Anyone have experience with this? Just wondering as I had to let my 14 yr old Misty go due to her having a mass on her lung about 3 weeks ago and her sister of 13 yrs is for sure showing signs of grieving. A lot of things that aren't typical behavior... meowing in the hallway likes she's calling for her, constantly looking in the bedroom for her, sleeping in areas of the bedroom her sister was laying when she was sick towards the end, always looking down the hallway when she comes into the kitchen for her wet food and snacks as if expecting her sister to come trotting to get hers etc etc.
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How long do cats grieve?
- Thread starter bcrossan
- Start Date
We are so
As for cats grieving, here's an article on that :- do-cats-mourn
I am so sorry! I have a kitty who lost her human. She did many of the things you describe. I was also upset. I am sure that this kitty was missing her human as well as picking up on my grief. When kitty meowed I would go to her and give her extra attention. I would pick her up for snuggles, hold her, pet and groom her with a soft brush or just lay down beside her to share the moment. Extra play time too. Some days , even when she wasn’t meowing or looking for her human, I just went and scooped her up to go and lay in the sunshine together. We listened to soft music together and in time she seemed comforted more by being with me than by laying in the bed her human had occupied. She is now my lap buddy and has returned to being a happy kitty. I think we helped each other through. Just give her time and extra love. 
I've gone through it twice and know how hard it is to watch the cat grieve, I'm so sorry both you and your cat having to go through it. Cats can grieve for up to six months, some dont at all, others longer. The advice I was given was to distract the cat when its calling or looking for its lost friend. Offer a little food or treat, play with it and the things mentioned by
Jcatbird
but be patient. Good luck.
Jcatbird
but be patient. Good luck.
Yes it took my boy Patches around 6 months to stop looking and crying for his brother. But it does get better as time goes on when he was crying for him I would go and give him a scratch and tell him I know I miss him too. I found the first couple of weeks seemed the worst. TLC and lot's of games will help.
Around 6months sounds right. The cat I had as a teen was crying and sniffing around for the dog for around that long after we lost our beloved cocker spaniel. It's sad but with a regular schedule, love and patience you'll both get through it.
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- #7
Sorry it took so long for me to reply... the world is going to hell in a handbasket lol. Anyway I very appreciate the replies. Only 1 1/2 months since her sisters passing and she's still grieving but doesn't seem quite as bad.
Its still early days for her. Just give her lots of attention and cuddles, she'll get there.
It is said that when a person or pet with whom a cat has spent a lot of time passes away, their routine is likely to change. Cats may also react if they become aware that you are grieving; humans’ behavior changes when they are upset, and cats may pick on this and also become sad. In many ways, the feline grieving behavior is not different from that of humans. There are no set time frame exits that can determine when your cat will be healthy after such a significant loss. Just like humans, cats grieving process could take weeks, months, or sometimes years. You need to give your kitty time to heal and recover. Try to make things easier for her, give your fur baby plenty of love and attention. Also, if she is not eating properly, encourage her to eat. If she doesn’t eat for three days, call the vet for advice.
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So sorry for your loss! We had to say goodbye to our 10 year old boy a year and a half ago and our 9 year old female grieved for him quite a while, very similar behaviors to what you’re describing but she also over groomed her belly completely bare. They were the best of friends. We adopted a female kitten about six months later hoping for a similar bond to help ease her sadness. It has been a rough transition because the kitten has a lot of energy, even a year later. I would highly suggest looking into adopting another cat similar in age and demeanor.
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We had two cats that had been together for a number of years. When Skitter passed away, we brought him home from the vets so Motu could "say goodbye" and she would not look for him. A cat "Knowing" that its feline buddy has passed away may not stop its grieving, but we thought it might help it "understand".
And of course Motu was spoilt rotton to her last day.
And of course Motu was spoilt rotton to her last day.
