How do I know if my pet grief is normal or if I need professional help?

Your grief is real. Full stop. I've seen people apologize for crying over a cat, as if the love that lived in a small body counts for less. It doesn't. What matters is whether your grief is moving—slowly, unevenly, but moving—or whether it's calcified into something that keeps you from living. Normal grief means some days are harder than others. You remember their weight on your lap and it stings, but you can still eat. You can still show up. If you find yourself unable to leave the house weeks later, if you're using substances to numb it, if the guilt is drowning out the love—those are signs to reach out to a therapist who understands pet loss. Grief counselors and some therapists specialize in this. Your veterinarian might have recommendations. There's no timeline for this. But there's also no shame in asking for a hand to hold while you move through it. Sometimes the examined heart needs another person's steady presence. That's not weakness. That's wisdom.