My cat has been acting odd after another cat passed away

by Holly
(Independence, OR)

I had 3 cats.. one died suddenly at the age of 7 last year. Another I have had for nearly 12 years recently got sick (apparently due to age the vet said) and he passed away last month. I have one cat left (8 years old) who -out of the 3 cats, was always the most 'fearful' one of all.. always hides usually, less social than the other cats- Now that her two best friends are gone that she grew up with all her life are gone, this past month she has been walking around the house meowing so loud, definitely demanding more attention (wanting to be petted, etc).

Prior she was the type of cat people would say, "You have another cat? Where?" because she preferred to stay hidden.

My question is mainly, why is she walking around the house seeming constantly meowing and acting different? I know she probably wonders where did her best friend go.. but it has been a month..

Thank you for your advice!


Answer by Kate
yes cats do go through a sort of mourning when another cat passes away. they just wonder where they have gone and this behavior is very common.

How long do we grieve for? well everyone and every cat is different and so even though a month has passed she may still be feeling a little odd around the house.

Don't make the mistake of thinking that getting another cat would help. this is a common mistake and can sometimes make matters worse as it is not the company of another cat she is missing but the change in the circumstances.

She needs more attention from you and perhaps giving her something to help distract her from her fears. So some new toys etc often help.

i have a page about this issue on n y website which you may find of further help

here

https://www.our-happy-cat.com/cat-grief.html

best wishes Kate

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