Ever since Booger Bear died, Little Girl has been extremely quiet. She used to be waiting at the back door to go outside first thing every morning. But now she hides in her bed and doesn't get up. She's been there for days, only going out when I force her to.
Last night I think she finally realized that Booger Bear is gone forever. At 2 a.m. she sat down outside our bedroom door and cried and cried. My Wife finally had to get up and go pet her, talking to her and trying to soothe her. But she wouldn't calm down.
So My Wife took a blanket, and the Little Girl, and slept with her on the couch.
She said it took almost an hour for the Girl to calm down and finally go to sleep.
Today when I came home from work, Little Girl was waiting for me. She followed me around the house and meowed her head off. She wasn't even interested in her food.
When My Wife came home she followed her around until she sat down. Then she jumped into her lap. She hasn't moved since.
I know Booger Bear and the Little Girl were closer with each other this past year than they had ever been in the past, but I honestly didn't expect this. I guess I've never seen a depressed cat before. She's in mourning.
24 comments:
We had the same thing happen when we had to put one of our pups down a few years ago. The vet advised us to get rid of all things that would be heavily scented by the dogs...chew toys, blankets etc. We got rid of everything, save be one small blanket which the mourning pup slept with until the day we brought the new baby home.
I don't think people give animals enough credit. I am sure they feel grief in their own way...and confusion at the very least. Give Little girl a scruff for me.
I have one cat that always slept with Brock, followed him around everywhere.
She did the same thing for the first week he was gone. She just walked around the house and cried.
She would also look outside to see if he was out there.
It was sad :(
I have two kittens that are siblings and I know if something were to happen to either one the other would be out of its mind with worry. They are like little people. I just hope they both live a very long time.
Awww... poor kitty. We need to find her someone new to play with or at least a distraction to fill the void.
xxx
I'm with "for what it's worth"...a lot of people don't give animals enough credit. And I've heard Cesar Milan, the dog whisperer (and my personal hero!!!) says that even though they probably don't understand the concept of death itself, they miss their friend when they're no longer there. Animals grieve just like people do.
Do you think you'll get another cat? Maybe a kitten sometime in the near future will help?
Awww that is so pitiful. Poor Little Girl. Please hug your wife from me for being so compassionate to her.
Be especially attentive and sweet to Little Girl and maybe another kitten is in order?....
Again I am so sorry for the loss of Booger Bear
:-( bummer.
Poor, poor baby. I'm so sorry, you guys.
Poor kitty. That is so awful. Hope she feels up to her old self again soon.
My cats are in mourning as well, especially Mufassa's littermate, Sarabi. He has gone out on the patio to 'cry' and continues sleeping on his brothers towel and in his basket.
Cats mourn just like people, and it's confusing for them as they don't understand where their friend has gone.
this article has some good tips to help Little Girl through this process:
http://home.ivillage.com/pets/cats/0,,mj34,00.html
((((HUGS))))
That is why I allowed the pup. I knew that our female Rottie wouldnt handle Dutch passing well at all. She had been around him all her life.. The first week after we had to put him down she gave up her spot on the floor and slept in his spot. Slowly the pup has won her over, but I truelly believe that she would have given up if we hadn't brought the puppy home..I/O
Maybe you need to get another kitty for Little Girl to play with. Pets can get lonely too.
FWIW, we took his bed away the night after, but there is still a cat bed that was hers which he started sleeping in. I don't know if she smells him there or not, but I'm guessing his smell is all over the house, and the backyard. She's still really upset tonight.
Leesa, she doesn't want to go outside, which is unusual for her. She apparently hates being alone far more than I realized.
Cheyenne, they did worry about each other. If one of them was out late at night and didn't come home, the other would go to the back door a lot and look for them.
JD, for now her biggest distraction is us. We're trying to keep her entertained as much as we can.
StacyPQ, I had assumed that she only understands that he's gone. But as for death, since she didn't seem to realize when I was digging the hole in the backyard and she was peeing in the loose dirt, but she never smelled the box with his body in it, that she will never realize he is dead. Maybe if she had smelled him before I buried him she'd know where he's gone? But I don't know. Maybe it would have helped.
PattiC, she wants me to let the Little Girl sleep in our bedroom with us, which she can't do. And I know if we did this then she'd jump into our bed, which she also can't do. So tonight it may be me out in the living room sleeping with the cat.
DooDah, you've gotten attached to that little kitten, haven't you? C'mon now, admit it.
Kami, I appreciate it. I've never seen a cat mourn before. They weren't even good friends until about a year ago.
Dixie, me too. I haven't seen her so wound up since we first got her and she was taken from her home where she had 2 other cats who played with her. She was SO upset ... for a YEAR.
Carrie, I appreciate the article. I hadn't read anything like that before. I grew up with parents who thought animals were little animated plants, with no thoughts or feelings or personalities at all. Even as a kid I knew they were wrong, but I had no idea how wrong until I had these cats.
Houston, we've talked about a kitten, but I don't think she's ready. And I'm not either. She's never lived in a home without other cats before. This is going to be really hard for her.
Lovescans, I know she'd prefer another cat around, but we'll have to see how this goes. She's still looking for Booger Bear right now.
Poor poor darling kitty, I feel so much for her, I still miss our Cindy Lou, our Siamese cat, every day too. I would love to get another one for the kids as a pet, but I am not sure a Siamese would be a good choice for them.
I know Cindy Lou fretted for her kitten Chloe who died result of a car accident, we had to console her for a long long time until she calmed down. She calmed down when we got a puppy dog. Is that an option for you?
I don't think getting a replacement animal is a good idea. This cat has already had enough upheaval.
Maybe take her to the vet. Do they have like cat sedatives or something?
Poor little sweetheart. Her little kitty heart is breaking. A new kitten might help.
ohhh poor thing :( Once, I had two fish and then one died and the other one got really sad and pitiful. I ended up getting a couple more fish to keep the mourning one company. Of course the other two fish ganged up on the lonely mourning one and he got even sadder. Then one day I woke up and it was just sad lonely mourning fish and two dead fish bodies floating in the bowl. I think mourning fish killed them, but of course I have no evidence (except the bodies). Anyway, the point is - maybe don't push any new pets just yet
Cazzie, I'm pretty sure our Little Girl is part siamese. She's got that awful voice and the unique personality. But I'd agree, they aren't the best breed for kids. We might get a dog if we moved. And we might move, so we'll see.
Steph, I might just pour vodka in her water dish. That'd ease her mind for awhile. :)
Laurzei, she followed us around the yard all day today. We played with her and she seems to be doing alright as long as she's not alone.
M, well, that's one way to deal with grief and frustration at the same time. We might see your fish on "Cold Case" one of these days. I wonder if they do DNA testing on fish crime scenes?
hehe, I actually drew the situation a while ago:
cbg
Oh, my heart is breaking for Little Girl... That's how my dogs are -- the younger one relies on the older one so much emotionally, mentally, physically... When she is not around, he freaks -- she's his rock, I guess.
(you can get "kitty valium" from your vet to relieve anxiety -- she might need some right now)
You and your wife are good people to be so attentive to her needs right now... Animals are underestimated emotionally -- take it from someone whose entire life has been FULL of animals since day one...
I am so sorry for your loss. I would have posted sooner, but I was out of town and then bogged down with my own stuff.
I dread the day I lose my Sweet Boo Baby.
I hope your other kitty, and you and your wife, recover soon.
M, I used to draw all the time. But for some reason I haven't drawn a comic since I started college. I don't even know why. I used to be good at it.
TheQueen, yesterday someone mailed us an ad for Pet Health Insurance. Holy crap, I didn't even know this existed! Is that how bad it's become?
HollyB, that's no problem. I appreciate you coming by when you can.
When Baxter died, our cat, Smokey was lost for days and days without him. It was heart wrenching to see her go around the house and garden, mewing for him. They were best of mates.
I don't think she would've ever accepted another dog, and never would've accepted another cat.
I miss them both terribly. And it's been four years since Bax died, and a year since Smokey passed.
Hugs to you Steve.
xoxox
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