Tears As Cat Mourns Loss of Dog Best Friend, Only To Join Him Days Later – ryan

Internet users have been reduced to tears by the heartbreaking sight of a cat sitting by the grave of his canine best friend, only for him to pass away too just days later.

Owner Greta Westhoff captured the devastating moment her cat, named Carlo, mourned the loss of the family dog, Merlin. The Cretan hound passed away in 2024 due to heart disease, and not only was it tough for the family to take, but for Carlo too.

Westhoff, 20, told Newsweek that the cat and dog duo “grew up together” and they had such a precious bond from the very beginning. Merlin was around 4 years old when they rescued 6-month-old Carlo from the streets. The feline had never known life without his canine buddy.

“They were instantly great together and had no problems with each other. Their personalities were very similar as they were both very calm, friendly and cuddly,” Westhoff, from Germany, said.

Following Merlin’s death, a grave was dug in the garden for him where the family could mourn.

But they weren’t the only ones grieving, because in the days after, Carlo would sit beside the grave “for at least an hour” at a time.

Westhoff captured a heartbreaking video of the rescue cat staring at the grave site, as he too was mourning.

“In the days after losing Merlin, Carlo was quieter than before, and it felt like he lost his zest for life. Whenever I went to our bench to look at the grave, Carlo did too. I realized that I lost my dog, and he lost his brother,” Westhoff said.

“That moment was unforgettable for me because he showed me that I wasn’t mourning alone,” she continued.

We humans might think we are the only ones who can feel loss, but Kim Balchios told Newsweek that cats and dogs are just as “capable of experiencing grief.” The founder of Mama Kims Animal Rescue, which focuses on animal behavior, care, and advocacy, said that grieving animals will often exhibit many behavioral changes.

Balchios added: “While they may not process emotions exactly as humans do, changes in behavior such as withdrawal, loss of appetite, vocalization, or searching for a lost companion are all signs consistent with grief.”

This is something she has seen firsthand in her rescue center, particularly among the “bonded animals.”

In the days after Merlin’s passing, Carlo appeared to spend a lot more time outside than he ever had done before.

Unfortunately, just 10 days after losing Merlin, Carlo also passed away. He was hit by a car; Westhoff believes he “lost his focus” because he was so devastated from the loss. Prior to that, he had always watched out for cars and been cautious of the road.

Westhoff told Newsweek: “We live in a small area where people drive slowly because of the children, and he was too smart to get hit by accident. I don’t think he understood why his friend wasn’t there anymore, and that threw him out of focus. But I know that they both are in heaven together now.”

The emotional footage of Carlo mourning his best friend was shared on TikTok (@gr.ma20) and it left internet users in floods of tears. In just a matter of days, the clip has gone viral with over 9 million views and more than 2 million likes at the time of writing.

Of course, Westhoff still misses both her pets every day, as losing them both in quick succession was a horrible experience like no other.

Many TikTok users offered their condolences and were incredibly moved by the video, leading to more than 12,700 comments on the post so far.

One comment reads: “Poor baby. He had broken heart syndrome.”

Another TikTok user wrote: “Pet grieving is so hard to watch, knowing that they had a connection you will never understand.”

A third person added: “And they say animals don’t have feelings … just look at this omg (oh my God).”

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