Strange behaviour from one of my barn cats....

[Danielle_E.]

We had our schnauzer put to sleep on Friday morning and Friday night one of our male barn cats, "Twittle Dee" was acting like I have never see him act before. He is the cat that use to "wrestle" with our dog. Pepper would go outside and play and play with this cat. The dog would see the cat and she would run full tilt towards him and just before she got to him the cat would throw herself down and roll, waiting for the antics to start. This cat was bigger than my dog, my dog only weighted 8 1/2 pounds and that cat I am sure weighs at least 18lbs, big orange and white cat. Sometimes the dog would lie on top of the cat, lol, like they were in an embrace, those two were hillarious to watch. Anyway Friday night and last night I heard this horrid racket, like the cat was in major distress. He, both times, was at the outside window of the house, basement and crying like I have never heard him do before. I swear I am not the only one morning Pepper's passing over the rainbow. It was a very eerie sound to hear.

 

[backwoodsnanny]

Im positive you are right. We had a barn cat who was a seeing eye cat for my then 17 year old crapzu. She suffered from failing eyesight for a couple of years and our big orange barn cat would meet her at the door whenever she went out and guide her all around. I wouldnt believe it if I hadnt seen it with my own eyes. He would walk very close to her and sort of push her around. When she was ready he would bring her back to the door and then return to the barn. He died a year ago of some kind of poisoning never did find out what and my poor old dog almost died when he did. She would go out and look and look and then cry. I would then go out with her. It was obvious to me that she was trying to find her friend. So very sad. She finally did die this November at 18 years old but the last year was very lonely and sad for her without her friend she just couldnt get around the way she did with him as her guide.

The system changed my dogs breed LOL she was a Shih Tzu.

 

[Danielle_E.]

Yes I am a firm believer that other pets grieve the lost of their buddies. This cat and dog seemed to be attached at the hip whenever they were around together. My other 2 barn cats didn't play with Pepper like this one did. The dog would chew on this cat's ears, lol, and the cat let her. The other thing they use to do which made me laugh was hipcheck each other, ROFL. The cat would push against the dog and the dog would purposely turn her behind to the cat and push as hard as she could. Now the cat weighed more than the dog but the dog usually won in the end because the cat would just throw himself down. Over and over they would do this...

 

[Triggy&Blue&Daisy Too]

Absolutely Danielle, I believe animals miss their friends just as much as we miss them them when they die. My girl Cairn almost tried to die herself after she lost her life long buddy our basset Tbone. Wouldn't eat unless I begged her barely moved and the vet could find nothing wrong with her but a broken heart.

I'm so sorry about your schnauzer boy that is very sad. I think your kitty is definately grieving his loss just like you are.

 

[runamuk]

POOR kitty....yes I think the cat is definately in mourning......I have seen this a few times with animals that were very attached........in fact in wild animals certain cranes and geese are known for mating for life and if a mate dies the other often pines away and dies.......

This will sound nutty...why not sit down with kitty and tell him that his buddy is gone and that it will be ok......if he is crying at the windows he may still be calling him and truly not know but suspects.......

my neighbors had an old basset hound (grey muzzled and arthritic) who became best buddies with their pony...a sad turn of events and the pony broke her leg and had to be destroyed....the neighbor covered her with a tarp until he could get her buried.......the last time they ever saw the basset she was sniffing her fallen friend....she walked into the woods and never was she found........