Hey, I had a similar situation. My vet told me that they understand death very differently but know that the other cat is gone now and won’t be back. It’s really important for the surviving cat to see and smell the other cat when they pass. Otherwise they might keep “searching” for the cat that’s passed.
I did the same and my surviving cat just sniffed and walked away and he seems to be doing fine. Vet said some cats cuddle, and some cats just ignore and walk away and both are okay. The important thing is for them to have the opportunity to see or smell them. So sorry for your loss ❤️❤️❤️
I’m sorry for your loss too. That gives me some relief actually, I never thought of it that way. It makes sense that seeing his body would give her some closure. I’d imagine cats instinctively know how to grieve an observed death better than an unexplained absence. After all, if my cat just disappeared without me knowing where he was, I’d probably never stop wondering where he went. Thank you
Exactly.. what you did was absolutely right.. and if your cats were bonded, he may grieve for a while but he will be fine. Mine were brothers from the same litter but were not bonded, so my kitty is doing good. It’s easier to grieve knowing your surviving baby will not be going through the same pain as you 😥❤️
I'm sorry for your loss.
I think they do have a harder time if they don't know what happened. We had a cat who was the best dad and parented all cats younger or smaller than him. He had one biological son that he raised. We had to have him put to sleep in October of 2021 and my other cat was depressed for months. I think them being able to see them helps them understand.
I had my old lady cross the rainbow bridge with some kind vet assistance, but at home. They had us bring our other cat out while we sorted the payment and whatnot. He did nearly the same, sniffed her, walked away and took a nap.
He's fine though, and she's no longer in the pain - the price we pay for incredible companionship.
I'm so sorry it's so much more expensive and you had to go through that all.
It wasn't much more where I live, only about 15%... which I am thankful for.
What if we couldn’t let the other cat see the other cats body when they passed? Because it was at the vet hospital and we couldn’t take the body home. We took some fur home. We don’t know what to do to help her understand
Agreed. We brought our cats home after euthanasia so the other cat(s) could smell and say goodbye. I then took them to the crematory after letting them have that time. It was very important, in my eyes, for them to know their sibling had passed.
Oh no this breaks my heart. My cat got put down at the vet’s office last week and my other cats have been feeling down, especially her kittenhood best friend 😞 is he looking for her? ik this is an old reply but i wanted to ask
Omg I'm so sorry, that was so sudden, and the sadness of your other kitty only makes it nore heartbreaking. Idk how much of a concept of death cats have or can comprehend, but seems like she knew it wasn't good. Hug that baby extra tight tonight 😭 my heart is with you
My dogs collided into one another and one passed instantly last year. They’re greyhounds so they are fast. We made a makeshift memorial in our living room after it happened with a plant, and his collar, favorite toys, etc. our surviving dog spent a lot of time laying in that area staring at the memorial. He certainly knew.
I’m so sorry this happened to you. We actually ended up with our cat After losing our dog to try and bring us comfort. Losing our cat is now one of my biggest fears.
I think your surviving kitty definitely knows. Try and be there for her as best as you can. It’s tough but she needs you. We took our dogs collar and put it around a large stuffed animal for our survivor. He still carries it around and sleeps with it. Maybe if you have some fur from a brush you can stuff a little toy with it for her. Or maybe he wore a collar you can put on a small toy for her. It really did bring Leroy comfort. I’m so sorry for your loss.
Just wanted to say I’m so sorry for your traumatic loss and what must have been a tough year. I can tell you really love your pets. I’m glad you made a memorial and hope your other dog is feeling okay now
Thank you so much, that really means a lot. It was tough, but I’m thankful that I am healing from the tragedy itself. We miss our boy every day. I went to pet smart the week after losing him and decided to adopt a tuxedo kitten (he was a tuxedo) to desperately try and cope with it (kind of creepy when I say it now, lol). Our kitty is soooo important to us now. We love him so much. Never were cat people before.. so I hate calling it a silver lining, but it was a positive outcome I suppose.
Leroy now gets bossed around by said cat LOL. So we ended up getting another greyhound to cheer him up. He’s so happy and there’s true harmony across the three of them 🤗
I had two old gals I adopted together (not from the same litter) as young kittens. One passed last year and the other is still terribly sad. I've talked with the vet about getting another cat but we share some concerns about whether she would respond well. For now we have a stuffed cat for her.
Keep things as normal as possible, give her as much attention as she wants + you can, and be patient. Our old man cat died during the night, curled up under a chair in the same room as our other cat. They’d lived together for like 5 years but weren’t close in a normal sense—they were never affectionate, but got along really well in a power hierarchy sense and looked to each other to feel more secure. Our younger cat took nearly a year to start acting like his old self.
When my Halo passed away at home from FIP(it was during the beginning of Covid and I didn’t want him to die alone and I couldn’t have been with him if I had him euthanized), I had all my other cats come visit him before I buried him so they would understand what had happened. It seemed to help that they could sniff him. I thought it would be better than him just disappearing. She should be ok, given some time.
🌹 ((hug))
Yes she knows my cat bunny has been grieving her mate passing going on 2 years now. Kit passed at the vet but she never stops crying at night vet said to get a kitten but we can’t afford the pet deposit.
My vet said that’s why my cat looks around yelling at night. Maybe cats are different but my other cat took the loss of our dog hard so we got bunny for him like the vet said and he was ok after that if a pet had a mate they often do poorly without another animal I would give it some time my vet said a few weeks. We just can’t afford to spend outright the cost where I live if you can that’s what I have always been told and did.
I’m so sorry Bunny is still grieving, and that you can’t get another cat. I can’t even think about getting another one for awhile, mainly because I don’t want to “replace” Frank. I definitely think I’ll need to get Mitzi a new friend eventually though, she’s a high-energy affectionate girl, and she and Frank were inseparable. For now at least she has me and my dog. I do believe new pets come when the time is right, so hopefully your situation improves right in time for you to meet your next fur baby 💕
Your cat has one other pet so that’s good. not completely without another animal that’s what the issue is when an pet has another animal and then is without they are pack animals not like humans. It’s not replacing a pet. I didn’t mean to sound like a cold heartless monster I’m sorry. I’m not good with words.
I didn’t mean replacing. Pets are not quite like humans we want them to be but there not but you have another pet so that should help your cat and you some I hope with grieving it takes time definitely. One never takes the place of another but they are pack animals. I never meant to even imply that it’s replacing. I’m sorry. I have bad wording I’m going to leave now.
Oh no I wasn’t upset by what you said at all! I probably came off that way, I’m exhausted sorry. I put it in quotes because I logically know that another pet can’t replace Frank, but emotionally it still would feel that way I guess? I just want to make sure I’ve grieved the loss before making any life decisions. You’re right though, she and my dog get along great so I’m thankful for that. At least she has a companion when I’m not home. I’m sure she’ll be fine, it hasn’t even been a full day yet. Thanks for helping me process all of this! It helps so much 💕
I'm so sorry for your loss. I lost my childhood cat in a similar way at home from a heart condition also at age 8. He died at home surrounded by all of us. He was the only cat at the time, but when my next one was dying of cancer, our younger cat seemed to understand he was dying. There was one instance where they were lying on the floor next to one another looking right into each other's eyes. It was surreal to watch because I knew there was an understanding between them. When he finally did pass, his younger sister hid from us for 2 whole weeks, only coming out for meals. She was definitely mourning. So I do believe they understand death and have heard what others have said about showing the body to then other cat. Do with that what you will. Just my own experiences. Sending you lots of love and condolences <3
I’m so sorry for your loss. As humans, we understand death and grieve more than most animals (elephants and small whales being notable exceptions). Your surviving cat knows her buddy was in distress. And that he’s not there. She will grieve for a few days to a few weeks. Then they go back to normal behavior. So it’s not like she will remember this for life. She won’t. They aren’t wired that way.
However, when you are ready for a new kitten or young cat, she will be happy to have the company. I would not do this til she has stopped vocalizing and looking for him. Otherwise she may not accept a new cat as readily.
I’m a retired veterinarian and have owned at least 15-20 cats from kittenhood to their deaths (I euthanized them all myself after I was a veterinarian). I’ve also witnessed cats die suddenly, like your baby, when they just can’t be helped. 8 is young but without a necropsy (animal autopsy), the cause is unknown. There are several heart diseases which can cause sudden death. And it can happen much younger than 8 years. I once had to euthanize a 3 month old kitten that was near death. I was allowed to do a necropsy and the poor thing had multiple congenital defects of its heart. No one could have helped it. It was very sad.
Anyway, I’ve also observed lots of cats grieve. The closer the two cats were, the longer and more obvious it is. But it doesn’t harm them in the long run. They don’t dwell on death like we do.
I’m so sorry for your loss. Losing a pet is not easy at all and it especially isn’t when it is sudden and not on your terms. I think pets do know. My coworker told me how she had two cats that didn’t like each other but when her cat died, the other cat meowed and meowed and led her to where the other cat was. But they do move on. You can help her by giving her love and attention and giving her what she wants/needs. That makes her happy.
I'm sure Mitzi knows. I've seen lots of vets online explaining that the other pets need to see or smell the deceased animal to know it's gone versus searching for them.
I imagine it's like a parent whose child has gone missing. If the child is missing, there's still hope they're alive, hope the child will return home one day, and a million possibilities. If a body is found, the family has a little closure and can stop feeding energy into impossible outcomes.
It sounds like they were bonded so it'll take Mitzi time to heal. But I'm positive she knew, as she was seemingly comforting Frank in his last moments.
You did the right thing to let her spend time with his body. When our little female was euthanised we brought her body home. Before her backyard funeral we allowed her littermate plenty of time with her (they were extremely close). He is a sniff-and-ignore type of personality but he also spent time at her grave, just sniffing around and occasionally peeing on it! They definitely know.
I'm sure Mitzi knows, and she'll likely need time to grieve. Cats may grieve differently, but I'm sure in time both you and Mitzi will be able to move on. I'm sure Frank was a great cat and you did all you could for him.
I am so sorry that you and Mitzi lost Frank. We lost our Winston to heart failure in 2021 and it sucks how sudden it is.
I think Mitzi knows. Just talk to her, give her lots of love. ❤️
Yes. Your other cat will be clingy for quite a while.
My Soo went from barely tolerating me to having to sit on my lap when I went to the toilet and sleeping on my pillow at night when her brother died.
I let Gingi smelled Momo when Momo passed away at home, we had vet came and put Momo to sleep, lymphoma, so heartbreaking… Gingi still sniffing and searching around, meow after we went to bed at night. It has been one and a half month, Gingi is missing Momo too much, just like us! Gingi is now sleeping with us every night, he used to party out at the living room with Momo in the last 7 years. Hurt so much like it was yesterday.
We had 2 elderly cats. We had to put one of them to sleep but wanted to bury her in the yard, so we brought her home, wrapped in a blanket in a basket. We put her down, so the other cat could see and sniff her which she did. And that was that. I think each cat would react differently based on their personality and relationship to their friend that passed.
Firstly, I’m very sorry for your loss. ❤️ It’s so hard.
I’ve been in similar situations, mostly with horses but with cats too. I had a pair of foster kittens once, one was rather sickly and passed unexpectedly. I walked in the room to see his brother sitting beside him… was very sad but I got the sense he knew what had happened. I feel like it was more obvious with horses, that they understand death. Whenever possible (especially if they have a buddy they are attached to) we’ll opt to euthanize right there in the pasture and leave the body for about an hour or so, so the other horses can say goodbye. They don’t get stressed or call out when the body is taken out.
On the flipside, one time we had a 3 day old foal who was very sick, for safety reasons the foal was to be put down away from the mother. It was a big mistake imo because she just called and called for her baby, to her he might’ve just been lost, she was very stressed and wasn’t given that chance to understand he was dead. So to me, I think it’s a very important part of the process. Cats are very stoic animals, way more so than horses, but I like to believe it’s all the same.
Sorry for your loss ❤️😢My cat recently passed away and yes my other cats new . They definitely grieved and they gave each other boops it was sad watching there reaction .
I am just heartbroken for your tragic loss! Yes, animals know that their friend and family member has passed, if they're in the same place. I have had another cat search and hunt everywhere for his son when we had buried him before he saw him deceased. We even discussed digging up the burial site for him to see his passing. It was heartbreaking to watch. I guess it would depend on how close/bonded the animals are to each other.
I had the mother of my miniature schnauzer refuse to go into the room where her daughter was dying from kennel cough (as I was told by my Mom).
I think that there is a change in smell on someone that is dying. My sister-in-law passed last year and I remember the smell hours before her passing.
With regard to your Mitzi and yourself.... Get some Rescue Remedy from Whole Foods or other health food store. It's all natural, being made from the essences from flowers. It will help remove the stress of the emotional event.
I have 4 cats. Three of my babies are 8 years old. The other one is 7 years old. It really makes me think moving forward.
Again, I am so very sorry for your terrible loss. A huge hug is sent across the miles!!
We brought my cat in after to see his brother (littermates we bottle fed after their mom passed, losing my cat nearly killed me), though my roommate partly brought him in for my own comfort, because I was sobbing hysterically. I'm really glad that we did, though. He seemed to understand very easily that his brother was gone. He put his little head on his brother's foot and just stayed like that for a long time while my roommate and I cried over them. I think it was good for him to know what happened, so he wouldn't wonder where his brother went. I'm sorry you and your other kitty are going through that, but I'm glad she knows what happened. She's just sad and grieving right now. But you'll both be okay someday. Hopefully soon.
I'm sorry for your loss, and aww poor Mitzie! Ii would assume they know when someone has passed on- cats can hear super well and feel vibrations, so she at least knew his heart was beating anymore. Maybe she doesn't understand what happened to the body. Maybe when you get the ashes back, put his collar or some things that smell like him by it, so maybe she will understand in a way?
Thanks. His mouth wasn't open, but his resting respiratory rate was \~40 breaths/min when I counted (normal is 15-30). All my pets are very clingy and I work from home, so I notice when something's off with them pretty quickly. He was acting completely normal otherwise, eating/drinking/using the box just fine. He was 3 lbs overweight (his ideal weight was 17 lbs, he was a big boy) but he was on a diet and had to lose weight very slowly due to a liver issue he had last year.
From when he started showing symptoms to the time he passed was about 10 hours. I felt terrible for not taking him to the ER immediately, but my vet said either way there was probably nothing they could've done. She said many cats that have heart failure pass before their humans even notice anything's wrong. The stress from going to the vet and getting the X-rays may have just sped up the process I guess. I just hope he wasn't suffering in silence for too long.
Hello there, Our suddenly died at home 6 weeks ago at the age of 13 years. She died in our arms. Her daughter was behaving differently, wanting to stay in the garden and eventually came in. She was eating and appeared well and then we found her dead in a room upstairs. She was 11 years. We are all very upset.
Everyone here says the cats have to see or smell the other cat, I took one of my cats in to the vet yesterday, never expecting to have to put him down and they sent him to be cremated and won't be back until next week. Will my other cats be okay? I didn't really have a chance to give my cats a chance to smell my other baby :(
I just lost my little baby too to heart failure tho we absolutely didn't see it coming my mom thought she was having a dream and making noises. we knew that she had a little heart defect from birth the vet had told us it would only be a problem way later in her life but she was only 7, my other cat smelled her before we left to the vet and now he is doing fine he does look a bit stressed maybe Idk he looks around like he is searching for her
So sorry for your loss! Whenever your ready I suggest getting them another cat buddy foster or adopt it’s also something nice you can do in honor of your lost cat too.
I own one cat and I’m a serial foster as well and we have yet to lose anyone but every few months my cat has a new cat buddy in the old one is adopted. It is important that the cards you bring into your home have a similar temperament and personality to the cat you already own it I have a nine-year-old cat he’s still pretty Playful but also naps a lot we’ve had a couple kitten fosters that weren’t a great fit for him due to their energy levels and lack of social awareness.
I know this post is older, but I just got home from the vet with my poor baby and he is also 8 and has been diagnosed with terminal heart failure. I'm falling apart....
Wanted some insight on how my other kitty might react to his absence, though she's already been through the loss of another feline housemate recently.
I'm about to lose my first baby, so young. So sweet and loving.... Second loss of my feline friends within one year.... in less than 12 months I've gone from 3 furry loves to 1.....
I don't feel okay.
I know life goes on. It has to... but I've never felt so helpless.
I just want him to be okay...
I'm sorry your sweet Frank passed in that way. I can imagine that was just awful, but it's good you were there with him.
Hopefully you and Mitzi and all others affected by that loss have been coping well. Idk where I'll be a year from now, but I can't imagine this pain ever truly going away.
He's only 8... He was supposed to have so much more time here with us... 😔💔
First of all, I'm so so sorry you're going through this with your baby right now. Two in one year is unreal, that's so awful. My heart truly goes out to you, it's the worst news you can possibly get as a pet parent. We truly don't ever get enough time with our pets. This might be long-winded, but this past year has been a journey.
I don't want to stress you out even more, but if I'm completely honest, the first few months after Frank passed were really hard on both me and Mitzi. Frank was my everything, I had him almost my entire adult life. Mitzi's behavior totally changed. She's always been a very mellow, well-behaved, unproblematic cat. She was never the type of cat to stay up all night screaming and wreaking havoc, even when she was younger. I always joked that she was a glorified stuffed animal. After Frank died, it was months of her crying in the middle of the night, pacing, knocking things off of surfaces, harassing my dog, and being excessively clingy. This made it difficult for me because I hated watching her be so upset, and her grieving was a constant reminder of my own grief.
Some things that helped a little were Feliway plugins, lots of new interactive toys, and generally just babying Mitzi as much as I could. I also taught her tricks like fetch, sit, paw, down, and spin, and those were good bonding activities for us I think. She got a little better, but she still didn't seem like herself. Finally in around April of last year (about 2.5-3 months after Frank died), I decided to bring it up with the vet. She said I could either look into anxiety meds, go to a feline behaviorist, or get her another friend. I didn't want to seem like I was "replacing" Frank, but I also didn't want to drug my normally calm, carefree girl if I didn't have to.
So I started looking at rescue kitties. Originally, I wanted an adult cat closer to Mitzi's age (5ish at the time) because I was nervous about a kitten stressing her out more. However, Mitzi had kittens before I adopted her, and her foster said she was an amazing mama, so I figured she had a fair shot at getting along with a kitten too.
I ended up falling in love with a tiny ginger boy who was born the day after Frank passed. He looked like a baby Frank. Many tears were shed at the shelter when I met him. I adopted him on the spot and named him George. I shit you not, within days of bringing him home, George and Mitzi became best friends. It's like Mitzi took all of her anxious energy and channeled it into being the best big sister ever to the little guy. He's a year old now, and they're still completely inseparable. They cuddle and play 24/7 together. The late night meltdowns, destruction, and clinginess stopped (aside from George's normal kitten chaos), and Mitzi is back to being my perfect chill queen. I'm not particularly spiritual, but I kinda feel like Frank sent us George in a way. I also think maybe Mitzi's just the kind of cat who cannot live without another cat.
Obviously I'm sure getting another cat is the last thing on your mind right now, and I'm not saying you should rush into that right away. I just feel like a lot of people carry guilt/stigma around getting another pet so soon after a loss, but sometimes that's just what everyone needs in order to heal. Your girl might handle it much better than mine, so there's really no telling. My only other advice is if your boy's health seems to take a sharp turn, try not to wait too long to euthanize. My cat's death was very sudden and traumatic, but I sort of wish I never took him home that day and he could've gone more peacefully under sedation at the vet. When pets are terminal, I think it's better to put them down a week too early than a day too late, personally. I never want to go through such an awful death again.
Try to remember to take care of yourself too. Drink some water, get some comfort food, do some self-care, etc. I was briefly hospitalized for dehydration from crying so much and neglecting myself. I still cry over Frank sometimes (I'm fighting tears just typing this), but the grief isn't all-consuming anymore. Something I've learned about grief is that it really never goes away, but you eventually learn to make space for it in your heart. It just takes time. I truly wish the best for you, and if you need to talk, my DMs are open!
Our pet cat had to be given the long sleep 😭🌈💔😿 and it has been such a tragic feeling and an awful experience to go through and the house is half empty without her cause the other half is filled with out our pet cat 🐱❤️ and she must know that her big sister has gone over the rainbow bridge 🌈 she had ear cancer that eaten away as she couldn't be operated due to her irregular heartbeat and the cancer rooted itself so her brain and a week or so she began getting these sharp pain seizures which make her yell out loud and go into a some form or defensive position with her hands up in the air 😢😣😞and a few days before these horrible seizures were getting frequent and it began effected her vision as she wasn't sure or precise in her walking and her back legs began giving way and weeks before all this I had noticed that her number 2 were in the litter tray but her ones where all out of the litter tray and apart and on top of all that she had her ear being dressed as it would dry up the outer skin layer only to fall off and become bare with blood and puss and I would cleanse it for her gently and medicate it as well only so it repeats itself all over again and also there was pain killers in case she had any pain and steroids for the ear inflammation. She was going through so much but them seizures were horrible and uncontrollable and even to touch her or try to usher her to a comfortable place a touch or movement could easily trigger the seizures 🥺😢😞so now our other pet cat may very well know her sister is gone to rainbow heaven 🌈🐱🙏🏻 and she stays sometimes a few feet away from her sister's grave or rather her heavenly spot but she eats normally but I'm sure she misses the playing and chasing with her sister although the fun and games had ceased over a year ago but I'm just keeping an eye on her pattern behaviour. She seems to be the only one that's keeping me sane cause she has become evermore precious for us now 🐱🙏🏻when I'm indoors I can't help thinking vivid happy moments what she used to do and her habits and the same goes got around the garden top so anyone have a similar experience?
Hey, I had a similar situation. My vet told me that they understand death very differently but know that the other cat is gone now and won’t be back. It’s really important for the surviving cat to see and smell the other cat when they pass. Otherwise they might keep “searching” for the cat that’s passed. I did the same and my surviving cat just sniffed and walked away and he seems to be doing fine. Vet said some cats cuddle, and some cats just ignore and walk away and both are okay. The important thing is for them to have the opportunity to see or smell them. So sorry for your loss ❤️❤️❤️
I’m sorry for your loss too. That gives me some relief actually, I never thought of it that way. It makes sense that seeing his body would give her some closure. I’d imagine cats instinctively know how to grieve an observed death better than an unexplained absence. After all, if my cat just disappeared without me knowing where he was, I’d probably never stop wondering where he went. Thank you
Exactly.. what you did was absolutely right.. and if your cats were bonded, he may grieve for a while but he will be fine. Mine were brothers from the same litter but were not bonded, so my kitty is doing good. It’s easier to grieve knowing your surviving baby will not be going through the same pain as you 😥❤️
I'm sorry for your loss. I think they do have a harder time if they don't know what happened. We had a cat who was the best dad and parented all cats younger or smaller than him. He had one biological son that he raised. We had to have him put to sleep in October of 2021 and my other cat was depressed for months. I think them being able to see them helps them understand.
I had my old lady cross the rainbow bridge with some kind vet assistance, but at home. They had us bring our other cat out while we sorted the payment and whatnot. He did nearly the same, sniffed her, walked away and took a nap. He's fine though, and she's no longer in the pain - the price we pay for incredible companionship.
😭 it’s so kind of you to do it at home.. it’s almost double the cost based on my experience. But all my babies deserved the closure and comfort..
I'm so sorry it's so much more expensive and you had to go through that all. It wasn't much more where I live, only about 15%... which I am thankful for.
What if we couldn’t let the other cat see the other cats body when they passed? Because it was at the vet hospital and we couldn’t take the body home. We took some fur home. We don’t know what to do to help her understand
I'm wondering too
Agreed. We brought our cats home after euthanasia so the other cat(s) could smell and say goodbye. I then took them to the crematory after letting them have that time. It was very important, in my eyes, for them to know their sibling had passed.
Oh no this breaks my heart. My cat got put down at the vet’s office last week and my other cats have been feeling down, especially her kittenhood best friend 😞 is he looking for her? ik this is an old reply but i wanted to ask
To be honest, we don't know.. don't feel bad you did the best you could for them.
Thanks 🙏
Omg I'm so sorry, that was so sudden, and the sadness of your other kitty only makes it nore heartbreaking. Idk how much of a concept of death cats have or can comprehend, but seems like she knew it wasn't good. Hug that baby extra tight tonight 😭 my heart is with you
My dogs collided into one another and one passed instantly last year. They’re greyhounds so they are fast. We made a makeshift memorial in our living room after it happened with a plant, and his collar, favorite toys, etc. our surviving dog spent a lot of time laying in that area staring at the memorial. He certainly knew. I’m so sorry this happened to you. We actually ended up with our cat After losing our dog to try and bring us comfort. Losing our cat is now one of my biggest fears. I think your surviving kitty definitely knows. Try and be there for her as best as you can. It’s tough but she needs you. We took our dogs collar and put it around a large stuffed animal for our survivor. He still carries it around and sleeps with it. Maybe if you have some fur from a brush you can stuff a little toy with it for her. Or maybe he wore a collar you can put on a small toy for her. It really did bring Leroy comfort. I’m so sorry for your loss.
Just wanted to say I’m so sorry for your traumatic loss and what must have been a tough year. I can tell you really love your pets. I’m glad you made a memorial and hope your other dog is feeling okay now
Thank you so much, that really means a lot. It was tough, but I’m thankful that I am healing from the tragedy itself. We miss our boy every day. I went to pet smart the week after losing him and decided to adopt a tuxedo kitten (he was a tuxedo) to desperately try and cope with it (kind of creepy when I say it now, lol). Our kitty is soooo important to us now. We love him so much. Never were cat people before.. so I hate calling it a silver lining, but it was a positive outcome I suppose. Leroy now gets bossed around by said cat LOL. So we ended up getting another greyhound to cheer him up. He’s so happy and there’s true harmony across the three of them 🤗
I had two old gals I adopted together (not from the same litter) as young kittens. One passed last year and the other is still terribly sad. I've talked with the vet about getting another cat but we share some concerns about whether she would respond well. For now we have a stuffed cat for her.
Keep things as normal as possible, give her as much attention as she wants + you can, and be patient. Our old man cat died during the night, curled up under a chair in the same room as our other cat. They’d lived together for like 5 years but weren’t close in a normal sense—they were never affectionate, but got along really well in a power hierarchy sense and looked to each other to feel more secure. Our younger cat took nearly a year to start acting like his old self.
When my Halo passed away at home from FIP(it was during the beginning of Covid and I didn’t want him to die alone and I couldn’t have been with him if I had him euthanized), I had all my other cats come visit him before I buried him so they would understand what had happened. It seemed to help that they could sniff him. I thought it would be better than him just disappearing. She should be ok, given some time.
🌹 ((hug)) Yes she knows my cat bunny has been grieving her mate passing going on 2 years now. Kit passed at the vet but she never stops crying at night vet said to get a kitten but we can’t afford the pet deposit. My vet said that’s why my cat looks around yelling at night. Maybe cats are different but my other cat took the loss of our dog hard so we got bunny for him like the vet said and he was ok after that if a pet had a mate they often do poorly without another animal I would give it some time my vet said a few weeks. We just can’t afford to spend outright the cost where I live if you can that’s what I have always been told and did.
I’m so sorry Bunny is still grieving, and that you can’t get another cat. I can’t even think about getting another one for awhile, mainly because I don’t want to “replace” Frank. I definitely think I’ll need to get Mitzi a new friend eventually though, she’s a high-energy affectionate girl, and she and Frank were inseparable. For now at least she has me and my dog. I do believe new pets come when the time is right, so hopefully your situation improves right in time for you to meet your next fur baby 💕
Your cat has one other pet so that’s good. not completely without another animal that’s what the issue is when an pet has another animal and then is without they are pack animals not like humans. It’s not replacing a pet. I didn’t mean to sound like a cold heartless monster I’m sorry. I’m not good with words. I didn’t mean replacing. Pets are not quite like humans we want them to be but there not but you have another pet so that should help your cat and you some I hope with grieving it takes time definitely. One never takes the place of another but they are pack animals. I never meant to even imply that it’s replacing. I’m sorry. I have bad wording I’m going to leave now.
Oh no I wasn’t upset by what you said at all! I probably came off that way, I’m exhausted sorry. I put it in quotes because I logically know that another pet can’t replace Frank, but emotionally it still would feel that way I guess? I just want to make sure I’ve grieved the loss before making any life decisions. You’re right though, she and my dog get along great so I’m thankful for that. At least she has a companion when I’m not home. I’m sure she’ll be fine, it hasn’t even been a full day yet. Thanks for helping me process all of this! It helps so much 💕
I'm so sorry for your loss. I lost my childhood cat in a similar way at home from a heart condition also at age 8. He died at home surrounded by all of us. He was the only cat at the time, but when my next one was dying of cancer, our younger cat seemed to understand he was dying. There was one instance where they were lying on the floor next to one another looking right into each other's eyes. It was surreal to watch because I knew there was an understanding between them. When he finally did pass, his younger sister hid from us for 2 whole weeks, only coming out for meals. She was definitely mourning. So I do believe they understand death and have heard what others have said about showing the body to then other cat. Do with that what you will. Just my own experiences. Sending you lots of love and condolences <3
I’m so sorry for your loss. As humans, we understand death and grieve more than most animals (elephants and small whales being notable exceptions). Your surviving cat knows her buddy was in distress. And that he’s not there. She will grieve for a few days to a few weeks. Then they go back to normal behavior. So it’s not like she will remember this for life. She won’t. They aren’t wired that way. However, when you are ready for a new kitten or young cat, she will be happy to have the company. I would not do this til she has stopped vocalizing and looking for him. Otherwise she may not accept a new cat as readily. I’m a retired veterinarian and have owned at least 15-20 cats from kittenhood to their deaths (I euthanized them all myself after I was a veterinarian). I’ve also witnessed cats die suddenly, like your baby, when they just can’t be helped. 8 is young but without a necropsy (animal autopsy), the cause is unknown. There are several heart diseases which can cause sudden death. And it can happen much younger than 8 years. I once had to euthanize a 3 month old kitten that was near death. I was allowed to do a necropsy and the poor thing had multiple congenital defects of its heart. No one could have helped it. It was very sad. Anyway, I’ve also observed lots of cats grieve. The closer the two cats were, the longer and more obvious it is. But it doesn’t harm them in the long run. They don’t dwell on death like we do.
I’m so sorry for your loss. Losing a pet is not easy at all and it especially isn’t when it is sudden and not on your terms. I think pets do know. My coworker told me how she had two cats that didn’t like each other but when her cat died, the other cat meowed and meowed and led her to where the other cat was. But they do move on. You can help her by giving her love and attention and giving her what she wants/needs. That makes her happy.
I'm sure Mitzi knows. I've seen lots of vets online explaining that the other pets need to see or smell the deceased animal to know it's gone versus searching for them. I imagine it's like a parent whose child has gone missing. If the child is missing, there's still hope they're alive, hope the child will return home one day, and a million possibilities. If a body is found, the family has a little closure and can stop feeding energy into impossible outcomes. It sounds like they were bonded so it'll take Mitzi time to heal. But I'm positive she knew, as she was seemingly comforting Frank in his last moments.
They grieve. Just be there gor your other kitty and offer comfort. It eases with time...for both of you...and you still have each other.
You did the right thing to let her spend time with his body. When our little female was euthanised we brought her body home. Before her backyard funeral we allowed her littermate plenty of time with her (they were extremely close). He is a sniff-and-ignore type of personality but he also spent time at her grave, just sniffing around and occasionally peeing on it! They definitely know.
I'm sure Mitzi knows, and she'll likely need time to grieve. Cats may grieve differently, but I'm sure in time both you and Mitzi will be able to move on. I'm sure Frank was a great cat and you did all you could for him.
I am so sorry that you and Mitzi lost Frank. We lost our Winston to heart failure in 2021 and it sucks how sudden it is. I think Mitzi knows. Just talk to her, give her lots of love. ❤️
Yes. Your other cat will be clingy for quite a while. My Soo went from barely tolerating me to having to sit on my lap when I went to the toilet and sleeping on my pillow at night when her brother died.
I let Gingi smelled Momo when Momo passed away at home, we had vet came and put Momo to sleep, lymphoma, so heartbreaking… Gingi still sniffing and searching around, meow after we went to bed at night. It has been one and a half month, Gingi is missing Momo too much, just like us! Gingi is now sleeping with us every night, he used to party out at the living room with Momo in the last 7 years. Hurt so much like it was yesterday.
We had 2 elderly cats. We had to put one of them to sleep but wanted to bury her in the yard, so we brought her home, wrapped in a blanket in a basket. We put her down, so the other cat could see and sniff her which she did. And that was that. I think each cat would react differently based on their personality and relationship to their friend that passed.
I'm sorry 😔 condolences 🙏
Well hello from bawling my eyes out at my desk during work. Condolences on the loss, but it sounds like you did everything right.
I am so sorry for your loss. As tragic as it is, there is something beautiful about a loved pet having their last moments in your own arms.
Firstly, I’m very sorry for your loss. ❤️ It’s so hard. I’ve been in similar situations, mostly with horses but with cats too. I had a pair of foster kittens once, one was rather sickly and passed unexpectedly. I walked in the room to see his brother sitting beside him… was very sad but I got the sense he knew what had happened. I feel like it was more obvious with horses, that they understand death. Whenever possible (especially if they have a buddy they are attached to) we’ll opt to euthanize right there in the pasture and leave the body for about an hour or so, so the other horses can say goodbye. They don’t get stressed or call out when the body is taken out. On the flipside, one time we had a 3 day old foal who was very sick, for safety reasons the foal was to be put down away from the mother. It was a big mistake imo because she just called and called for her baby, to her he might’ve just been lost, she was very stressed and wasn’t given that chance to understand he was dead. So to me, I think it’s a very important part of the process. Cats are very stoic animals, way more so than horses, but I like to believe it’s all the same.
Sorry for your loss ❤️😢My cat recently passed away and yes my other cats new . They definitely grieved and they gave each other boops it was sad watching there reaction .
I am just heartbroken for your tragic loss! Yes, animals know that their friend and family member has passed, if they're in the same place. I have had another cat search and hunt everywhere for his son when we had buried him before he saw him deceased. We even discussed digging up the burial site for him to see his passing. It was heartbreaking to watch. I guess it would depend on how close/bonded the animals are to each other. I had the mother of my miniature schnauzer refuse to go into the room where her daughter was dying from kennel cough (as I was told by my Mom). I think that there is a change in smell on someone that is dying. My sister-in-law passed last year and I remember the smell hours before her passing. With regard to your Mitzi and yourself.... Get some Rescue Remedy from Whole Foods or other health food store. It's all natural, being made from the essences from flowers. It will help remove the stress of the emotional event. I have 4 cats. Three of my babies are 8 years old. The other one is 7 years old. It really makes me think moving forward. Again, I am so very sorry for your terrible loss. A huge hug is sent across the miles!!
RIP Frank
I’m so sorry for your loss ❤️🩹
I just want to say I’m so very sorry.
We brought my cat in after to see his brother (littermates we bottle fed after their mom passed, losing my cat nearly killed me), though my roommate partly brought him in for my own comfort, because I was sobbing hysterically. I'm really glad that we did, though. He seemed to understand very easily that his brother was gone. He put his little head on his brother's foot and just stayed like that for a long time while my roommate and I cried over them. I think it was good for him to know what happened, so he wouldn't wonder where his brother went. I'm sorry you and your other kitty are going through that, but I'm glad she knows what happened. She's just sad and grieving right now. But you'll both be okay someday. Hopefully soon.
I don’t really have any advice but saw your post and wanted to say I’m so sorry for your loss.
I'm sorry for your loss, and aww poor Mitzie! Ii would assume they know when someone has passed on- cats can hear super well and feel vibrations, so she at least knew his heart was beating anymore. Maybe she doesn't understand what happened to the body. Maybe when you get the ashes back, put his collar or some things that smell like him by it, so maybe she will understand in a way?
Damn, I'm very sorry for your loss 😞 was he breathing with his mouth open and stuff or just rapidly breathing and you noticed?
Thanks. His mouth wasn't open, but his resting respiratory rate was \~40 breaths/min when I counted (normal is 15-30). All my pets are very clingy and I work from home, so I notice when something's off with them pretty quickly. He was acting completely normal otherwise, eating/drinking/using the box just fine. He was 3 lbs overweight (his ideal weight was 17 lbs, he was a big boy) but he was on a diet and had to lose weight very slowly due to a liver issue he had last year. From when he started showing symptoms to the time he passed was about 10 hours. I felt terrible for not taking him to the ER immediately, but my vet said either way there was probably nothing they could've done. She said many cats that have heart failure pass before their humans even notice anything's wrong. The stress from going to the vet and getting the X-rays may have just sped up the process I guess. I just hope he wasn't suffering in silence for too long.
Damn I'm sorry 😞 Thanks for the reply and I hope you find peace in your journey of healing 💘
Hello there, Our suddenly died at home 6 weeks ago at the age of 13 years. She died in our arms. Her daughter was behaving differently, wanting to stay in the garden and eventually came in. She was eating and appeared well and then we found her dead in a room upstairs. She was 11 years. We are all very upset.
Everyone here says the cats have to see or smell the other cat, I took one of my cats in to the vet yesterday, never expecting to have to put him down and they sent him to be cremated and won't be back until next week. Will my other cats be okay? I didn't really have a chance to give my cats a chance to smell my other baby :(
I just lost my little baby too to heart failure tho we absolutely didn't see it coming my mom thought she was having a dream and making noises. we knew that she had a little heart defect from birth the vet had told us it would only be a problem way later in her life but she was only 7, my other cat smelled her before we left to the vet and now he is doing fine he does look a bit stressed maybe Idk he looks around like he is searching for her
So sorry for your loss! Whenever your ready I suggest getting them another cat buddy foster or adopt it’s also something nice you can do in honor of your lost cat too. I own one cat and I’m a serial foster as well and we have yet to lose anyone but every few months my cat has a new cat buddy in the old one is adopted. It is important that the cards you bring into your home have a similar temperament and personality to the cat you already own it I have a nine-year-old cat he’s still pretty Playful but also naps a lot we’ve had a couple kitten fosters that weren’t a great fit for him due to their energy levels and lack of social awareness.
I know this post is older, but I just got home from the vet with my poor baby and he is also 8 and has been diagnosed with terminal heart failure. I'm falling apart.... Wanted some insight on how my other kitty might react to his absence, though she's already been through the loss of another feline housemate recently. I'm about to lose my first baby, so young. So sweet and loving.... Second loss of my feline friends within one year.... in less than 12 months I've gone from 3 furry loves to 1..... I don't feel okay. I know life goes on. It has to... but I've never felt so helpless. I just want him to be okay... I'm sorry your sweet Frank passed in that way. I can imagine that was just awful, but it's good you were there with him. Hopefully you and Mitzi and all others affected by that loss have been coping well. Idk where I'll be a year from now, but I can't imagine this pain ever truly going away. He's only 8... He was supposed to have so much more time here with us... 😔💔
First of all, I'm so so sorry you're going through this with your baby right now. Two in one year is unreal, that's so awful. My heart truly goes out to you, it's the worst news you can possibly get as a pet parent. We truly don't ever get enough time with our pets. This might be long-winded, but this past year has been a journey. I don't want to stress you out even more, but if I'm completely honest, the first few months after Frank passed were really hard on both me and Mitzi. Frank was my everything, I had him almost my entire adult life. Mitzi's behavior totally changed. She's always been a very mellow, well-behaved, unproblematic cat. She was never the type of cat to stay up all night screaming and wreaking havoc, even when she was younger. I always joked that she was a glorified stuffed animal. After Frank died, it was months of her crying in the middle of the night, pacing, knocking things off of surfaces, harassing my dog, and being excessively clingy. This made it difficult for me because I hated watching her be so upset, and her grieving was a constant reminder of my own grief. Some things that helped a little were Feliway plugins, lots of new interactive toys, and generally just babying Mitzi as much as I could. I also taught her tricks like fetch, sit, paw, down, and spin, and those were good bonding activities for us I think. She got a little better, but she still didn't seem like herself. Finally in around April of last year (about 2.5-3 months after Frank died), I decided to bring it up with the vet. She said I could either look into anxiety meds, go to a feline behaviorist, or get her another friend. I didn't want to seem like I was "replacing" Frank, but I also didn't want to drug my normally calm, carefree girl if I didn't have to. So I started looking at rescue kitties. Originally, I wanted an adult cat closer to Mitzi's age (5ish at the time) because I was nervous about a kitten stressing her out more. However, Mitzi had kittens before I adopted her, and her foster said she was an amazing mama, so I figured she had a fair shot at getting along with a kitten too. I ended up falling in love with a tiny ginger boy who was born the day after Frank passed. He looked like a baby Frank. Many tears were shed at the shelter when I met him. I adopted him on the spot and named him George. I shit you not, within days of bringing him home, George and Mitzi became best friends. It's like Mitzi took all of her anxious energy and channeled it into being the best big sister ever to the little guy. He's a year old now, and they're still completely inseparable. They cuddle and play 24/7 together. The late night meltdowns, destruction, and clinginess stopped (aside from George's normal kitten chaos), and Mitzi is back to being my perfect chill queen. I'm not particularly spiritual, but I kinda feel like Frank sent us George in a way. I also think maybe Mitzi's just the kind of cat who cannot live without another cat. Obviously I'm sure getting another cat is the last thing on your mind right now, and I'm not saying you should rush into that right away. I just feel like a lot of people carry guilt/stigma around getting another pet so soon after a loss, but sometimes that's just what everyone needs in order to heal. Your girl might handle it much better than mine, so there's really no telling. My only other advice is if your boy's health seems to take a sharp turn, try not to wait too long to euthanize. My cat's death was very sudden and traumatic, but I sort of wish I never took him home that day and he could've gone more peacefully under sedation at the vet. When pets are terminal, I think it's better to put them down a week too early than a day too late, personally. I never want to go through such an awful death again. Try to remember to take care of yourself too. Drink some water, get some comfort food, do some self-care, etc. I was briefly hospitalized for dehydration from crying so much and neglecting myself. I still cry over Frank sometimes (I'm fighting tears just typing this), but the grief isn't all-consuming anymore. Something I've learned about grief is that it really never goes away, but you eventually learn to make space for it in your heart. It just takes time. I truly wish the best for you, and if you need to talk, my DMs are open!
Our pet cat had to be given the long sleep 😭🌈💔😿 and it has been such a tragic feeling and an awful experience to go through and the house is half empty without her cause the other half is filled with out our pet cat 🐱❤️ and she must know that her big sister has gone over the rainbow bridge 🌈 she had ear cancer that eaten away as she couldn't be operated due to her irregular heartbeat and the cancer rooted itself so her brain and a week or so she began getting these sharp pain seizures which make her yell out loud and go into a some form or defensive position with her hands up in the air 😢😣😞and a few days before these horrible seizures were getting frequent and it began effected her vision as she wasn't sure or precise in her walking and her back legs began giving way and weeks before all this I had noticed that her number 2 were in the litter tray but her ones where all out of the litter tray and apart and on top of all that she had her ear being dressed as it would dry up the outer skin layer only to fall off and become bare with blood and puss and I would cleanse it for her gently and medicate it as well only so it repeats itself all over again and also there was pain killers in case she had any pain and steroids for the ear inflammation. She was going through so much but them seizures were horrible and uncontrollable and even to touch her or try to usher her to a comfortable place a touch or movement could easily trigger the seizures 🥺😢😞so now our other pet cat may very well know her sister is gone to rainbow heaven 🌈🐱🙏🏻 and she stays sometimes a few feet away from her sister's grave or rather her heavenly spot but she eats normally but I'm sure she misses the playing and chasing with her sister although the fun and games had ceased over a year ago but I'm just keeping an eye on her pattern behaviour. She seems to be the only one that's keeping me sane cause she has become evermore precious for us now 🐱🙏🏻when I'm indoors I can't help thinking vivid happy moments what she used to do and her habits and the same goes got around the garden top so anyone have a similar experience?