Grieving Cat Returns to Owner’s Grave With “Gifts” for Over a Year
In a quiet cemetery in a small Italian town, an orange-and-white cat named Toldo has become an unexpected symbol of loyalty and grief.
After the death of his owner, 71-year-old Renzo Iozzelli, in September 2011, Toldo began visiting the cemetery daily. According to local reports, the cat followed the funeral procession to the burial site and continued returning long after the ceremony had ended.
What drew attention was not only his persistence, but what he carried.
Each visit, Toldo reportedly arrived with a small object in his mouth and placed it on the grave: twigs, leaves, toothpicks, scraps of paper, and even small plastic cups. The items were simple and ordinary, yet their repeated appearance suggested a pattern that many observers interpreted as a sign of mourning.
Renzo’s widow, Ada, said she first noticed a small sprig of acacia left on the grave the day after the burial. Over time, cemetery visitors and nearby residents began to recognize the cat’s routine.
“He would come back again and again,” one local resident said. “Always with something. It was as if he wanted to bring a gift.”
Some people attempted to scare the cat away, concerned he might disturb the graves. Still, Toldo continued to return whenever he could, quietly placing his objects before leaving.
Animal behavior experts note that while cats do not experience grief in the same way humans do, they can show signs of attachment and stress after losing a companion. Changes in routine, searching behavior, and repeated visits to familiar places are common responses.
Yet for many who witnessed it, Toldo’s actions felt deeply personal.
The story has since spread widely online, touching readers who see in it a reflection of their own experiences with loss. The cat’s behavior has been described as a reminder that grief does not always appear dramatic or loud. Sometimes, it is simply the act of returning. Of showing up. Of bringing something small to a place that once meant everything.
In the end, Toldo’s daily journey was not about the value of what he carried, but about where he left it.
And for those who believe animals cannot mourn, his quiet ritual offers a different possibility: that love, once formed, does not vanish easily—even across the boundary of life and death.
