Book review: ‘All My Dead Cats and Other Losses’

All My Dead Cats and Other Losses: Practicing Good Grief in a Culture That Fears Mourning by s. e. smith. HarperOne, 2026. Softcover, 320 pages.

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Don’t be misled as I was, initially, by the title of this book. When I picked it up, I thought it was a memoir about author s. e. smith’s beloved cats. Was I wrong? Well, yes and no. The author does include many stories about their feline companions, but All My Dead Cats and Other Losses is much, much more than an animal book.

A journalist, smith has written a comprehensive examination of grief in American culture. The premise of their absorbing book is that we live in a society that does little to acknowledge bereavement or support those who mourn and that, in the best of all situations, grief and mourning would be seen as a collective process, one awarded the understanding and support necessary to grieve well rather than hide one’s feelings.

In addition to the losses we recognize the most, such as parents, spouses, and other family members, smith delves into other losses rarely validated, such as the death of companion animals. They also explore other disenfranchised grief, such as the grief that survivors of mass shootings, people living with disabilities, and animal shelter staff can experience.

All My Dead Cats and Other Losses is a thought-provoking call to action for individuals and our society to change the ways we grieve and care for each other. As a hospice volunteer for many years, I can attest that smith’s work is one of the best books I have read about this subject. As a woman with multiple disabilities, I can affirm their views on disability in modern America.

Although All My Dead Cats and Other Losses isn’t the book I expected it to be, it is one that all of us, as people who will face myriad losses in our lifetimes, need to read.

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Our goal at Best Friends is to support all animal shelters in the U.S. in reaching no-kill. No-kill means saving every dog and cat in a shelter who can be saved, accounting for community safety and good quality of life for pets. 

Shelter staff can’t do it alone. Saving animals in shelters is everyone’s responsibility, and it takes support and participation from the community. No-kill is possible when we work together thoughtfully, honestly, and collaboratively.