I am presuming that, somewhat like humans, animals have the capacity to grieve loss and perhaps even do so as individually as human beings.
That said, I am wondering how long to chalk up behaviors to grief over the loss/absence of Sassy's older brother Striker (not biological brother) and the absence of our son to college.
It has been 4 weeks since Striker's loss, and 3 weeks since our son's departure.
Sassy has never been a snuggly kind of cat, preferring to be more at arm's length or just beyond. These days (and nights) though, she is my near constant companion around the house. Although a couple of days ago she became an anti-social hermit, for about two complete days. She ate/drank/littered, but never came out to socialize or just see what was going on. Thankfully, I think she has rebounded a bit.
Infrequently in the past, she would cry a little if there were no food left in the bowl. Now, even in the dead of night, if the bowl is empty she sounds a raucous alarm of cries. Similarly, if we are around and she uses the litter box, she will often (not always) cry an alarm to let us know it needs cleaned. BTW, she's a total diva and does NOT suffer a dirty box lightly.
She has taken over our son's bedroom as "hers," to the extent that it is upon his bed she sleeps 98% of the time.
She has been on Amitriptylin since January because she really is a bit of high-anxiety stress monster.
There are other, minor, odd behaviors that have occurred, but do not seem sustained: trying to climb up onto the toilet, barging into the bathroom with complete disregard for privacy (Striker was notorious for this), hovering around my legs at my desk, looking up at me and chirping if I don't pay attention, and a few others.
I'm not sure if I should be worried about her, or just go with it as long as its not destructive.
Last night, at around midnight, she woke me with cries for food and water. I tended those needs, cleaned the box, and went back to bed. Until she followed me into the bedroom, still raising an unknown alarm. When I sat back up on the bed, she gave a mixed cry/purr sound. I moved to our single, guestroom bed and she immediately joined me. We have a bedtime routine of pacing/petting which we did, then she lay right down and went to sleep, seemingly satisfied. I woke at 3:30a, she was gone, but I was wide awake. I went to the living room, turned a light on low and tried reading for awhile. As soon as she noticed, she joined me and eventually fell asleep under my hand on the arm of the couch.
Anyway...all of that to wonder: is this Sassy's way of grieving, still?
That said, I am wondering how long to chalk up behaviors to grief over the loss/absence of Sassy's older brother Striker (not biological brother) and the absence of our son to college.
It has been 4 weeks since Striker's loss, and 3 weeks since our son's departure.
Sassy has never been a snuggly kind of cat, preferring to be more at arm's length or just beyond. These days (and nights) though, she is my near constant companion around the house. Although a couple of days ago she became an anti-social hermit, for about two complete days. She ate/drank/littered, but never came out to socialize or just see what was going on. Thankfully, I think she has rebounded a bit.
Infrequently in the past, she would cry a little if there were no food left in the bowl. Now, even in the dead of night, if the bowl is empty she sounds a raucous alarm of cries. Similarly, if we are around and she uses the litter box, she will often (not always) cry an alarm to let us know it needs cleaned. BTW, she's a total diva and does NOT suffer a dirty box lightly.
She has taken over our son's bedroom as "hers," to the extent that it is upon his bed she sleeps 98% of the time.
She has been on Amitriptylin since January because she really is a bit of high-anxiety stress monster.
There are other, minor, odd behaviors that have occurred, but do not seem sustained: trying to climb up onto the toilet, barging into the bathroom with complete disregard for privacy (Striker was notorious for this), hovering around my legs at my desk, looking up at me and chirping if I don't pay attention, and a few others.
I'm not sure if I should be worried about her, or just go with it as long as its not destructive.
Last night, at around midnight, she woke me with cries for food and water. I tended those needs, cleaned the box, and went back to bed. Until she followed me into the bedroom, still raising an unknown alarm. When I sat back up on the bed, she gave a mixed cry/purr sound. I moved to our single, guestroom bed and she immediately joined me. We have a bedtime routine of pacing/petting which we did, then she lay right down and went to sleep, seemingly satisfied. I woke at 3:30a, she was gone, but I was wide awake. I went to the living room, turned a light on low and tried reading for awhile. As soon as she noticed, she joined me and eventually fell asleep under my hand on the arm of the couch.
Anyway...all of that to wonder: is this Sassy's way of grieving, still?
