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Has anyone else been through a situation where 2 cats are inseparable and then one dies?

Jakey is eating and seemed relatively ok at first (all things considered) but over the last couple of days he seems to have become a bit depressed and extremely clingy/anxious (I think he was expecting his friend back at first and now his world is massively changed).

They had spent every moment (barring short vet visits and one night that Sonic spent in hospital recovering after some tests a couple of years ago) of the last 14 years together. They spent that time following one another around and were never more than a couple of metres apart, most usually right next to one another and in direct physical contact.

I just wondered whether anyone had any advice. I am giving him a lot of attention, and keeping an eye on him to make sure he is eating ok. I'm worried about him. I know cats can be prescribed certain anti-depressants but I want to give him an appropriate amount of time to adjust before anything like that (I see that as quite extreme for a cat, although it might be necessary in some situations I don't want to rush into it).

Obviously I will seek urgent care if he stops eating or has a massive behavioural change, otherwise we have him booked in for his annual on 7th Feb and will discuss with the vet then if he is still miserable.

Poor mite. Any advice or tales of similar experiences would be most welcome.
 
Epona said:
Has anyone else been through a situation where 2 cats are inseparable and then one dies?

Jakey is eating and seemed relatively ok at first (all things considered) but over the last couple of days he seems to have become a bit depressed and extremely clingy/anxious (I think he was expecting his friend back at first and now his world is massively changed).

They had spent every moment (barring short vet visits and one night that Sonic spent in hospital recovering after some tests a couple of years ago) of the last 14 years together. They spent that time following one another around and were never more than a couple of metres apart, most usually right next to one another and in direct physical contact.

I just wondered whether anyone had any advice. I am giving him a lot of attention, and keeping an eye on him to make sure he is eating ok. I'm worried about him. I know cats can be prescribed certain anti-depressants but I want to give him an appropriate amount of time to adjust before anything like that (I see that as quite extreme for a cat, although it might be necessary in some situations I don't want to rush into it).

Obviously I will seek urgent care if he stops eating or has a massive behavioural change, otherwise we have him booked in for his annual on 7th Feb and will discuss with the vet then if he is still miserable.

Poor mite. Any advice or tales of similar experiences would be most welcome.
Click to expand...
Happened with mine, ( not totally inseparable ) for a while the eldest one just wandered round the house looking for the other one in places she used to sleep. It was heartbreaking to watch. I still had my 2 dogs though so she still had them. I'd say she settled after about 3 months. I hope Jakey is okay soon X
 
Puddy_Tat said:
(((( Epona and jakey ))))

can't offer any personal take on this, but (at the risk of stating the obvious) cats protection have a page on this sort of situation
Click to expand...

That is very useful thank you!

There is a segment in that about whether a cat will understand that their friend is unwell/dying - I think Jakey did, he spent a lot of time in Sonic's last few days grooming him (quite excessively/obsessively tbh to the point where I had to intervene and get a towel a couple of times when Sonic was soaking wet - but it seemed like a "looking after a kitten" type behaviour from Jakey) and cuddled up right next to him, even more so than usual.
 
Epona said:
Has anyone else been through a situation where 2 cats are inseparable and then one dies?
Click to expand...

Yes, Madam and her sister, although each had their own space/favourite spots/intersecting orbits, were always checking on each other and pretty inseparable.

Lots of attention/reassurance and yes, letting her cling was the way forwards with my tabby and yes, her horizons did narrow after her sister was gone. I still catch her peering into a couple of her sister's favourite hidey-holes when she comes out with me in the garden, even today.


42681560.69ac1260.1600.jpg



37559264.6b94d9df.1600.jpg
 
Calamity1971 said:
Happened with mine, ( not totally inseparable ) for a while the eldest one just wandered round the house looking for the other one in places she used to sleep. It was heartbreaking to watch. I still had my 2 dogs though so she still had them. I'd say she settled after about 3 months. I hope Jakey is okay soon X
Click to expand...
Epona I had similar with two of my old cats who were brother and sister. The brother was run over aged about three and his sister looked for him (she didn't know). As Calamity1971 says it was heartbreaking. I think it was less than three months before she was back to normal though.

When she died eleven years later, her subsequent companion cat seemed very 'low' and would even lie on her grave in the back garden. He was fine after a while - maybe a couple of months?
 
Epona said:
Has anyone else been through a situation where 2 cats are inseparable and then one dies?

Jakey is eating and seemed relatively ok at first (all things considered) but over the last couple of days he seems to have become a bit depressed and extremely clingy/anxious (I think he was expecting his friend back at first and now his world is massively changed).

They had spent every moment (barring short vet visits and one night that Sonic spent in hospital recovering after some tests a couple of years ago) of the last 14 years together. They spent that time following one another around and were never more than a couple of metres apart, most usually right next to one another and in direct physical contact.

I just wondered whether anyone had any advice. I am giving him a lot of attention, and keeping an eye on him to make sure he is eating ok. I'm worried about him. I know cats can be prescribed certain anti-depressants but I want to give him an appropriate amount of time to adjust before anything like that (I see that as quite extreme for a cat, although it might be necessary in some situations I don't want to rush into it).

Obviously I will seek urgent care if he stops eating or has a massive behavioural change, otherwise we have him booked in for his annual on 7th Feb and will discuss with the vet then if he is still miserable.

Poor mite. Any advice or tales of similar experiences would be most welcome.
Click to expand...

Friends of mine were in your situation. Their two cats weren’t as close as your two but they happily co-existed with one claiming the upstairs and the other the ground floor. After “upstairs cat” died, their remaining cat was out of sorts for a week or so but eventually instinct took over and she began to enjoy her vastly expanded domestic kingdom. Never underestimate cats’ resilience and ability to adapt to changing circumstances.
 
pogofish said:
I have this feeling that Harry may not be feral for much longer!
Click to expand...

It is complicated because historically Wendy and Mick have always welcomed scrounger Bloom’s brother Napoleon into their place for extended periods. Feral Harry does not like the indoors beyond the porch, and he doesn’t get on with Napoleon. I feel sure Mick and Wendy would welcome him in but Harry is reluctant.
Anyway here is Harry in the sunshine yesterday.

E7D4480D-3238-4DAD-8091-3034B5F79806.jpeg
 
So - just before Xmas I had this little one come into my bedroom via the window and set herself down on my legs. when I woke up i hear her coughing and snuffling - she obviously wasn't well. I took her to the vet's who are treating her, which is funded by the RSPCA, and she is slowly making a recovery. Unfortunately she has cat flu which I think means she can never be homed with other cats. I have one person who says she's interested in taking her but tbh, she's a bit flaky and I don't trust her not to change her mind so I'm putting this on here in the hope that there might be someone on Urban75 who could help find a home for her. She's very friendly - was a bit wary of me but obviously not scared of humans.

I'm down in deepest Kent - Dover - as is the cat. I'm in touch with the vet's so that I will know when she's ready to be homed. I just don't want her to get lost in the system, and I don't entirely trust the RSPCA as they have previously euthanised a cat I rescued, who also had cat flu, without treating it.

IMG_4y0jo9.jpg
 
Has it been reported anywhere whether Larry was at any of the Downing Street parties? Or does he have much better social taste?
 
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