A new study, done by Oakland University in Michigan, showed that cats can feel the pain of losing other animals, including dogs. The study published in "Applied Animal Behavior Science" showed that cats can 'mourn' another animal with which they shared space.
The study involved 400 cat owners who documented the behavior of other cats when other cats or dogs died. The behaviors were related to grieving the loss, and the cats tended to eat and play less.
Study co-authors Jennifer Vonk and Brittany Greene also found that cats spent less time alone, sought their owners' attention, slept more and searched for their deceased friend.
"For me, the most compelling finding was that the cats' behavior changes consistently and is related to grief," Vonk said, adding: "Grieving is predicted to be influenced by factors such as time spent with animals and shared activities that they did".
Vonk also said there is a huge misconception about the character of cats, which are known to be antisocial, compared to dogs. However, apparently, they feel pain and change depending on it.
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