I'm a cat lover, and I recently had to say goodbye to my little tuxedo cat, Monkey. Within a week or two his buddy, Kirby, started hiding in the basement, refusing to eat, changing his vocalization patterns. He previously had a tiny little meow like a kitten, and now he was literally yodeling LOUDLY at all hours of the day and night.
I did some research and found that all the traits he was exhibiting were symptomatic of loss and the advice was:
Give him more affection and attention
Don't punish his bad behavior
Reward him with more affection when he's behaving appropriately
Give him time.
I spent a lot of time petting and speaking softly to him over the next few days and I'm happy to say that he's slowly returning to normal. He's spending more time in his usual places and eating much more. The yodeling still hasn't quite stopped, but I'm confident it will over time.
I don't know if I can honestly say it's "grief" they experience, but they do sense a change in their situation and express their emotions much the same way humans do. I thought I'd share this and wondered if anyone else has experienced this sort of behavior.
Cats and dogs along with lots of other animals have emotions. Every day I watch sea gulls fly in the air currents the only reason to do this is for fun.
I thought that it was to get from A to B where B is either food, shelter or nest. How do you determine some other reason? Labels on the wings, mind reading, grins on their beaks, telepathy or mind reading?
Sorry for your loss. I haven't noticed that intensity of grief in a pet, but I have noticed some. I have a current threesome that are constantly in a cuddle puddle. I suspect they would be upset if one were to disappear.
Love "cuddle puddle".
Me too!!
Kiri wouldn't play for a year after we lost our Wisspurr, & she was always the one to play for hours every day.....hyper kitty.
Based upon observations of a lifetime of living with them, I believe cats do experience grief. I'm so sorry you lost an important member of your family.
Thank you. It's inevitable... they're only on loan
Animals need to see evidence of their partners or friends passing away or they don't know where they've gone and feel abandoned.
Interesting point. What do you do? Leave the the cadaver where it can be smellt & touched? And for how long?
@FrayedBear . Let them see that the other one has passed away and they will understand. Wild animals do this and so to domesticated farm animals. It only takes a few minutes for them to see and come to terms with the death. Humans are more complicated.
@OldGoat43 Aren't they ever. I could never understand my SIS who still had my brother's ashes in the urn on the mantlepiece ten years after he was killed.
And she talked to them - or was that nagged? I neither know nor care. They have all ostracised me.
I don't doubt that grief over pets can be the same, in some cases, as that over humans.
Posted by RobertNappi2Wednesday's cat...Beautiful!
Posted by RobertNappi2Tuesday morning cuteness
Posted by RobertNappi2Monday morning cuteness
Posted by RobertNappi2Sunday morning cuteness
Posted by RobertNappi2Saturday morning cuteness
Posted by RobertNappi2Wednesday morning cuteness
Posted by RobertNappi2Tuesday morning cuteness...Toe beans
Posted by RobertNappi2Monday morning cuteness
Posted by Dave375Look at this beautiful cat. Only thing that's keeping me sane. I get unlimited attention whether I desire it or not.
Posted by RobertNappi2Sunday morning cuteness
Posted by RobertNappi2Saturday morning cuteness
Posted by RobertNappi2Friday morning cuteness
Posted by RobertNappi2Thursday morning cuteness
Posted by RobertNappi2Wednesday morning cuteness
Posted by RobertNappi2Tuesday morning cuteness
Posted by RobertNappi2Monday morning cuteness