A new study has uncovered that the strength of attachment between pet owners and their animals, rather than the type of pet, is the most significant predictor of grief and perceived social support following a pet’s death. The study by psychologists challenges the widespread belief that only the loss of traditional pets like cats and dogs causes serious emotional distress. The findings were published in the journal Anthrozoös. 

The study surveyed 464 pet owners, with a particular focus on those who had lost less traditional pets, including reptiles, birds, and fish. The findings reveal that owners of these non-traditional pets experience similar levels of grief as those who lose cats and dogs, provided they have a strong attachment to their pet. This suggests that societal perceptions of which animals are “grievable” might not align with the emotional experiences of pet owners.

Professor Jennifer Vonk from Oakland University, one of the study’s lead authors, said: “I am very interested in whether animals can form concepts about abstract things like death, and there has been little empirical work on how they conceptualise death. I am especially interested in domestic cats because they did not evolve from a group-living ancestor, but they have adapted to living with both human owners and conspecifics after being domesticated. So I would like to understand more about the bonds they form with others, particularly how they respond to the loss of a companion animal.”

For years, grief after the loss of a pet has predominantly been associated with cats and dogs, the most common companion animals. But this study sheds light on the frequently ignored grief that owners of non-traditional pets experience. Among the 464 respondents, 337 had lost a pet other than a cat or dog. The study found no significant difference in the level of grief reported by these owners compared to those who had lost a more traditional pet, as long as the owner had formed a strong bond with their animal.

The research indicates that attachment, rather than the type of pet, plays the most critical role in determining the intensity of grief. The strength of this attachment also influences how much support owners perceive from others after their loss. The study’s results counter the notion that grief is less intense when the lost pet is a less traditional companion, such as a reptile or bird.

In discussing the key findings, Professor Vonk noted: “We found that owners report changes in their surviving cats’ behaviour that are consistent with what we would expect if they were sad. For example, they play less, seek more attention, sometimes look for the deceased animal, hide more, etc. These are similar changes to what others have reported for dogs. Furthermore, the cats show more significant changes if they had spent more time interacting with the deceased pet (whether it was another cat or a dog) and if their relationship was rated as more positive by the owner.”

The study also explored how pet owners shared their grief and the support they felt from their social circles. Results showed that the way in which an owner shared the news of their pet’s death and the support they received were closely linked to the level of attachment they had to their pet. Owners who felt more strongly attached were more likely to openly share their loss and, consequently, received more support from others.

Interestingly, the study found that the type of pet only became a significant factor in loss-sharing when the level of attachment was controlled for. This suggests that while certain pet types might traditionally be considered less worthy of grief, what matters most is the individual owner’s connection to their pet. This connection drives both their willingness to share their grief and the degree of support they perceive from others.

Professor Vonk also reflected on the potential for owners to project their emotions onto their pets: “Owners who were more attached to their cats and who indicated feeling more grief at the loss reported more significant changes, suggesting that they may project their own feelings of loss onto their companion animals, or maybe the surviving cats were responding to changes in the carers’ behaviour.”

Another important aspect of the study was the role of pet enclosures and the designation of the pet as a companion animal. Pets that were kept in enclosures, such as fish, reptiles, or caged birds, were associated with weaker attachments, which in turn affected the intensity of grief. But the role of the pet – as a companion or otherwise – was found to predict both the sharing of loss and perceived support. This finding highlights that pets designated as companions, regardless of species, tend to foster stronger bonds with their owners, resulting in greater grief upon their loss.

Looking ahead, Professor Vonk shared the research team’s future plans: “We hope to explore how zoo-housed animals respond to the death of conspecifics, and we are investigating how horses respond to the loss of a herd member. We are conducting other studies examining attachment between animals and humans as well.”

What’s the image above? It’s our way of showing appreciation to our Filipino readers by offering an exclusive competition just for them.