different meanings in different cultures. They can carry a positive and negative symbol. Regardless of cultural characteristics, these animals are often attributed magical properties and associated with mysticism and witchcraft. Some of the legends:

in Egypt there was a patroness of cats - the goddess Bast, she was distinguished from other sacred creatures by her body structure (human torso, cat's head);
the Greek goddess Diana, according to legend, took the form of a cat;
the Scandinavian goddess of love Freya was carried by cats harnessed to a chariot;
The cat in ancient Rome was a symbol of freedom and personified independence.

Advice for older people who have lost a pet

In most cases, those who have not encountered true grief, pain, or loneliness are easy on animals. The rest value their relatives, as well as pets. A living being can give love and benefit, just like people, but in a different meaning. Lonely elderly people are in greater need of pets. Only after the loss of such a friend will recovery no longer be easy. But there are still methods that will help alleviate the condition a little.

Method 1: Find Joy

When children leave, grandchildren are far away, pets can become the only outlet. But they don't live long enough and may die suddenly. Regardless of the cause (tragic death, natural death), the pain of loss will be intense. You need to live it, and at the same time you need to find sources of positive emotions. There are many reasons for joy, for example, talking with children, reading cultural news, which most often excludes any negativity and carries beauty and pleasant emotions.

Method 2: Chat with Friends

When children are far away, the focus shifts to other goals. You can spend the day with friends. Communication distracts from the pain of loss. But you shouldn’t constantly replace grief with positive emotions. You need to simultaneously experience painful sensations, and external sources of joy are a secondary factor that only helps you survive grief. You should not rush to extremes - constantly spend time with friends, otherwise unlived feelings will later make themselves felt.

Method 3: sports and walks

If your health allows, you can spend time benefiting your soul and body: go for a walk, play sports (simple gymnastics). But it is necessary to take into account the state of the body. If you have chronic diseases, you need to limit physical activity. In this case, you can give preference to leisurely walks over short distances. When the pain of loss does not subside for a year or more, sports will help distract you and cheer you up. This explains why the expression “movement is life” is still relevant.

Where do cats go after they die?

According to the works of saints, in animals the soul is not separated from the body, as in humans. This function is performed by blood. Accordingly, after death, biological fluid falls into the ground and becomes dust. This means that the soul of animals is closer to the material world than the human soul. Orthodoxy says nothing about the incorporeal shell of cats. This is due to the fact that the Holy Scriptures contain information only about the salvation of mankind from the Fall. Another feature of Christianity is that the religion does not divide animals into clean and unclean, as is the case among Jews and Muslims.

How to cope with pain and survive loss on your own

The most difficult way is to try to live through the pain of loss without the support of loved ones. This happens if a person is lonely in life, he has no one except a four-legged friend, and also in cases where relatives do not understand such a passion for animals, grief after their death. But there are several ways to help a grieving person cope with their feelings.

What to do

When a beloved animal dies, with which a person lived for many years in the same house, cared for, fed, treated, played, then simply continue to exist in the same conditions, but without a four-legged friend it is difficult. You can find volunteers, as well as organizations that help homeless animals, to join them as a volunteer. This will make you feel useful.

In addition, in such places you can accidentally find a new pet for yourself if you are ready to take on responsibility again.

When there is no support

Overcoming the bitterness of loss after the death of a pet is also possible. To do this you need to find like-minded people. The easiest way is special forums where those who are indifferent or aggressive towards pets are not allowed. Different people communicate on the forum. Among them are those who experienced the death of a pet who died of old age, as well as people whose tragic incident claimed the life of a pet (accident, theft, etc.).

New friend, new life

After the sudden death of a cat or in the event of a long-term illness, one result occurs - the animal dies, and the person is left alone with his grief. The deceased pet was unique, inimitable, and therefore managed to win the hearts of all family members. No one can replace him. But a person’s soul suffers, his heart is empty, it is necessary to fill it with something. Hobbies, activities, work, communication with other people are a temporary measure to survive the pain after the death of a pet. None of these activities will fill the corner of the heart where the cat was.

After some time, a person may take one or even two kittens. If he is not ready now, his condition will soon change. This will happen when the decision is made not to look back anymore, the strength to live on will appear. As a rule, such changes occur 3-6 months after the death of the pet.

Stages of death

Death is not an instant, but a process that gradually turns off the body, passing it through the following stages:

Preagonia - loss of consciousness, cessation of blood circulation, pallor and cyanosis of the skin. This stage can last from several minutes to an hour.
Terminal pause (preagonia). Breathing practically stops, pressure drops to zero. The oculomotor reflex disappears.
Agony. Characterized by a lack of consciousness and tactile sensitivity. Breathing may resume and blood pressure may rise. Convulsions may occur.
Clinical death. Complete stop of all vital processes. When carrying out resuscitation measures, it is possible to “start up” the cat’s body. The duration of the period is about 8 minutes.
Biological death. This stage is irreversible and is characterized by the complete cessation of all physiological processes in the cat.

You are haunted by thoughts of death or suicide;
You may not be able to return to your normal lifestyle after losing your pet for a long time;
You are unable to find new meaning in life and consider your life completely useless and unnecessary;
Your behavior is difficult to control and predict. You periodically experience emotional breakdowns, bouts of laughter and crying;
You have difficulty sleeping, suffer from insomnia;
You can't control your weight.

It is important to timely track the state of mind with which you feel uncomfortable living.

Tips for pet owners

Sometimes neither loved ones, nor a priest, nor a psychologist can find the key to the heart of a grieving person in order to alleviate his condition. But those who have experienced this - other cat owners - can help. Their advice:

do not throw away the cat’s things, soon after his death you will want to see photos and toys of your beloved pet;
do not communicate with those who disparage your feelings for the deceased cat; for many, the death of animals is unimportant;
don’t get a kitten right away, give yourself time to grieve, because otherwise it will be just an escape from your own feelings.

Advice from psychologists and priests

According to Orthodox Christianity, all people go to hell or heaven. This does not apply to animals; religious dogmas do not recognize the presence of souls in them. However, priests do not forbid the possibility of using this concept to explain to a child that their pet has gone to a better world. The following recommendations from priests are highlighted:

You shouldn’t blame yourself, everything is in God’s hands, including the lifespan of people and animals;
resignation and acceptance of the inevitable is the best thing a bereaved person can do.

Psychologists are sure that the best way to get rid of guilt and bitterness of loss is to start helping those who need it. For example, get a job as a volunteer in nurseries for homeless animals. By providing help to those cats and dogs that really need it, a person will be able to feel needed, feel the gratitude of animals, which will dull the bitterness and regrets a little.

Experts advise not to rush into getting a new pet; it is important to say goodbye to the one that died. Only after accepting the inevitable can you open your heart to another cat.

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