Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs? Big Questions from Tiny Mortals About Death (Caitlin Doughty, 2019)

Table of Contents

Who is the book “Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?” for?

“Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?” by Caitlin Doughty is designed for:

Curious Individuals: Those with a curiosity about death and what happens to our bodies after we die.
Fans of Caitlin Doughty: Followers of her work, including her YouTube channel “Ask a Mortician,” where she discusses death-related topics.
Readers Interested in Mortuary Science: People fascinated by the field of mortuary science and the processes involved in handling the dead.
Young Adults and Teenagers: The book is written in an accessible style, making it suitable for young adults and teenagers seeking straightforward answers about death.
Anyone with a Sense of Humor About Death: The book tackles morbid topics with a touch of humor, so it’s for those who can appreciate this approach.
Educators and Parents: For use in discussions about death in an educational or family setting, as it provides clear and honest answers to common questions.
Those Seeking Comfort About Death: Individuals looking for a more relaxed and less fearful perspective on death and dying.

Top 10 actionable advice from the book “Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?”

“Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs? Big Questions from Tiny Mortals About Death” by Caitlin Doughty is more of an informative and entertaining book about death and related topics, rather than a source of actionable advice. However, we can extract some valuable insights and perspectives from the book:

1. Embrace Curiosity About Death

The book encourages readers to ask questions and be curious about death, a natural part of life.

In “Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?”, Caitlin Doughty encourages readers to embrace their curiosity about death, presenting it as a natural and integral part of life. This perspective is important for several reasons:

Demystifying Death: Often, death is shrouded in mystery and taboo. By asking questions and seeking answers, we can demystify death, making it a less frightening and more understandable part of our existence.
Promoting Open Conversation: Encouraging curiosity leads to open conversations about death. This can help in breaking down societal taboos and discomfort surrounding the topic, making it more normalized and less stigmatized.
Educational Value: There is much to learn about the biological, cultural, and historical aspects of death. Curiosity drives this learning, leading to a better understanding of not just the physical process of dying, but also how different cultures handle death.
Preparation for the Inevitable: By understanding death, we can better prepare for our own mortality and the death of loved ones. This preparation is not just practical (in terms of wills, funerals, etc.), but also emotional, helping us to cope better when faced with loss.
Fostering Empathy: Learning about death and the different ways it impacts people can foster empathy. Recognizing that death is a universal experience helps in building connections and understanding among individuals.
Personal Growth: Exploring the concept of death can lead to profound personal growth. It prompts self-reflection about what truly matters in life, our values, and how we want to spend our time.
Coping with Fear: Many fears about death stem from the unknown. By satisfying our curiosity, we can confront and reduce these fears, leading to a healthier mental state.

Doughty’s encouragement to embrace curiosity about death aims to transform the way we think about this inevitable part of life. It’s about shifting from fear and avoidance to understanding and acceptance, enhancing our knowledge, emotional well-being, and ultimately, our approach to life and death.

2. Understand Decomposition

Learning about the natural process of decomposition can demystify death and make it less frightening.

In “Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?”, Caitlin Doughty delves into the natural process of decomposition, an aspect that plays a crucial role in demystifying death and reducing fear. Understanding decomposition involves several key elements:

Natural Biological Process: Decomposition is a natural biological process. Learning about how the body breaks down after death, through stages like rigor mortis, autolysis, and putrefaction, provides a scientific understanding of what death entails physically.
Role of Microorganisms: Understanding the role of bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms in decomposition highlights the ecological significance of death. These organisms help in recycling nutrients back into the earth, emphasizing the cyclical nature of life.
Environmental Factors: Various environmental factors like temperature, humidity, and the presence of oxygen affect the rate and manner of decomposition. Knowing these factors can help in comprehending the diversity of decomposition processes in different settings.
Forensic Relevance: In forensic science, knowledge of decomposition is crucial for determining the time and sometimes the cause of death. This aspect can make the subject intriguing and less daunting.
Cultural and Historical Perspectives: Different cultures have varying practices for handling bodies post-death (e.g., embalming, cremation, sky burials). Understanding these practices in the context of decomposition can provide a broader perspective on how societies view and handle death.
Reducing Fear and Taboo: By demystifying the physical process of decomposition, the subject of death becomes less of a taboo and more of a tangible, understandable phenomenon. This can alleviate some of the fear and discomfort associated with death.
Appreciation of Life and Nature’s Cycles: Recognizing decomposition as a vital part of life’s cycle fosters a deeper appreciation for the interconnectedness of life and death in nature. It underscores the notion that death is not just an end, but a contributor to the continuation of life in other forms.
Promoting Eco-Friendly Burial Practices: With the knowledge of decomposition, individuals might be more inclined to consider eco-friendly burial practices that allow the body to decompose naturally and beneficially contribute to the environment.

In essence, Doughty’s exploration of decomposition serves to educate readers about the natural, scientific, and ecological aspects of what happens to our bodies after death. This education can transform fear and uncertainty into knowledge and acceptance, changing how we perceive and relate to the end of life.

3. Recognize the Role of Animals in Death

The book discusses how pets might react to a deceased owner, providing a realistic view of nature and death.

In her book “Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?”, Caitlin Doughty addresses a curious question about how pets, particularly cats, might react to the death of their owners. This topic offers valuable insights into the role of animals in death, encompassing several aspects:

Animal Behavior Towards Death: The book explores how pets, especially domestic animals like cats and dogs, react to their deceased owners. This includes behaviors like staying close to the body, vocalizing distress, or, in rare cases, feeding on the remains. Understanding these behaviors provides a realistic view of animal instincts and responses to death.
Natural Instincts of Animals: Animals have natural instincts that can kick in when they are in survival mode. Doughty’s exploration helps readers understand that if a pet resorts to feeding on a deceased owner, it is often driven by hunger and survival instinct, not malice or disrespect.
Emotional Bonds Between Pets and Owners: The book also touches on the emotional connections pets form with their humans. While it’s difficult to ascertain the depth of their understanding of death, their visible reactions to a deceased owner indicate a level of awareness and emotional attachment.
The Concept of Grieving in Animals: Although it’s hard to definitively say animals grieve as humans do, the book opens up a discussion about the possibility of animals experiencing their own form of grief or loss when their human companions die.
Ethical Considerations in Pet Ownership: The topic leads to a broader discussion on the responsibilities of pet ownership, including considerations for what will happen to pets after an owner’s death.
Understanding Death as a Part of Nature: Doughty’s discussion on animals and death underlines the fact that death is a natural part of life, not just for humans but for all living beings. This perspective helps normalize death as a universal experience.
Educational and Conversational Value: By bringing up such intriguing questions, the book encourages education and conversation about the less-discussed aspects of death, broadening our understanding and comfort with the topic.
Impact on End-of-Life Planning: Recognizing the potential reactions of pets to their owner’s death can also influence end-of-life planning, ensuring pets are cared for after the owner’s passing.

By discussing the role of animals in the context of human death, Caitlin Doughty adds a fascinating dimension to our understanding of death. It provides a more holistic view of how death is perceived and reacted to across different species, further demystifying this universal aspect of life.

4. Acknowledge Different Cultural Practices

Doughty explores various death customs, highlighting the importance of respecting different cultural approaches to death.

In “Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?”, Caitlin Doughty delves into the rich tapestry of cultural practices surrounding death, underscoring the importance of acknowledging and respecting these diverse traditions. This exploration encompasses several key points:

Variety of Death Customs: The book highlights the wide array of customs and rituals practiced around the world in response to death. These practices can vary greatly, from the way bodies are prepared and disposed of, to mourning rituals and commemorative ceremonies.
Cultural Significance and Meaning: Doughty emphasizes that each culture’s death practices are deeply rooted in its history, beliefs, and values. These practices often carry significant meaning and symbolism, reflecting a community’s way of understanding and coping with death.
Respect for Diversity: By exploring various customs, the book promotes respect for different cultural approaches to death. This respect is crucial in a globalized world where cross-cultural interactions are common.
Breaking Down Stereotypes and Misunderstandings: Learning about different death customs can help break down stereotypes and misunderstandings that often arise from ignorance or lack of exposure to other cultures.
Reflecting on One’s Own Practices: Exposure to different cultural practices can also encourage individuals to reflect on their own beliefs and customs around death, possibly leading to a broader and more inclusive perspective.
Educational Value: There is a significant educational component in learning about different death customs. It enhances our knowledge of world cultures and their unique approaches to life’s universal experiences.
Normalizing Death as a Universal Experience: Acknowledging the variety of cultural practices around death further normalizes it as a universal aspect of the human experience, shared across all cultures and societies.
Influence on Personal Choices: Understanding different cultural practices can also influence personal choices regarding end-of-life care, funerals, and mourning, allowing for more informed and culturally sensitive decisions.
Empathy and Compassion: Learning about and respecting other cultures’ practices around death fosters empathy and compassion. It helps in recognizing the shared human experience of loss and grief, transcending cultural boundaries.
Preservation of Cultural Heritage: Discussing and acknowledging these practices contributes to the preservation of cultural heritage, ensuring that these rich traditions and rituals are not lost over time.

In essence, Caitlin Doughty’s exploration of different cultural practices in dealing with death serves to educate and broaden the reader’s perspective. It highlights the importance of understanding, respecting, and valuing the diverse ways in which humanity approaches one of its most profound experiences.

5. Consider the Environmental Impact of Burial Practices

The book touches on environmentally friendly burial options, encouraging eco-conscious decisions.

In “Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?”, Caitlin Doughty touches on the environmental implications of traditional burial practices and highlights the importance of considering eco-friendly alternatives. This perspective includes several important aspects:

Environmental Cost of Traditional Burials: Traditional burial practices, especially in Western societies, often involve embalming, which uses chemicals like formaldehyde. Additionally, the use of non-biodegradable materials in caskets and burial vaults can have long-term environmental impacts, such as soil and groundwater pollution.
Cremation and Its Environmental Impact: While cremation is seen as an alternative to burial, it also has environmental drawbacks. The process requires significant energy and releases greenhouse gases and other pollutants into the atmosphere.
Rise of Green Burial Options: The book sheds light on green or natural burial practices as environmentally friendly alternatives. These practices forego the use of toxic embalming chemicals, utilize biodegradable caskets or shrouds, and aim to have a minimal ecological footprint.
Conservation Burials: Doughty discusses conservation burials, where the burial site contributes to land conservation efforts. These natural preserves use burial as a means to fund and maintain the conservation of natural areas.
Promoting Ecosystem Health: Environmentally friendly burial practices are designed to promote the health of the ecosystem. Bodies are allowed to decompose naturally, contributing to the nutrient cycle and supporting plant growth.
Awareness of Ecological Responsibility: The discussion in the book encourages readers to consider their ecological responsibility even in death. This awareness can lead to more environmentally conscious decisions in life and for post-life arrangements.
Cultural and Personal Acceptance: The book also addresses the challenge of cultural and personal acceptance of green burial practices, considering that traditional methods are deeply ingrained in many societies.
Legislation and Availability: Doughty brings attention to the importance of legislation in facilitating green burial practices. The availability and legal status of these options can vary greatly between regions and countries.
Educational Aspect: By educating readers about the environmental impact of burial practices, the book empowers them to make informed decisions that align with their ecological values.
Shifting Perspectives on Death: The consideration of the environmental impact of burial practices can also lead to a broader shift in how society views death, promoting a more holistic and nature-integrated approach.

Caitlin Doughty’s exploration of burial practices from an environmental perspective in “Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?” highlights the importance of considering our final footprint on the earth. It opens up a dialogue about eco-friendly alternatives, urging readers to think about how their choices can align with environmental conservation and sustainability even after death.

6. Appreciate the Work of Morticians

Gaining insight into what morticians do can lead to a deeper appreciation for their role in handling death.

In “Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?”, Caitlin Doughty, a mortician herself, provides insights into the often misunderstood and underappreciated work of morticians. This understanding leads to a deeper appreciation of their role in handling death, encompassing several aspects:

Understanding the Role of Morticians: Morticians play a critical role in caring for the deceased. Their work includes preparing bodies for burial or cremation, ensuring they are respectfully and safely handled.
Technical Skills and Knowledge: Morticians are trained in various technical skills, including embalming, restorative art, and the science of decomposition. Their expertise ensures that bodies are preserved and presented in a dignified manner for funeral services.
Emotional and Psychological Support: Often overlooked is the emotional support morticians provide to grieving families. They help guide families through the process of laying their loved ones to rest, offering compassion and understanding during a difficult time.
Cultural and Religious Sensitivity: Morticians must be knowledgeable and respectful of different cultural and religious practices surrounding death. Their work often involves accommodating specific rituals and traditions in the preparation and handling of the body.
Advocacy and Education: Many morticians, like Doughty, are advocates for death positivity and education. They work to demystify death and promote open discussions about end-of-life planning, grief, and the realities of death.
Navigating Legal and Ethical Issues: Morticians must adhere to legal and ethical standards in their work, navigating complex regulations regarding the handling, transport, and disposition of bodies.
Role in Public Health: Morticians play a crucial role in public health, ensuring that bodies are handled in a way that minimizes health risks to the living, especially in cases of contagious diseases.
Personalization of Funeral Services: Morticians often assist in personalizing funeral services to reflect the life and wishes of the deceased, helping families create meaningful memorials.
Continuous Learning: The field of mortuary science is continually evolving, and morticians must stay informed about new practices, technologies, and societal changes related to death care.
Compassion and Dedication: The work of a mortician is not just a job but a vocation that requires a deep level of compassion, dedication, and resilience. It involves working in circumstances that many find challenging or uncomfortable.

Through her book, Caitlin Doughty shines a light on the multifaceted and vital role of morticians in society. By understanding the depth and breadth of what morticians do, we can develop a deeper respect and appreciation for their essential service in the journey of death, mourning, and remembrance.

7. Discuss Death Openly

The book’s approachable tone makes death a more accessible topic for discussion among family and friends.

“Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?” by Caitlin Doughty, with its approachable and often humorous tone, serves as a catalyst for open discussions about death. This is significant for several reasons:

Breaking Down Taboos: Death is often considered a taboo subject in many cultures. The book’s conversational style helps to break down these barriers, making it easier for people to start conversations about death and dying.
Facilitating Family Conversations: The book provides a platform for families to discuss death openly. This can be particularly helpful in addressing children’s questions and fears about death in an honest and age-appropriate manner.
Promoting Death Literacy: Open discussions about death lead to increased ‘death literacy’, a term referring to the practical know-how needed to plan for and manage the logistical, emotional, and ethical aspects of dying.
Encouraging Advance Planning: Conversations inspired by the book can prompt individuals and families to think about and plan for end-of-life care, funeral preferences, wills, and other important matters.
Normalizing Death as Part of Life: By discussing death openly, it becomes normalized as a natural part of life. This can help in reducing fear and anxiety associated with death.
Supporting Grieving Processes: Open discussions about death can provide support and understanding for those who are grieving, making it easier to express emotions and share memories.
Enhancing Emotional Health: Talking about death can lead to better emotional health, as it encourages individuals to express their feelings and fears, rather than bottling them up.
Cultural Exchange and Understanding: Open discussions can also lead to a sharing of different cultural or personal perspectives on death, enhancing mutual understanding and respect.
Empowering Decision Making: Being comfortable discussing death empowers people to make informed decisions about end-of-life care, organ donation, and other important issues related to death.
Building Community and Connection: Such discussions can strengthen bonds between friends and family members, as sharing thoughts and feelings about a topic as profound as death can deepen relationships.

The accessible tone of Doughty’s book helps to demystify death, encouraging open and healthy conversations. This openness can lead to a better understanding and acceptance of death, improved emotional well-being, and more informed decision-making about end-of-life issues.

8. Learn About the Funeral Industry

Understanding the business side of funerals can help in making informed decisions when the time comes.

“Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?” by Caitlin Doughty sheds light on the funeral industry, offering valuable insights that can help individuals make informed decisions. Understanding the business side of funerals involves several key considerations:

Awareness of Funeral Costs: One of the most important aspects is understanding the costs associated with funerals. The funeral industry can be expensive, and prices can vary significantly for services like casket purchase, embalming, and the funeral service itself.
Different Funeral Services and Options: The book helps in understanding the range of services and options offered by the funeral industry, including traditional burials, cremations, and more modern approaches like green burials or alkaline hydrolysis.
Navigating Funeral Industry Practices: Doughty provides insights into the practices of the funeral industry, which can sometimes include upselling or suggesting more expensive options to grieving families.
Consumer Rights in Funeral Planning: Understanding your rights as a consumer is crucial. This includes knowing that you can request itemized pricing and are not obligated to purchase packages or services you do not want or need.
The Importance of Pre-Planning: The book highlights the benefits of pre-planning funerals. This not only alleviates the burden from grieving family members but also allows individuals to make their own decisions about how they want their death to be handled.
Cultural and Personal Preferences: Learning about the funeral industry also involves understanding how cultural, religious, and personal preferences can be accommodated and respected within the industry’s offerings.
Environmental Impact of Funeral Choices: Gaining knowledge about the environmental impact of various funeral practices helps in making eco-friendly decisions.
Legal and Ethical Considerations: The book touches on legal and ethical aspects of the funeral industry, including regulations governing the handling and disposition of bodies.
Comparative Shopping: Understanding the funeral industry encourages comparative shopping – looking at different funeral homes and services to find the best fit both financially and emotionally.
The Emotional Aspect of Funeral Planning: Doughty discusses the emotional complexities involved in planning a funeral, emphasizing the importance of making decisions that are emotionally comfortable and meaningful to the bereaved.

In essence, by providing insights into the funeral industry, “Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?” empowers readers with the knowledge needed to navigate the often-complex world of funeral planning. This understanding is crucial for making informed, respectful, and financially sound decisions when faced with the loss of a loved one.

9. Dispel Myths About Death

The book addresses common misconceptions and fears about death, helping to alleviate unnecessary worries.

In “Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?”, Caitlin Doughty addresses and dispels various myths and misconceptions about death, contributing to a more accurate and less fear-driven understanding of this inevitable part of life. This includes:

Myths About the Dying Process: The book tackles myths surrounding the process of dying, such as pain and consciousness at the time of death, providing a more factual understanding based on medical and scientific knowledge.
Misconceptions About Decomposition: Doughty dispels misconceptions about the decomposition process, explaining it in a straightforward manner. This helps in understanding what really happens to the body after death, as opposed to exaggerated or sensationalized notions.
Understanding What Bodies Can and Cannot Do After Death: The book addresses common fears about the dead body, such as the idea that bodies can sit up, move, or make noises after death, explaining the biological realities behind these phenomena.
Clarifying Funeral and Burial Practices: There are many misconceptions about the necessity and legal requirements of various funeral practices. Doughty clarifies what is required by law versus what is tradition or preference.
Demystifying Cremation: Misunderstandings about the cremation process are common. The book provides factual information about what cremation entails, including what happens to the body and the environmental impact.
Challenging Cultural Superstitions and Taboos: By addressing a range of death-related topics, the book challenges cultural superstitions and taboos that often contribute to fear and misunderstanding about death.
Revealing the Truth About “Weird” Death Questions: The book answers unusual or seemingly morbid questions about death that people may be afraid to ask, helping to satisfy curiosity and dispel fears based on misinformation.
Exploring the Reality of Post-Death Care: Doughty provides insights into the reality of post-death care, including what happens in a mortuary or during embalming, which can be quite different from what is often portrayed in media.
Debunking Myths About Grief and Mourning: The book also touches on misconceptions about grief and mourning, emphasizing that there is no “right” way to grieve and that experiences of grief are highly individual.
Addressing Fears About One’s Own Mortality: By tackling myths and providing factual information about death, the book helps readers confront and alleviate some of their own fears and anxieties about mortality.

Through this myth-busting approach, “Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?” helps to alleviate unnecessary worries about death and dying, encouraging a more informed and less fearful perspective. It underscores the importance of understanding death as a natural and inevitable part of life.

10. Foster a Healthy Attitude Towards Death

By presenting death in a factual yet light-hearted manner, the book encourages a healthier, less fearful attitude towards the end of life.

Caitlin Doughty’s “Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?” fosters a healthier, less fearful attitude towards death by presenting it in a factual yet light-hearted manner. This approach has several important aspects:

Balancing Humor with Respect: The book strikes a balance between humor and respect for the subject matter. This approach makes the topic of death more approachable, allowing readers to engage with it without feeling overwhelmed by solemnity or morbidity.
Removing Fear Through Information: By providing factual information about death and the processes surrounding it, the book helps remove the fear that often comes from misunderstanding or lack of knowledge.
Encouraging Open Dialogue: The light-hearted tone encourages open dialogue about death. It becomes easier for readers to discuss their thoughts, questions, and fears about death, which is essential for developing a healthy attitude towards it.
Normalizing Death: The book contributes to normalizing death as a part of life. Understanding death as a natural, universal experience helps in accepting it as an integral aspect of human existence.
Promoting Death Positivity: Doughty is a known advocate for the death positivity movement, which aims to change the way we think about death, encouraging more openness and acceptance. Her book aligns with this philosophy, promoting a positive and healthy perspective on death.
Providing Comfort in Facts: For many, finding comfort in the facts and realities of death can be more reassuring than avoiding the topic. The book offers a way to find solace in understanding what death entails.
Reducing Anxiety About the Unknown: Much of the fear surrounding death is due to its unknown aspects. By demystifying death and providing clear answers to common questions, the book helps reduce this anxiety.
Coping with Mortality: The approachable way in which the book deals with death helps readers come to terms with their own mortality and the mortality of their loved ones in a healthy way.
Exploring Diverse Perspectives on Death: The book touches on various cultural and personal perspectives on death, encouraging readers to consider different viewpoints and find what resonates with them.
Supporting Grieving Processes: By fostering a healthy attitude towards death, the book indirectly supports healthier grieving processes, where death is seen as a natural part of life rather than a taboo or overwhelmingly negative event.

In summary, “Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?” uses a unique blend of humor, fact, and sensitivity to foster a healthier and more open attitude towards death. This approach helps demystify death, reduce fear, and encourage meaningful conversations, contributing to a more death-positive culture.

10 thought-provoking questions inspired by the book “Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?”

How does our cultural background shape our perceptions and practices surrounding death and mourning?
What are the environmental impacts of traditional burial methods, and how can we make more eco-friendly choices in death?
How do different religions and cultures uniquely approach the concept and rituals of death?
In what ways can understanding the science of decomposition help us come to terms with the concept of mortality?
How does the role of a mortician extend beyond just handling the deceased, particularly in providing emotional support to grieving families?
What are the psychological effects of discussing death openly, and how can it change our approach to life?
How have funeral practices evolved over time, and what might they look like in the future?
Can learning about the death customs of other cultures broaden our understanding and acceptance of death?
In what ways can preparing for our own death or that of a loved one be seen as an act of care and love?
How does the portrayal of death in media differ from the realities presented in “Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?” and other educational resources?