Creature Comforts: Meeting our Love and Grief at the Door

Content warning: this story touches on themes of pet grief and ecological grief.

“You squeezed between us on the sofa,
shadowed the heels of his corners, met his evenings at the door,

me hooked to the laptop – calling, just a sec.
You made him laugh in a way I can’t.

One night, you flattened his sweet-peas, dug up his beds.
All was forgiven when you snoozed like a croissant.

In meetings, you stalked my screen, impossible purr machine.
On phone calls, people asked, is that your cat? Unstoppable,

determined distraction, tip-toeing back to my lap.
You played the fool, you knew your game – enough, you said, enough,

tactical-rolling across the keyboard. Anything to catch my love.”

– from On Missing My Love Triangle with Partner and Cat, Beth Calverley, 2026

These are some lines from a poem I wrote for our playful tortoiseshell after she died earlier this year. My cat has taught me to greet my partner at the door when he gets home from work – not just shouting “hello!” from the other room. It’s comforting to know that the lessons she taught me will stay with me – and that I have this poem, with all the details of her character to return to. 

Likewise, my fox red labrador died years ago, but his presence still pads at my heels. This childhood best friend of mine continues to enhance my life, still reminding me to follow my sense of adventure and get outside more. The significant animals in our lives teach us who we are, what it means to love someone unconditionally, and how it feels to say goodbye. Our animals continue to support us, even when they have chased their last toy or walked their favourite route for the last time.

It can be difficult for others to know what to say at times of grief. When my house felt too empty, too quiet, hearing someone recognise the depth of my loss – “pets are our family” – offered some light. I was lucky that my workplace was understanding when I needed to step away from work due to bereavement. I’m glad to see that the RSPCA has created a toolkit to guide people through the loss of a pet, including having conversations with work, and that the stigma of pet loss is being more widely spoken about.

For me, creature comforts goes beyond the bond I have with my pets. Growing up in the Mendips, I felt the presence of wild beings as closely as my pets, from wood anemones, bluebells and violets to swifts, bats, bees and butterflies. I am overjoyed to have joined Super Culture and the Mendip Hills National Landscape as Nature Connection Producer, working to build more people’s confidence to enjoy their local landscape. The animals of the Mendips were there for me in my times of loss and grief – each tree a friend to lean on, each hill a shoulder to cry on.

It’s a privilege to have experienced the joy of connection to the natural world. It’s a privilege to have experienced the company of pets who have guided me through life. There is also another side to this – seeing species struggling due to higher temperatures, draught, disease and disruption to their habitats is like seeing my best friend struggling. Just as it was comforting to hear others recognise the loss of my pet, I find comfort in connecting with others who feel the struggles of wild creatures, recognise there is only so much we can do individually, and share ideas for how to help.

In recognition of this, I have created a free writing, journalling and sharing workshop at Good Grief festival called Creature Comforts. We will come together, read poems about pets and wildlife, celebrate the animals who matter to us, and share over a cup of tea at the Festival Hub. You don’t need to have any writing experience or creative skills – just bring your love of animals and share a couple of hours with fellow animal-lovers in a supportive space. I look forward to greeting you at the door.

Book here: https://www.ticketsource.com/superculture/creature-comforts-with-beth-calverley/e-vgzlel

As part of Good Grief Weston. Click here to find out more.