Do cats grieve?

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My grandads cat had a mate he used to lay around in the sun with, chase birds and mice etc. Sadly my grandads cat died a few weeks ago but his mate kept coming over looking for him, sniffing around the garden and laying on his grave.

So to sum up, yes i believe cats grieve.
 
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Haly said:
:(
My guinea pig grieved when her sister died in her sleep. She was never the same afterwards, we got a new guinea pig that she looked after (the new one was only little) but died not long after.
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Similar here. I had 2 guinea pigs from the age of 7 weeks, Patchwork and Charcoal. Patchwork died after 3 years from a cyst on her side and about 2 months after I got another called Rosie aged about 7 weeks. Charcoal went on to live to the ripe old age of 7 and Rosie 5, but neither were the same after their companion passed away. They just got more timid. It's a shame but it happens.

- Pea0n
 
kitten_caboodle said:
you've done the right thing letting him see his brother -At least now he knows that his brother is gone, he won't always wonder where he is :(

One of our cats was hit and killed by a car and we took him and put him in the garage laid out because him and my dad had a really strong bond and we wanted to wait for him to come home from work so he could bury him. The cat's brother was searching everywhere for him and started to get frantic (normally he didn't bother cos the other cat would be out and about late, and he didn't seem to worry).
In the end we took him into the garage and he did the same as Knips rabbit - he sniffed him, briefly licked him and washed his wounds (:() then wandered away. I think they understand. He never looked for him again, he just sort of took over the places that his brother used to sit in - I guess he could smell him.

I'm so sorry, it's a horrid way to lose an animal and upsetting to see your other kitty suffering. See how he goes, and if he's really upset, then consider getting a kitten in a few weeks, will help fill the gap and your remaining cat will not feel alone (although he might not accept a newcomer straight away and there may be fisticuffs to begin with). Alternatively, he may just adjust to being a single puss and be fine :)

Good luck with telling your partner, I wouldn't wish that on anyone. When she arrives home just tell her quickly and let her grieve. Nothing worse than knowing someone is trying to tell you something but is having a hard time doing it. :(
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Cheers, will see how it goes. As we both work I'd have a hard time knowing he was home alone after having his brother around.
 
We ended up taking in a rescue kitty that a friend took from an abusive place. We couldn't decide whether to get another one at the time, but it seemed like the right thing to do :)

You might find that he just becomes more affectionate and is fine on his own. You know him best anyway, so I'm sure you'll make the right choices for him. Sometimes I think it upsets us more thinking about how they must be feeling than it does them.
 
:( I'm so sorry, it's a horrible feeling. You can't help him and you just feel so helpless and bad for him. Just be there for him and spoil and cuddle him and be glad you still have him. He still has you, and he's lucky that you care for him so much :)

(doesn't help much I know, but it's the best I can think to tell you :( )
 
I'm sorry to hear that. I remember when one of my two parrots passed away. Think it got some kind of poisoning through some nuts I gave it. The other parrot was really really quiet for the rest of that day. Then the next day he died. I don't know whether it was from shock or w/e, because I got rid of those nuts. I was only 15 at the time.

Sucked major.
 
Vita said:
I'm sorry to hear that. I remember when one of my two parrots passed away. Think it got some kind of poisoning through some nuts I gave it. The other parrot was really really quiet for the rest of that day. Then the next day he died. I don't know whether it was from shock or w/e, because I got rid of those nuts. I was only 15 at the time.
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Probably died from heartbreak, IIRC birds are particularly susceptible to this.

Sorry to hear about your cat OP, they both look like lovely cats in that pic :(
 
Sorry to hear about the loss mate :( When I was about 9 we had 2 kittens, and at only 6 months old, one got run over, worse still, in a total acident with running through the garage from the outside as someone was backing a car out, totally heartbreaking :(

His brother looked around for him for a day or 2, seemed quite quiet, but ocasionally very loud but eventually settled and accepted what had happened, no doubt in the world, cats do grieve, just hope you, your partner, and the remaining 'lil one will all be ok :)
 
neocon said:
was it a hit and run?

really antisocial behaviour
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It's nearly always a hit and run when cats are involved.

There isn't a law of having to contact the owner like with a dog. Also most people dont realise they've hit one as it usually happens at night.

Our cat got knocked down by a car, luckily he survived and recovered fully, but had to spend 6 weeks in the vet to recover.

Gutting mate, RIP lil one. :(
 
Sorry to hear about your cat. A very nice looking cat.

Not really related but, my Grandma passed away friday night, I went round my parents obviously upset, the normally jumpy dogs just sat with me being so nice, not making a noise, they new something was up.
 
knip said:
I showed my rabbit the body of his dead wife (she died from a complication with her tummy, so I brought her home from the vets) so he could see that she was "gone." He sat there for a bit with her, giving her a wash, the dog also tried to nose her and wake her up.

As shes unfortunately been hit by a car though you might not be able to do that.

Im sorry for your loss.
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I wasn't aware rabbits could legally marry? Oh well learn something new every day.

Question, can you get inter-species marriages? Can a dog marry a sheep for example?
 
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