Interesting social adjustments going n

Since Carmen died on Monday, there has been some interesting little social adjustments going on in the household.

Carmen was definitely the Alpha cat. So now that Alpha cat has been removed from the equation (bless her soul), then strange things are afoot.

The old hierarchy was as follows

Carmen
Anya
Emily
Caitlin

and then probably Gareth&Charlotte

With Carmen gone, I expected Anya and Emily to fight for the top spot, and have a few weeks of hissing and fighting.

However, what I forgot to take into account was that Anya and Emily, although they hated each other, both really got on very well indeed with Carmen.

So they are both quite blatently grieving. both of them keep to themselves, and are very quiet. they appreciate attention from us, and seem ok, but the fighting has stopped and they just potter around.

This has left a space for Caitlin. Caitlin has always been the independant one, who will happily stay out for a week and come back in covered in twigs and mud looking totally bemused that we might be suprised or delighted to see her. She never realyl interacted with the other cats, just stayed out of the way.

But with Carmen gone, and Anya and Emily keeping quiet, Caitlin has taken top spot. She is sleeping on the bed for the first time since she was our only cat (she was our first). She is eating first, and the others are waiting, or at least not disturbing her. she has become a lapcat again, and hasn't been for years.

So anyway, I just thought I'd share that and see what happens over the next few weeks.

Awwwww Gareth thats so sweet isn't it!

You know you should do what Mary Anne(Hissy) does with her cats when one of them has passed, and thats to sit with them and tell them whats happend to Carmen, because like you say their grieving, and unlike us it must be harder for them to understand whats happend to her and where she's gone?!.

But thats lovely that Caitlin has become a lap cat after all those years, because they pick up on whenever were upset so that could be another reason why she's become more loving towards you

Originally Posted by rosiemac

But thats lovely that Caitlin has become a lap cat after all those years, because they pick up on whenever were upset so that could be another reason why she's become more loving towards you

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Actually, that's very true and I hadn't considered that.

Oh my gosh! I have made plans for who would take our cats if they outlive us...and I have thought about the fact that we might outlive them (too sad to think about that one for very long!)...but I have not considered what would happen if one of the cats died before the other ! I just can`t imagine what it would be like for the one left behind! They are such Best Buds!!!!!!!!!!

Gareth, I had two cats left when my Max died in July. It has been interesting to watch them. The still haven't settled the question, who is top cat yet. My remaining cats are Speedboat and Muffin, Muffin being the youngest. Speedboat and Max, who died, had been indoor cats from '96 to'2000 and then we added Muffin. At that time they had to become outdoor cats, though confined to our yard. So Speedboat and Max were soulmates, Muffin was the outsider. Now Muffin and Speedboat finally lay together and act like friends. Muffin doesnt know what to make of the attention he gets from Speedboat, like Speedboat grooming him. Cats certainly know what they are doing.