Cats get a bad rep when it comes to eating their dead owners – but it’s not as common as people make it out to be. Even though there are some news stories about it, they are all isolated incidents. Your cat isn’t plotting to eat you!
The weird truth is that most pets (cats, dogs, and similar) will feed off of you if you’re dead and they’re hungry for long enough. Most of the time, dead people are found before their cat starts to eat their face off.
If it does get to that point, cats will try to eat soft, meaty spots, like your face. They will not eat you whole, bones and everything – but they will take a bite.
Remember, it’ll only happen if they are really hungry!
Why do cats eat their dead owners?
On the rare occasion when a cat will eat its dead owner, the reason why is rather simple: because they have to eat. Cats are predators but also scavengers. Even domesticated cats will trigger its scavenging instincts if food is lacking – and you’re right there to be eaten.
Cats and other felines are resourceful animals when it comes to hunting for a meal. If they can’t find the right prey, they will proceed for the next best thing and see what’s laying around.
If you happen to die and leave your cat with nothing to eat for days on end, it’ll resort to those scavenging instincts all cats have. That’s when cats eat their dead owners. It’s not personal, it’s hunger!
Most cat owners have nothing to worry about, though. A lot of time has to go by for a well-fed house cat to go into scavenging mode.
Do cats eat your eyeballs when you die?
If a cat is hungry enough to feed off of its dead owner, it’ll go for the soft parts of the body. More likely than not, it’ll start eating the face before moving onto other places. The eyes are probably the first course of that meal for a cat.
Is there any reason behind cats going for the eye? Nothing but the fact that they are the easiest part to eat for them. Cats prefer soft tissue when it’s time to eat – and it doesn’t get any softer than eyes when it comes to a human.
Your cat has to be really hungry before it thinks it’s time to eat some eyes, though. They definitely prefer cat food!
What do cats do when their owner dies?
Cats will mourn the loss of someone they care for. They usually hide from everyone for days on end when that happens. When they come back out, they refuse to eat, play, and do stuff. It takes a while for them to get back to normal.
Cats cope with loss the same way they do with any other monumental change. They suffer from anxiety, get stressed out, and feel sad. They may spray out of stress and refuse to eat.
With enough comfort and help, they will return to their own self.