When a loved one (person or pet) dies, or leaves our lives in some other way, grief happens for most people. Some people lack understanding of the bond that can grow between pet and owner, so they may not understand your pain. Try not to let others influence your feelings. Remember that many other pet owners have gone through the same thing, and do appreciate what it is like to lose a cherished pet.
For some, emotional eating is not a major problem, as they do it only occasionally and to a lesser extent. For others, emotional eating becomes compulsive eating and is potentially more serious. It may become a chronic problem that can develop into binge eating disorder.