This is a compiled article of at least 3 previous articles in the "Messybeast" resource website. Although there are a few items I don't agree wholeheartedly with (and some not at all), overall it's a pretty good and quite useful collection of issues to be aware of when your fur-family has lost one of its own or if there's been a human loss, and there is some decent advice given here about how to handle things on behalf of your remaining furkids.

When Cats Grieve

Oh wow, Furkidlets' Mom. This article describes to a tee how poor Styx kitty behaved here for close to three months when his pal Alex parrot did not come home. I tried my best to soothe Styx but he was inconsolable. Thank you very much for this Website!

Big Hugs and Lotsa Love!!!

Alyays,
Dottie xoxoxox

When the father of our Burmese, Minka, died, she howled all the time, and for weeks was clawing at closet doors and looking under furniture for him. It became apparant she was not going to give up trying to find him.
In desperation, we went to the shelter and got a kitten, Murphy, for her, and it helped a lot.

Minka died several years ago at the age of 23. Murphy is still around, and is about 12 now.

When Mimi passed away Hiway refused to eat for days. Mimi was 16, Hiway was 10. Kitten (who is 4 years old & not really a kitten any more) took care of Hiway. I sat on the floor to encourage Hiway to eat. He would push the food around, but not eat. After several days of this, Kitten was always by my side or on my lap, Kitten decided to eat the dog food. She had no more gotten her head into the bowl and Hiway perked right up. He watched and stood very close for a minute then stuck his nose in and had a few bites. Kitten scooted over and let him in but continued to eat. She did this for about a week consistently and then stopped. When I saw them eating together it dawned on me that Hiway had never eaten alone. His brother had always been there. Kitten somehow knew that and helped him get over that. She would occasionally have dinner with him after that, but not consistently like in the first weeks after Mimi's death.

Kitten now misses her friend as much as I do. She's always been more like a dog than a cat, but now its to the extreme. She follows me every and even wants to go in the car with me. She cries at night sometimes and I often find her on Hiways rug. I let her sniff his collar for a while Friday after he passed away. She sniffed for about a minute then put her head on it and went right to sleep.

Hi, lytlewren, thank you so much for sharing your beloved Mimi and Hiway with us, and for sharing with us how you and your precious Kitten are doing. Yes, our companions are very wise in helping each other through the grieving process - - all the while grieving the loss of their beloved housemate. I know how much your heart must ache seeing your precious Kitten grieve for your beloved Hiway, as I witnessed my precious Noah grieve for three of his housemates who are now with the angels - - and my precious Noah is now the sole furchild survivor in a household that used to have four precious companions - - including Noah. I know you and your precious Kitten are comforting one another in your deep sorrow of the physical absence of your beloved Hiway, and through this your love bond with one another will grow stronger and deeper - - as it has for my precious Noah and me.

I hope today is treating you and your precious Kitten kindly, lytlewren, and that you both will have a very peaceful evening blessed with your beloved Hiway's sweet Living Spirit to comfort you. Please know you and your precious Kitten are in my thoughts and prayers, that I look forward to knowing how you both are doing, and to sharing your treasured memories of your beloved Hiway.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam

lytlewren, that is a very touching story. It truly shows how our fur kids grieve too, that they have feelings and a soul. You may want to take your kitten to Hiway's grave or (if you chose cremation) take her to his urn. It helps to let them know that their companions are gone. When I came back from taking Tina's body to the pet cemetery I let my Mindy sniff on the blanket that Tina's body had been wrapped up in. Mindy sniffed on it and looked at me as if to say:"I understand."