How Animals Grieve. What Cats, Elephants, Dolphins and Others Feel When Losing Loved Ones

Humans tend to think that only they, as beings with thought and speech, are capable of experiencing deep feelings such as compassion, attachment, love, and grief for others. But how then can we explain the behavior of elephants surrounding their matriarch and caring for her in the days that follow when she weakens and dies? Why does a domestic cat, losing her sister with whom she has never been separated, anxiously walk around the house and meow plaintively? Distinguished professor of anthropology and doctor of science Barbara J. King recounts real observations of animals that prove they are capable of experiencing true 'human' emotions and suffering from the pain of loss. As you read the book, you will immerse yourself in the astonishing world of the subtle feelings of the fauna, which will change your perception of the minds of our smaller brothers.