Do cats feel sadness

[Fur Cough]

Well do they.

I've got two cats, well had two cats is more accurate, and since one died on Monday the other seems heartbroken. They were sisters and been together for 17 years.
Since then the other has just walked around the house looking in her sisters favourite curling up places softly meowing, staring out the window and turning to look at me, she seems to even look sad. Every time she does this a tear rolls down my face.

I feel as if she blames me somehow, it makes me sad.

I know "It's only a cat" but it was mine and had been a part of our daily routine for 17 years.

Sorry for the depressing thread on a day like this, but my heart is aching, not so much for the loss as for the feelings of the other one.

 

[Billy the Fish]

Of course they do. Sorry to hear about the other one, it's always shit losing a pet, they really are one of the family.

 

[hola gus]

My girlfriends pussy certainly knows when I'm upset!


Sorry joke in poor taste.....

 

[cornish seagull]

Really sorry about your loss. When our Ginger cat lost his sister he certainly presented as being depressed, went off his food, didn't go out of the house for weeks and would walk around the house looking lost. Vet advised that when we had to have his sister put down it would be a good idea for him to see her body! we put sister in box under carport where she normally slept during the day and when he saw her he let out a very loud and mournful cry that I will never forget. He died 6months later and was never the same cat. Having said that he was very old and had been ill before his sister died. Its horrible when one of your pets die, they are so much part of your lives and we still miss them after 2yrs.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I had two cats that weren't related, but did live together for over 12 years. Our vet advised the same thing, to let the remaining cat see the dead body before we buried it. He did recover after a while and lived for a few years after that.

 

[glasfryn]

I have had cats all my life and yes they do grieve
our head honcho died in her sleep a few weeks ago and although unrelated the other three are only just getting over her going
we will never get over it she went through a hell of a lot with us bad,bad times and was always a comfort and always there for us cats came and cats went she stayed level headed throughout.
and a good point made you should allow other cats to see them before they are burried or whatever,cats are more pragmatic than us they get on with life whatever.

 

[Tricky Dicky]

From my 2 two cats, I can say they feel (or at least exhibit) many similar moods to humans. Mine can definitely be sad, they have happy days, they have grumpy days. One can be playful while the other isn't interested. If they both feel playful, there is hell in the house as they tear around at the speed of light.

They also miss me when I'm not there, but I suspect that's more to do with food than "me".

 

[leigull]

When one of our two cats at the time died, the other spent a week or so going round all the cupboards and everywhere looking for her. Was really sad to see.

Never been as upset as I have when we've have lost a cat.

 

[00snook]

Sorry for your loss mate.

I am dreading when mine eventually die.

I love the little blighters.

They definitely feel emotions IMO. Its so sad to think of animals being upset.

 

[Fur Cough]

When one of our two cats at the time died, the other spent a week or so going round all the cupboards and everywhere looking for her. Was really sad to see.

Never been as upset as I have when we've have lost a cat.

I can honestly say I've never felt like this, even losing the dogs wasn't this bad. I am literally in pieces every time I look at the other one, I can FEEL her grief and sense off loss.

I will NEVER have another pet after this one has gone.

 

[Ninja Elephant]

Sorry for your loss as well, I dread the day my cat passes away. I tried to move him into my flat when I moved out, but he didn't like it and spent the night casually weeping in a corner of my room. When I woke up and whistled at him, he bolted over and leapt onto my chest begging for attention. Poor little sod was terrified of the new surroundings so there's no question he feels sadness. He's happy in his new home at my mums though, there are plenty of other cats about for him to stalk and stare at, plus plenty of frogs to attack and birds to chase. Horses scare the sh*t out of him though and it's quite funny in a way!

[MENTION=18749]Fur Cough[/MENTION], do you have any plans to get a new cat?

 

[Easy 10]

Its so sad to think of animals being upset.

Oh I dunno. The BBS has been hilarious of late.

 

[Albumen]

Yes, not for long though.

 

[00snook]

Oh I dunno. The BBS has been hilarious of late.

Well said.

I'd give you a retweet for that mate

 

[Easy 10]

Well said.

I'd give you a retweet for that mate

 

[edna krabappel]

This is the saddest thread I've read on NSC in ages

 

[Kumquat]

My girlfriend feels sadness. Often. According to her it's only me that's able to cheer her up. My carefully chosen words of comfort almost always leave her walking away sobbing with relief. Before locking herself in the bedroom. She has a funny way of showing it, but it comes as a source of pride to me that she finds my support rewarding.

 

[Beach Hut]

We have two cats that are sisters - Ava and Cookie.

Sadly Cookie disappeared a month ago and has not returned and Ava rarely leaves the house these days and has been very sad and very klingy to us which means they definitely know what is going on.

Very sad for her and I feel far more connected with her

 

[Thunder Bolt]

A similar question is do cats know when they're going to die? I think mine did earlier this year. She had been diagnosed with cancer, aged 13, and the vet was trying a certain type of medication, giving it for 2 weeks to see if it had any effect. The first week, she seemed to pick up and began eating well again but after 10 days, she refused her food again. I noticed that evening, that she appeared restless and looked uncomfortable. I had remarked to my other half, that I was going to take her to the vets again the following day, and then went to bed. I didn't think to lock the cat flap and when I got up in the morning, I couldn't find her anywhere. In fact, that was the last I saw of her.

 

[brakespear]

Guinea pigs certainly do - if you get a bonded pair and one dies then unless you're very careful (usually by getting a replacement) then the other one will pine away until it dies.