One of my eleven cats unfortunately managed to get out on Saturday morning, which happens every now and then, and he ended up in my neighbours' garden. They have French Bulldogs.
I got a call from the vet to say that my cat (who is microchipped) had been brought in and had been bitten by a dog.
When I arrived, Kanji was fading fast; he'd been bitten in the throat and the vet told me his heart was failing. It was all very sudden and incredibly traumatic.
My cat was usually very quick and alert, so I can't understand how he let those dogs get near him. It happened outside.
Obviously, his brother Loulou is heartbroken, as they used to sleep side by side every single day.
He’s withdrawing from the rest of the group and seems to be looking for his brother by the fence. We’re giving him loads of extra cuddles, and some of the other cats are starting to bond in new ways. Will that be enough? Is there a risk he might try to escape himself to try and find his brother?
Translated from French
The forum content is sometimes translated from another language, and posts may concern countries with different animal laws. Do your research before making any decisions.
Since the forum is translated by AI, the translations may contain errors.
You're right, time will hopefully help, and we definitely shouldn't change the routine too much to avoid stressing him out—that’s a very good point. We also need to try not to project our own grief onto him too much!
Working from home, our cats bring us such little moments of joy throughout the day, and now there’s just this sudden void. It’s honestly so hard; we’ve had him since he was a tiny kitten.
Thanks for all your replies.
Hi,
I’m so sorry for what happened to your cat. It’s always heartbreaking to lose a pet, especially when it’s so sudden.
I’m not sure if you’d call it depression as such, but the loss of another pet can definitely affect a cat, especially if they were close. Cats are real creatures of habit, and any change to their routine will trigger stress. The reaction varies from one individual to the next; some show it more than others, and it can take a while to pass. The main thing is to try not to change their habits too much. If your two cats used to play together at specific times, try to offer a play session then. If they used to sleep together and have a cuddle at certain times, do the same and give them some extra fuss then. But don’t change your routine more than that, otherwise it’ll just stress them out even more.
I had two cats, a 13-year-old senior tom and a young girl who was only a year old. When the old lad passed away, my little one cried for days, searching for him in every nook and cranny... After a week, she just stopped. It was as if she’d forgotten him.
If he didn't want to go near, maybe he picked up the scent from a distance – you never know. As you say, if he smelled the dogs, I reckon he could have smelled the cat too, especially with the blood. I think it might have been better to show him one-on-one to see, but I really hope for his sake that he gets over it! It's never easy.
Thanks for your reply. I tried letting him sniff the body, but he wouldn't go near it. Another one of my cats did, and he jumped right back—I reckon the body smelt strongly of dogs. I’ve since buried him in the garden. Unfortunately, Kanji didn't have a favourite toy or blanket of his own.
So, yes, it’s certainly possible, although I have to admit it’s fairly rare. No one can ever really get inside a cat's head to know if they’re truly suffering from the loss of a loved one, or if it’s just a bit of a spanner in the works of their routine that’s upsetting them... Then there’s the spiritual side of things, but that’s up to the individual whether they believe it or not. There are plenty of stories about the psychic connections a cat might share with its owner or a close companion. You only have to think of those news reports about cats travelling hundreds of miles to get back home. You’re doing the right thing by giving them plenty of cuddles and extra affection; perhaps try to find an item that belonged specifically to the cat you lost, something that still has their scent on it, to help soothe them. Alternatively, if you can, let them sniff the deceased cat wrapped in a cloth, or simply let them see them so they understand they’ve gone and stop looking... it’s a bit of a 'make or break' move, but at least it might help them find some closure. There’s a lot of debate about feline grief among vets, but as I said, it’s really up to you whether you buy into it. Best of luck.
