Warning: this blog talks extensively about death!

If you’ve ever found yourself wondering if your cat would actually eat you if you die, you’ve come to the right place. We sat down with Dr. Lindsey Wendt, Chief Veterinary Officer at Antelope, for some extra insight on this morbid—yet completely valid—question. 

What the studies show

A psych professor who was interested in getting to the bottom of this question actually conducted a study about it. And no, he did not let his cat eat him. Instead, he interviewed first responders about their experiences finding the bodies of those who pass away unexpectedly in their home. 

One responder stated that they’ve found bodies with clear evidence of bite marks and other attempts at consumption in the homes of the deceased who had owned cats. Another responder stated that it seems almost like cats will begin to bite at their owner as soon as their body “begins to cool.” 

But what about dogs? 

Interestingly enough, many studies done on this topic have discovered that dogs are less likely to want to eat their newly-deceased owner. Of course, the word ‘newly’ is key here. Many speculate that a dog thinks that the owner is sleeping and is patiently waiting for them to wake up. 

That said, there have been cases—albeit more rare—of dogs scavenging from their owners as well. The common denominator within these instances is time. The longer a deceased person’s body goes undiscovered, the more likely it is that their pets might turn to eating them.