Be still my heart ~ when our pets grieve

I want to talk to you about grieving animals, especially those who have lost a furry companion.

Here are some examples of what you might see.
​Your pet might

• be looking for their deceased friend
• be listless
• refuse to eat
• experience loss of appetite
• be clingy and have some separation anxiety
• sleep more and have little or no interest in toys, playing
• vocalize more
• be quiet and vocalize less
• be seemingly indifferent at the time of death of their friend
• experience delayed grief
• get sick

Here are some things that I have witnessed in my household:

• My cat Moopy sat vigil for a whole day next to the body of her lifelong mate Marlo who passed away naturally in my home.
• My dog Pablo grieved the hardest when his mentor-idol friend Toddy died. Pablo also sat next to Toddy's body and tried to wake him up. It was heartbreaking. I designed a rotating cuddle schedule for him. There was always someone at my house when I was gone. We did this for about two weeks, and no, he didn't become codependent.
• My dog friend Sarah slept on Shiva's quilt for about three weeks after his passing.
• With the most recent death of our sweet Meelah, Pablo was initially totally indifferent. Only a few weeks later he realized that she wasn't going to come home anymore and he stopped eating and became depressed.
• Our cat Esme helped him recover because she insisted on playing with him and he eventually perked up.
• He also received grief remedies and I have been taken him with me mostly everywhere which he loves, of course.

What can you do to support your grieving pets? Here are some ideas:

• Tend to them and talk to them - they will sense what you express, no English language skills needed
• Create new adventures or outings for your canine survivors
• Hand feed them if they're reluctant to eat
• If it resonates with you, give them grief remedies such as IGNATIA AMARA 30 C, a homeopathic, or a blend of the Bach Flower essences GORSE for deep depressions and WALNUT for massive life transitions
• Give them a loving massage
• Let them sleep in their friend's bed if they want to.
• Play soothing music for them when you leave the house.

​Questions? Drop me a line. I would love to hear from you.

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