4 Ways to Deal With Guilty Feelings After Your Cat or Dog Dies
Dealing with guilty feelings after your cat or dog dies can make your pain and grief worse. Here are four ways to manage guilt; this article is a sister to “4 Ways to Cope With the Guilt of Your Pet’s Death.”
“Dogs have given us their absolute all,” said Roger Caras. “We are the center of their universe. We are the focus of their love and faith and trust. They serve us in return for scraps. It is without a doubt the best deal man has ever made.”
But when you’re on the better end of the deal, you may feel guilty! If you’re struggling with grief and guilty feelings about your pet loss, click on Cold Noses at the Pearly Gates by Gary Kurz. And, read on for four ways to deal with guilty feelings after your dog or cat dies…
4 Ways to Deal With Guilty Feelings After Your Cat or Dog Dies
1. Stop replaying the “if only” scenarios. “If I only I would’ve known, I would have…” We can only see clearly when we look back on what’s happened – because hindsight is 20/20, my friend. There is no value in replaying the “if only” scenarios…unless you replay them with a happier ending. Instead of looking back at the “if onlys”, focus on coping with your dog or cat’s death. Reading Tips for Coping When Your Cat Dies may help, whether you lost a cat, dog, or other animal.
2. Remember that you don’t know what could have happened. If you’re dealing with the guilt of your pet’s death, you may think, “If only I would have recognized that he was sick earlier, I could have saved him.” The problem with this type of thinking is that you don’t know what really would have happened! Maybe it’d be a happily ever after ending – and maybe your pet would have died anyway. When we engage in the “if only” scenario, we deceive ourselves into thinking we could have saved our dog or cat from death.
3. Accept that you made the best decision at the time. If you put your cat or dog to sleep – I did this with my two year old cat, Fluffy, because her back legs were mangled because of a bike accident, it was a nightmare – know that you made the best decision you could. Maybe you didn’t try every medication, alternative therapy, or special food that you could find – but you did the best you could. Take a deep breath, accept that you did the best you could, and let go of your guilt that your cat or dog died. You did the best you could.
4. And finally, know that you’re not alone. Your feelings of anger, grief, and guilt over your pet’s death are felt by many people who lost their dogs or cats. We’re all mourning together, my friends…and our pets are watching and loving us from wherever they are. Make them proud and happy; there’s no room for sadness or guilt where they are.
For more tips on dealing with your pet’s death, read 4 Ways to Cope With the Guilt of Your Pet’s Death.
If you have any thoughts on these ways to cope with guilty feelings after your dog or cat dies, please comment below…
