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Pet Remembrance Day: Corrie’s Georgia Taylor on coping with the loss of a beloved cat

The actor’s cat passed away during lockdown.

Luke Rix-Standing
Monday 05 July 2021 06:00 BST
Ginger cat
Ginger cat

Losing a beloved pet can be really hard. After all, they may have been a part of the family or cherished companion for many years.

Coronation Street actress Georgia Taylor has endured several pet-related losses in recent years. She and her partner Mark lost their cat Claude three years ago, and then had to put his sister Audrey to sleep during the recent lockdown.

To mark Pet Remembrance Day on July 5, we spoke to Taylor about the impact of losing her beloved cats, and dealing with pet bereavement…

How much do you miss having your pets around?

“It’s much quieter, because Audrey was a particularly chatty cat – she definitely made her presence felt. You really miss those little moments when you’re on a day off, and you’re on the sofa reading a book and they just come and curl up with you and purr. Their absence feels very obvious.”

Georgia Taylor and Claude

How did other people react to news of your pets passing away?

“Recently, I have only felt a real sense of empathy, and even when I posted on Instagram people were just so kind. I do think the last however many months we’ve had, have emphasised for people the value and importance of pets, while people have been stuck at home. The way they can enrich people’s lives has just been that much more apparent.

“I’m sure there are people out there who’ve never had a pet, and think, ‘Why are you bothered?’. But anyone who’s owned one will understand. We are a nation of animal lovers, although maybe animal lovers are just the kind of people I gravitate towards.”

How have you personally dealt with pet bereavement?

“You have those memories that help you remember your animal. My partner Mark and I will say things like, ‘Oh do you remember when she…’ – and I prefer that to making out like they never existed. Facebook does that timehop thing, where they’ll say, ‘Remember this from three years ago’, and it’s a gorgeous picture of your dead cat. It’s upsetting, but it’s nice to remember.”

What would your advice be to others coping with the loss of a pet?

“For those that live alone and don’t have someone to share their grief with, Cats Protection have this incredible Paws to Listen service, on which you can talk to someone who will really understand about how you’re feeling, either by phone or by email. You mustn’t feel silly. You’ve cared for this living being for however many months or years, so you’re bound to feel that loss, and you must be able to talk about and express that.”

To access the Paws To Listen service or learn more about pet bereavement, visit cats.org.uk/grief

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