Cats are often seen as independent animals, but their behaviour can change significantly when they lose someone they are closely attached to. A recent video circulating on social media has drawn attention to this bond, showing an Indonesian cat staying beside its deceased owner.
The video, shared by TikTok account @pakc00y, shows a black-and-white cat lying quietly beside the body of its owner, reportedly an elderly woman. The cat appears subdued as it stays close to the burial shroud, despite family members and mourners attempting to move it away.
Cat Stays Close to Its Owner
In the footage, the cat does not appear to want to leave the area. When someone tries to pick it up or move it away, it resists and eventually returns to the side of its owner.
The simple behaviour has touched many people who watched the video, particularly because the cat appears to have been accustomed to spending time with the woman. After her death, staying close to her may have been one of the few familiar things the cat could do in an unfamiliar situation.
While it is difficult to know exactly what the animal was experiencing, cats can show behavioural changes after the loss of a person or animal they are familiar with. These changes may include becoming quieter, eating less, looking for the missing person, or spending more time in familiar places.
For a pet that has shared a home with someone for years, the sudden absence of that person can also mean a major change to its daily routine.
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Cats Can React to the Loss of a Familiar Person
Research and observations of animal behaviour suggest that cats can form meaningful relationships with their caregivers. They can recognise familiar people, associate them with food and routines, and seek their company and attention.
However, it is difficult to determine whether a cat understands death in the same way humans do. Behaviour such as staying beside a deceased person should therefore not automatically be interpreted as proof that the cat understands what has happened.
Instead, the cat may be responding to the sudden absence of a familiar person, changes in its surroundings and the unusual atmosphere around it.
The video nevertheless offers a quiet reminder of the relationship that can develop between pets and their caregivers. For animals left behind after a person’s death, maintaining familiar routines and providing patience and care can help them adjust to the change.
As the cat begins life without its former owner, hopefully family members or someone familiar will be able to give it a safe home and the attention it needs.
