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Death Of A Pet Cat

Pet Loss and the Elderly: How to Help Seniors Overcome the Death of a Pet

cat-information: Death Of A Pet Cat Elderly people tend to become very attached to their pets. In some cases, this has to do with the fact that they have had the pet for a number of years; in others, it is about the fact that the pet has become a companion in their life. Therefore, when the death of a pet occurs, it can be as devastating to anyone --- but particularly an elderly person --- as a human loss. After all, the pet served as a friend, protector and sometimes, a guide.

Helping seniors overcome such a loss usually starts with the proper method of pet memorial. Once someone has gotten so attached to their pet, they cannot just bury their friend and move on. Older people usually want to mark the occasion with a pet memorial of some sort.

Since most pets are buried, usually in the yard of the home in which they live or in a cemetery set up exclusively for pets, a pet grave marker is a good place to start. A pet grave marker not only gives you a place to come visit your pet, but it also announces to the world that your cat, dog, bird or another animal made someone's time on this Earth a more pleasant place to live.

There are many other ways, including pet urns and online pet memorials, to remember a pet. Since seniors are not usually well-versed in online products and services, it is important to have a family member or friend assist with finding an pet memorial website.

In this time of grief, it is also important to offer as much support as possible to an elderly person who has just lost a pet. After all, many years with a pet breeds a certain type of deep attachment making the loss just that much more profound. Don't attempt to replace the animal right away and offer to accompany your loved one to a pet support group. You might also take them to visit the pet grave marker in the place where their beloved pet is buried and encourage them to take as long as they need to in order to properly heal.

A relationship with a pet is a lifelong one, full of ups and downs. You can't rush the grieving process after the loss of a pet any more than you can when the deceased is a human being. Offering support and proposing ways to memorialize your pet is a great start to remembering the life you shared.

Colleen Mihelich
Owner, Peternity... honoring your pet for eternity
http://www.peternity.com
colleen@peternity.com
877-PET-PEACE

Sudden, unexplained death of a pet cat?
I was wondering about this issue and whether anybody else has not only experienced this but taken their cat to the vet after to get an autopsy providing a definate answer. Last year, my girlfriend's cat which she had from a very young age, that she loved very much, was found dead one morning, on his bed. Her mum previously had pedigree cats (mother and daughter) that both got very ill and were almost skin and bones before they were put to sleep but this cat was completely healthy. My girlfriend was distraught after but because he was 10 years old, we rested on the fact that 'he'd had a good, long life'. Anyway.. moving on to now. My girlfriend had 3 cats, all very young. One 3 years old, one just over a year old and the 3rd we bought together as a kitten and he is only 4 months. They are indoors cats but there is a large cattery outside with an inside compartment with a bed etc. so they have shelter. As the females haven't been spayed yet, they are just put into the cattery with the kitten so they can get fresh air, until we get them sorted and allow them to roam freely. Anyway, today we went out to celebrate our 2 years of being in a relationship but upon returning home, my girlfriend's dad informed us that one of the cats had died! Of course, again, my girlfriend was distraught. When he went outside to get the cats back into the house, he found one of them just laying dead on the floor. The strange thing is, it was the middle cat who would have only just turned 1 year old. Last night she was perfectly fine, chasing around with the other cats and purring away and now she's suddenly dead. All of the cats have had vaccination injections and due to her mum's love and adoration for cats, they pretty much own the house and everything is based around their comfort so there certainly isn't any chance of poisoning. I've heard this can just occur out of the blue but has anybody actually experienced this and had a professional explanation from a vet? Its such a horrible thought that a cat (which is barely above kitten age), healthy and active can suddenly die like that. Thanks.

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