It can be difficult to know exactly what to say or do when someone you care about loses a pet they love. Everyone grieves differently, but there’s a few things you can do for just about anyone that will let them know that you’re there for them, and they don’t have to feel alone at such a painful time. Below are a few suggestions to show that you care.
Be Patient
We all cope with loss in different ways – some people feel just as strongly about losing a beloved cat as they would a close family member, sometimes more. Remember that this person didn’t just lose a pet, they lost a best friend, and the one they’d usually cuddle up with and cry to in situations like this! Your friend will need time to mourn, perhaps more than some people might think is necessary, but be patient, no matter how long they need.
Be Supportive
Whether they need time alone, a shoulder to cry on, or just a friendly hug, be supportive of the way they’re healing. Don’t try to push a friend who wants to sit under a blanket missing their cat out into the sunlight because you think it’s the best way to feel better. Again- we all cope in different ways. Be respectful of the way they choose.
Help Them Say Goodbye
There are a number of ways to help your friend say goodbye to their pet. You can offer to be there to support them if their pet is being euthanized (they may not be in any shape to drive after anyway.) You could also offer to organize a memorial for their pet, or even just make a donation to a charity in their pet’s memory. At times like these, any small gesture goes a long way.
Help Them Remember
A much-loved cat is never really gone. Their memory will hold a special place in your friend’s heart for the rest of their lives. You can help them commemorate their lost pet with a trinket like the Lava Bead Rainbow Bridge Bracelet. This little reminder will stay on your friend’s wrist, reminding them that a very important piece of their special pet will be with them everywhere they go, forever.
Encourage Them To Love Again
Shelters are full of hopeful kitties waiting for someone to love them. When your friend’s heart has healed, suggest adoption. It can be hard opening your heart to loving another pet, but sometimes the best way to remember the one you loved before is to give another a comfortable life in their honor. Besides, ’tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.
