Edel Coffey: The place of pets in our lives - and the grief we feel in their absence

"The memory of love, whether it is for a little pet or for the greatest relationships of our lives, is the only balm I know of for grief..."

Picture: Bríd O'Donovan

We are a cat family. I’d love a dog, but for logistical reasons possibly related to the fact that I might be too lazy to walk a dog every day, we remain a cat family for now.

We originally had two cats, but when one of those died suddenly, we got two more kittens to keep the remaining cat company, as he was pitched into a deep depression after the loss of his life-long companion. Who said animals don’t mourn?