The loss of any pet is hard on an adult but even more so on a child, so helping children grieve your cat is crucial. A pet is like any other family member in most families. A first pet for children is a special and wonderful rite of passage for any child. Pets help children develop a sense of responsibility for another life and they also make amazing friends.
Losing a pet can be hard on you, as an adult. But imagine just how difficult it is for a child to understand. Most children have never dealt with death on such a large level. It is difficult for children to understand why is occurs and even harder to deal with that fact that their cat is not coming back. But no one said helping children grieve your cat would be an easy task.
While helping children grieve your cat, there will probably be many questions. If there aren’t, then that is a sign that you need to have a talk. Sit the child down and let them know that if they have any questions at all that you would love to answer them. Depending on their age, they may already know that there is a cycle to every life. But even older children may not fully grasp what that means.
Being strong for your children does not mean that you have to hide your grief as well. A part of helping your children grieve your cat is showing them that it is ok to grieve the death of a pet. This will teach them valuable life lessons about loss.
Helping children grieve your cat can or may involve a ceremony of some sort. This is crucial, so if your children ask for it then do it. The ceremony can be as simple as a backyard burial. Mark a grave or memorial site of some sort. This way, the children have a place to put mementos of their precious little kitty. Let the children visit the site any time they want. They can make cards, write stories or express their feelings in any way that makes them feel more comfortable with the situation.
There will come a time when you have to decide if a new pet needs to be introduced to the family. It is important for you to be able to do this for your children. Having them deal with the loss of a pet involves them being able to accept another pet into their lives. Introducing another pet into the lives of your children may aid you in helping your children grieve your cat so please, do not write the idea off.
