If your dog seems to be waiting by the door, or your cat keeps returning to the spot where a companion used to sleep, it can feel like the loss has echoed through the whole house. Many families are surprised by how visible grief can be in animals—especially after the death of another pet. The quiet isn’t just yours; the routine your pets relied on has changed, too. And while no one can ask a dog or cat to put their feelings into words, veterinarians and animal-behavior experts agree on something simple and important: changes after a loss are real, and they deserve gentle attention. For people grieving a pet, organizations like VCA Animal Hospitals and the American Veterinary Medical Association recognize that pet loss can be profoundly intense—because the bond is profound.
This guide walks through what pet grief can look like in dogs and cats, how long it commonly lasts, and the most practical ways to help—without forcing “cheer up” energy on a nervous system that’s still adjusting. It also includes a gentle bridge into funeral planning choices many families eventually face, including pet urns for ashes, keepsake urns, and cremation jewelry, so you can move at your own pace.
How long does pet grief last?
The honest answer is the one most grieving people don’t love at first: it depends. Some pets seem “fine” within a few days. Others move through a slower, softer arc that can last weeks, and sometimes longer—especially when the bond was close, the household is quiet, or the surviving pet is already anxious by temperament. The University of Florida Small Animal Hospital notes that some animals show no obvious signs, while others may improve over days or weeks, emphasizing that grief is individual.
What helps most is shifting the question from “How long will this last?” to “Is my pet slowly trending toward steadier days?” If appetite, sleep, play, and curiosity are inching back—even with setbacks—that’s usually a reassuring pattern. If the changes are intensifying, or your pet seems stuck in distress, that’s a sign to bring in professional support.
Do dogs grieve? What grief often looks like in dogs
Yes—many dogs show behavioral changes after a loss. You might see your dog pacing, whining, searching rooms, or hovering near the person who is grieving the most. You might also see the opposite: more sleeping, less interest in toys, and a dog who seems “not quite here.”
Dog grief often shows up as small ruptures in routine. The same dog who used to trot to the food bowl may sniff and walk away. A dog who was independent may become a shadow. Grief can also arrive later rather than immediately. If your dog was deeply bonded to the pet who died—sleeping together, grooming each other, playing daily—it’s normal for the surviving dog to need time.
Do cats grieve? What grief often looks like in cats
Cats grieve, too—often in ways that are easy to miss if you expect a dramatic display. Many cats become quieter, hide more, or change their favorite resting places. Some vocalize more. Some become unusually affectionate, while others pull away.
A helpful lens is: any noticeable change that begins after a death or separation can be grief-related. If your cat is searching—checking closets, walking the hallway, sniffing bedding—that behavior often fades as the new “map of the home” becomes predictable again. Your job is not to rush that process, but to keep the environment calm and consistent while it unfolds.
Common signs of grief in dogs and cats
Even though dogs and cats express grief differently, the patterns overlap. You’re usually looking for a cluster of changes rather than one single sign.
You might notice pet loss behavior changes like reduced appetite, changes in sleep (restlessness or sleeping more), decreased interest in play, increased clinginess or attention-seeking, hiding or withdrawal, vocalizing more than usual, or searching behavior. The biggest clue is often a meaningful shift from your pet’s baseline personality.
What to do first: stabilize the nervous system with routine
When a home loses a companion, the schedule often falls apart. People sleep at odd hours, forget meals, move furniture, wash bedding, cancel walks. For a grieving pet, that instability can magnify distress.
Start with the simplest form of support: predictability. Keep meals at consistent times. Keep walks or play sessions on a gentle rhythm. Keep lighting and noise softer than usual. If your pet is clingy, offer closeness—but try to keep your own tone steady, not frantic. If your pet is withdrawn, give privacy without isolating them completely.
This isn’t about pretending nothing happened. It’s about giving your pet’s body evidence that the world is still safe.
Practical ways to help a grieving dog
If you’re trying to help a grieving dog, think in terms of “small, doable comforts” rather than big distractions. A slightly longer sniff-walk (sniffing is regulating), a food puzzle that doesn’t frustrate, a favorite blanket moved to a calmer spot, or a gentle training game that your dog already knows can help reintroduce confidence.
If your dog is searching, don’t scold. Guide them back to a grounding routine: outside, drink water, settle, treat. If your dog is clingy, offer structured closeness—like sitting together for ten minutes, then encouraging rest.
And if your dog’s appetite is down, avoid turning every meal into a high-pressure moment. Offer smaller portions more often, warm the food slightly for aroma, and keep your own body language relaxed.
Practical ways to help a grieving cat
To help a grieving cat, your best tools are safety and choice. Keep litter boxes pristine and easy to access. Maintain quiet hiding spots. Offer gentle “invitation” play (wand toys, slow movement), but stop before your cat gets overstimulated.
Cats often grieve with subtle stress behaviors: less grooming, more sleeping, or more vigilance. Give your cat more vertical space if you can—window perches, cat trees, or a cleared shelf—because height can restore a sense of control.
If your cat’s appetite decreases, call your veterinarian sooner rather than later. Cats can be vulnerable when they stop eating, and it’s safer to get guidance than to wait it out.
When to call a veterinarian
Grief can look like illness, and illness can hide inside grief. A vet visit isn’t “overreacting”—it’s making sure your pet isn’t suffering physically while you’re trying to support them emotionally.
It’s time to call your vet if your pet won’t eat, is vomiting or has diarrhea, seems painful, is lethargic in a way that feels alarming, or if anxiety behaviors escalate (panting at rest, nonstop pacing, panic hiding, or sudden aggression). If your pet has a history of anxiety, separation issues, or chronic disease, it’s reasonable to reach out earlier.
The family piece: your grief affects theirs
This can be hard to hear while you’re raw, but it’s also comforting: your pet is responding not only to the loss of a companion, but to the emotional weather in the home. When people are crying more, moving less, speaking less, or sleeping at odd hours, pets notice.
That doesn’t mean you should hide your grief. It means you can support both of you by building a simple “anchor routine” each day: fresh water, a walk or play session, a predictable mealtime, and one calm connection moment. It’s okay if you’re doing this with tears on your face. Love and steadiness can exist together.
When you’re ready, memorial choices can help the healing feel real
There’s no rule that says you must make memorial decisions right away. Some families want a tangible tribute quickly; others need time. But when you’re ready, a memorial can give love somewhere to go—especially when the day-to-day caretaking has suddenly stopped.
If your pet was cremated, choosing pet urns for ashes can be part of creating a quiet, respectful place at home. Funeral.com’s collection of Pet Cremation Urns for Ashes includes designs for dogs and cats in materials like wood, metal, ceramic, and glass. For smaller companions—or for families who want something compact—Small Pet Cremation Urns for Ashes can be a practical fit.
Some families find comfort in keepsake urns when multiple people want to share a portion of ashes or when a small memorial feels emotionally safer than a larger one. You can explore Pet Keepsake Cremation Urns for Ashes or the broader Keepsake Cremation Urns for Ashes, which are typically designed for a small amount of remains and often work well for shared remembrance.
If your pet had a very distinct look—those ears, that posture, that presence—figurine memorials can feel surprisingly true to the relationship. Funeral.com’s Pet Figurine Cremation Urns for Ashes are designed to function as both tribute and art.
And for families who want closeness they can carry, cremation jewelry can be a gentle option. A cremation necklace (sometimes called an urn necklace) usually holds a tiny portion of ashes, fur, or another keepsake—often enough to feel connected without feeling overwhelmed. You can browse Cremation Jewelry or specifically Cremation Necklaces to see styles that are meant for daily wear.
Pet grief often reopens bigger questions about “what comes next”
Sometimes, the loss of a pet brings families into funeral planning thoughts they didn’t expect—about end-of-life choices, cremation, and what they want someday for themselves or a loved one. If that’s happening for you, you’re not strange; you’re human.
Across the U.S., cremation continues to rise. According to the National Funeral Directors Association, the U.S. cremation rate is projected to be 63.4% in 2025 (with burial projected at 31.6%), reflecting how many families choose the flexibility of cremation for modern memorialization.
That flexibility is why terms like cremation urns, cremation urns for ashes, and small cremation urns show up in so many households now. Some families keep ashes at home for a period of mourning; others plan scattering later; some choose a ceremony like water burial using biodegradable options.
If you want calm, practical guidance on keeping ashes at home, Funeral.com’s Journal article Keeping Ashes at Home: How to Do It Safely, Respectfully, and Legally walks through placement, safety, and the emotional side of sharing space with cremated remains. And if you’re curious about water burial, Understanding What Happens During a Water Burial Ceremony explains what the day can look like step by step.
If you find yourself wanting to browse human memorial options simply to understand what’s out there, Funeral.com’s collection of cremation urns for ashes and small cremation urns can help you see how size, material, and style connect to different plans—without any pressure to decide today.
A gentle expectation to hold onto
Most pet grief doesn’t resolve in a straight line. You might have three better days, then one rough day where your dog searches again or your cat hides. That doesn’t mean you lost progress. It means your home is healing in the way living things heal: gradually, unevenly, and with love still present.
If you want more support for your own side of this, Funeral.com’s Journal has a compassionate, practical guide you can return to when the waves hit: Coping With Pet Loss: A Compassionate Guide for the First Days and Weeks. And when you’re ready to think specifically about memorial choices, Pet Urns for Ashes: A Complete Guide for Dog and Cat Owners walks through sizes, styles, and “what feels right” without rushing you.
