Do you believe a cat grieves?

Question

A week ago we lost 1 of our 2 cats (brothers), to kidney failure. He is buried beneath the lilac tree under the bedroom window. They both spent many hours on a perch built for them overlooking that tree.
Now my remaining cat spends all his time looking out that window right at the grave and meows pitifully. He seems fine when with us away from the window, but meows loudly alot during the night. Is he missing his brother? or just the companionship ?
Any thoughts on his staring at the burial spot? Do cats sense things?
We just feel so bad for him and try to give him lots of attention and affection (which he loves!)

Answer 1

=^^=
I am sorry for your loss. I found this site hope it helps:

http://www.flippyscatpage.com/docatsgrieve.html

I also found this:

Grief in Cats

Do cats grieve the loss of a pet or human companion?

People often don't realise that just like humans, cats can suffer from the loss of a pet or human companion. Cats are sensitive creatures who commonly form close bonds with other pets or humans.

We will never know if cats understand the full meaning of death, it is unlikely. But some cats do form particularly close bonds with others & when they are suddenly no longer around (be that they've gone to college, divorced, died), there is a possibility your cat will miss the person or pet.

We shared our lives with two Burmese cats who from the second day of meeting had formed an extremely close relationship with one another. They played together, slept together & wherever you found one, the other one would be there also. They really were an inseparable pair. Sadly, one of our Burmese cats recently passed away & his "sister" has struggled to come to terms with the loss of her lifetime companion. Walking around the house looking for & crying out for her companion.

How do I know if my cat is grieving?

Some signs your cat may be suffering grief include:

The first stage of grief is known as activation, where the cat is looking for it's missing companion:

Pacing the house looking for their missing companion.

Crying out, as if trying to find find their companion.

Following activation is depression:

Loss of appetite - This is a serious & potentially life threatening. Anorexia in cats can lead to Hepatic Lipidosis. It is important to seek veterinary attention if your cat stops eating.

Lethargy.

Depressed behaviour.

Withdrawal/loss of interest in surroundings & other interests.

Clingy/needy behaviour & or separation anxiety.

How can I help my cat?

It is important to reassure the grieving cat, but this should be done at the cat's pace & in it's own time. Also making allowances for the individual cat's nature & current condition.

Plenty of extra tender loving care, this includes lots of cuddles, grooming, stroking and making time to play with your cat.

This may sound contradictory to the above suggestion, but also provide your cat with a quiet & private spot where it can have some time alone if it desires.

Offer it some special food to encourage it to eat. Try warming the food up slightly.

Keep your pet's routine as normal as possible.

Bach's rescue remedy. Speak to your veterinarian about dosage.

Multiple pets:

If you have numerous pets in the house & one dies, then the hierarchy will possibly change.

Should I get another pet?

If your cat is suffering from the loss of an animal companion it is probably best to wait for a few months until you & your cat have had some time to heal. Getting a new pet won't stop your cat grieving the lost companion.

It has been suggested that if you know that an animal is going to die, to possibly introduce a new animal before this happens, so the remaining cat has another familiar companion when the animal dies.

found it here:
http://www.cat-world.com.au/CatGrief.htm

this site was good too:

http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/showthread.php?p=46723

ok it's me again a fun quiz:

http://cats.about.com/library/catpersonquiz/blcatpersonquiz.htm?questnum=1&cor=2381

Cat Quiz

What Kind of Cat Person Are You?

and a fun quiz on your cat's purrsonality

http://www.catchow.com/KittenChowPurrsonality.aspx


Lot's of purr's & hugs your way,
Laura aka Sandy's human being

Answer 2

Your doing the right thing by giving him extra attention, this will help him through his grief. I'm very sorry for your loss, it's never an easy thing.
Absolutely, cats, and many other animals, mourn when they lose someone they love. When we lost our Maine Coon a few years ago, our tortie was as grief-striken as we were, maybe even more. She'd howl for hours every night & sometimes she'd take on one of the maine coon's *very* distinct vocalisations, we weren't sure if she was calling for him by doing this or if it was some sort of tribute. She did this for months, even after we moved.
When we lost our orange tabbie, our tuxedo girl (who adored him) spent a lot of time under the bed, which was a favorite refuge of the tabby. After a few weeks, she began avoiding the bedroom except on rare occasions although she used to sleep with us. She still seldom enters the bedroom & when she does she seems unusually nervous. Her grief was as deep as our tortie's had been. She just expressed it in a different way.
We also live with companion rats & I've seen them become depressed when they lose a loved one. We need understanding & compassion from others when we suffer a loss & so do many animals.

Answer 3

Your cat is grieving for his brother, just the way you would if you lost someone. Cats are very very sensitive, and he is missing his brother. What you might want to do is get him a companion, or continue what you are doing by giving him loads of love and attention.
He is lucky to have someone like you who is sensitive to his feelings. You are a good owner and your cat will get loads of reassurance from you.

Sorry I have just read one of the answers to your question and it was about someone having 2 Siamese boys and one died so she got the brother put to sleep because he was grieving.

I breed Siamese and this particular breed are very vocal at the best of times, Which I am 100% sure the owner would've known.
For her to put a completely healthy cat to sleep angers me to boiling point. If her boy was crying then buy him a b*&$#y companion, dont put him to sleep, and to say she was near to a nervous break down well that just makes me laugh. Some people make me sick.

You have done a great job with your cats and please, please, please DON'T LISTEN TO THAT IDIOT, who said that, your boy will get over it with the love and attention you will give him and as I said previously think about getting him a companion.
I am sorry for your loss to as you must be suffering too

God Bless

Good Luck


X

Answer 4

Cats have a Strange Sense , So it would not surprise me if he knew his Brother was Buried there. An I'm sure he's missing the Companionship too. Glad you guys are giving him Attention & affection , He needs it. Sorry about your lose too :( , thats never easy.

Answer 5

Lack of appetite Lethargy Loss of interest in normal activities "Clinginess" with remaining human companions Excessive vocalization or unusual quietness These are all signs of mourning in cats. They surely know that the person they loved is no longer with them. They are experiencing an adjusting period. My cats have been going crazy for me ever since my husband moved to the new place while I have to wait a few weeks to take me and the kitties out there to meet him. They may not know your mother has died, but they are feeling the loss. Give them an hour of attention a day for the next few weeks and they will continue to adjust and maybe settle into a new routine with you and your father.

Answer 6

He will move on in time, if it looks like it is taking a really long time you may want to see a vet, there may be some medicine he can take. I've heard tat Feliway is good for a cat that is stressed out. There is another lady who recommends a certain type of herb, hopefully she will answer your question. Yes cats do grieve.

Answer 7

all animals grieve when they lose a companion. give him time and lots of loving attention. i think he sits on the perch because thats his favorite spot. it just happens that where you buried his brother is his favorite view. i think he meows because he is calling for his brother and doesn't realize that he isn't still there. please dont thin from the answerer above that you should put the other cat out of his misery because he is grieving. if you are considerin another cat wait for him to realize his brother wont be back first.

Answer 8

Absolutely cats sense things like this and have different types of emotions. One of my cats seems to be very depressed the past 2 weeks since we haven't gone out much if any amount of time with the heat. My cats are supervised, since our HOA will not let them roam around our neighborhood, which I agree with anyway, but I haven't taken them out until very late in the evening since it has been so hot. If you have the means, you might consider adopting another cat so he has a playmate.

Answer 9

Sorry for your loss. Yes, he is grieving. My 17 1/2 year old cat nearly drove me nuts grieving for his lost girlfriend. I ended up getting another (she's 13 now). You should think about getting another cat, yours doesn't want to be a Lone Ranger (even the Lone Ranger had a sidekick).

Answer 10

yes, I do believe that cats(or dogs for that matter) grieves . My cat lady sat on a spot she and her 'brother 'scamp used to play with her head down with some soft meows for the longest time. About a month later it was better.