A recent Morris Animal Foundation-funded study sought to understand if and how pets grieve following the loss of a companion animal in the home. While many reported changes in behaviors were similar between dogs and cats, there were some key differences.
Source: Morris Animal Foundation, September 10, 2020. Link. Researchers captured information in behavior categories that include changes in affection, feeding, sleeping, vocalization, elimination, aggression, and territoriality.
Increases in affection were by far the most reported observation by owners, with 74% of dogs and 78% cats in the survey displaying more affectionate behaviors with their owners.”