Falzone H. Week 6

 

                                                               Pet’s Reaction to College

            When I depart for college, I will be leaving my whole childhood behind. My mom, dad, sisters, and brother will be left behind and I will probably never think about them again (just kidding). But in reality it will be an adjustment for my whole family when they lose not just one child or sibling but two. I am sure they will find ways to handle it, and the accessibility of social media will allow for lots of communication between myself and my siblings and parents. However, through all this thinking I had failed to think about the effect my leaving will have on my animals. Will they notice? Will they show signs of depression from my being away? In particular I wonder how it will affect my cat, Chasey. As a loyal cat that has been by my side since I was 2 years old, all he knows in life is me. Although he is only in a part of my life, for him I have been his entire life. My bed has been where he likes to sleep and snuggle, and my lap has provided him with a secure position at all times when anything chaotic is taking place in my house. I decided to research this idea and find out the truth behind our pets and their reactions to the separation brought on by college. 

            What I was able to find out is not only interesting but really important to any pet owners who may wonder how to prepare their pet for this separation. Sadly animals react to the departure of an important person in their life, like most humans react to death. They experience grief and may appear uninterested in their usual activities. Since they have no idea where their human has gone and have no clue when they will return, these animals might show signs of social withdrawal and changes in sleeping and eating patterns. Other pets begin chewing on furniture or having more accidents within the house. All of these reactions are quite normal and something that needs to be handled with patience instead of getting upset. For those still at home, they need to understand what their animal is experiencing and treat them like they would a mourning human. 

Although this sounds depressing and upsetting to those who have to leave their unknowing pets behind, there are steps you can take to make this transition easier. Many families can start giving another member of the family the job of feeding the pet and assuming the normal chores that allow you to interact with the pet. By allowing other members of your household to spend time with your animal, the pet has time to form closer bonds with other members of your family and will respond less dramatically to the departure of their owner.

All of this info is extremely important snd helpful for my transition out of my cat’s life. I want to ensure he is able to cope with my leaving. I think one of the best things I will do is allow him to spend time with my siblings in order to form a stronger bond with them. The last thing I want is for him to feel abandoned and saddened by my departure. I hope he will be able to find happiness during those first few months and I am sure being surrounded by my crazy siblings will help him feel less lonely during these times

https://www.washingtonian.com/2016/06/17/pets-need-emotionally-prepare-for-kids-going-to-college/

Chasey