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helping a cat process a death?



 
 
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  #1  
Old October 13th 08, 10:00 PM posted to rec.pets.cats.health+behav
Tom+Gracie+Jenny
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Posts: 10
Default helping a cat process a death?

We have the two calicos, Gracie and Jenny, sisters from the same
litter, two and a half years old.

We did, rather. Today, Jenny passed away. I found her lying there,
did artificial respiration, rushed her to a vet who pronounced her
dead, probably of a heart attack.

Before we did the cremation route, I brought the body home. My wife
spent time cuddling her, and suggested something ... her idea was to
have Gracie see the body, sniff it, investigate it.

Gracie did indeed investigate. Probably recognized the death smell, -
and- the Jenny smell, and put two and two together. She seems to
know, Jenny is passed on. . . . After a while, Gracie went across the
room, and sat and watched us for a while.

I've brought the body to be cremated, and am back home.

After that, Gracie has been staying close to us. Sitting next to me
while I am at the computer. Lying next to my wife as she took a nap.

The question is:

.... What do you all do with a cat who has lost her companion?

We had the two of them so they could play together. They've never
been separated. Now Gracie will have the whole house to roam around
in by herself.

My wife is talking of getting another two and a half year old,
definately not a kitten.

Me, I don't know. Please let me know your thoughts. All three of us
seem to miss Jenny terribly already.

Tom
  #2  
Old October 13th 08, 11:06 PM posted to rec.pets.cats.health+behav
blkcatgal
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Posts: 389
Default helping a cat process a death?

I am sorry for your loss. Animals do grieve so it may not be unusual for
Gracie to be experiencing some grief. I have read stories about the other
animal not eating, etc. You may want to give her a little time and see how
she does. But when she and you are ready, adopting another cat would be a
good thing to do.

S.

"Tom+Gracie+Jenny" wrote in message
...
We have the two calicos, Gracie and Jenny, sisters from the same
litter, two and a half years old.

We did, rather. Today, Jenny passed away. I found her lying there,
did artificial respiration, rushed her to a vet who pronounced her
dead, probably of a heart attack.

Before we did the cremation route, I brought the body home. My wife
spent time cuddling her, and suggested something ... her idea was to
have Gracie see the body, sniff it, investigate it.

Gracie did indeed investigate. Probably recognized the death smell, -
and- the Jenny smell, and put two and two together. She seems to
know, Jenny is passed on. . . . After a while, Gracie went across the
room, and sat and watched us for a while.

I've brought the body to be cremated, and am back home.

After that, Gracie has been staying close to us. Sitting next to me
while I am at the computer. Lying next to my wife as she took a nap.

The question is:

... What do you all do with a cat who has lost her companion?

We had the two of them so they could play together. They've never
been separated. Now Gracie will have the whole house to roam around
in by herself.

My wife is talking of getting another two and a half year old,
definately not a kitten.

Me, I don't know. Please let me know your thoughts. All three of us
seem to miss Jenny terribly already.

Tom



  #3  
Old October 13th 08, 11:26 PM posted to rec.pets.cats.health+behav
barb
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Posts: 238
Default helping a cat process a death?

My older cats died. One was Pickles best friend. She had been in and out
of the house near the end due to being at the vet. When Pickle's realized
her friend wasn't coming home any more, she sort of looked at me like "what
am I supposed to do, now." She actually seemed to lose her coordination and
I rushed her to the vet. He gave her a shot, (steroid) and then she was
okay.

Being down to one cat, I drove Pickles down to Florida from NY for a month
to stay at a beach-side cottage. I promised her I would get her a new
friend when we returned home and I did. When she saw her new friend she
huffed and puffed and put on a big mad act but I knew she was pleased as
punch underneath it all. Two days and they were completely bonded.
(Pickles was 5 at the time and the new cat 6 months old.)

Barb














  #4  
Old October 14th 08, 02:38 PM posted to rec.pets.cats.health+behav
dgk
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Posts: 2,268
Default helping a cat process a death?

On Mon, 13 Oct 2008 14:00:01 -0700 (PDT), "Tom+Gracie+Jenny"
wrote:

We have the two calicos, Gracie and Jenny, sisters from the same
litter, two and a half years old.

We did, rather. Today, Jenny passed away. I found her lying there,
did artificial respiration, rushed her to a vet who pronounced her
dead, probably of a heart attack.

Before we did the cremation route, I brought the body home. My wife
spent time cuddling her, and suggested something ... her idea was to
have Gracie see the body, sniff it, investigate it.

Gracie did indeed investigate. Probably recognized the death smell, -
and- the Jenny smell, and put two and two together. She seems to
know, Jenny is passed on. . . . After a while, Gracie went across the
room, and sat and watched us for a while.

I've brought the body to be cremated, and am back home.

After that, Gracie has been staying close to us. Sitting next to me
while I am at the computer. Lying next to my wife as she took a nap.

The question is:

... What do you all do with a cat who has lost her companion?

We had the two of them so they could play together. They've never
been separated. Now Gracie will have the whole house to roam around
in by herself.

My wife is talking of getting another two and a half year old,
definately not a kitten.

Me, I don't know. Please let me know your thoughts. All three of us
seem to miss Jenny terribly already.

Tom



I did the same sort of thing. My first two cats were brothers, and
when one died I took the other to see his body (it was at the vet) and
he freaked out a bit but definitely understood what had happened. I
think that was better than his brother just disappearing.

I haven't done it since, but those two were very close.

As for what to do now, I would bring in another young cat with the
usual slow introduction. Gracie is young enough to easily tolerate
another cat.
  #5  
Old October 15th 08, 07:35 PM posted to rec.pets.cats.health+behav
Tom the Alien Cat
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1
Default helping a cat process a death?

I am thanking everyone for the sympathies and the wisdom. My wife is
sad about this, and it hits me at times as well.

As for Gracie . . . well, on the one hand, she does not act like she
is grieving, and does act like she is enjoying the extra attention.

On the other hand . . . her big solution is to want us to be the ones
to play with her a lot now. We oblige as much as we can, but we can't
afford to have productive times at the computer turn into romp-times
on her say-so. At least not too often.

So, taking it one day at a time, she seems to be adjusting for now,
but we still don't know what is down the road here for her. And we
two humans are going to be okay.

* * * * *

We two are still straddling the only-cat / get-a-cat fence. I'm up
for whatever will be best for Gracie, and Gracie herself is in "good-
but-thoughtful" spirits presently.

For a while, during our marriage, we had birds instead of cats. Birds
die almost regularly, but they are more extremely social animals than
cats. And it went on for years and years ... we had A+B so they'd be
together, but A died, so we got C so B+C would be together, but then B
died and we had to get D so C+D would be together ... on and on.

At least with cats, we would expect to measure the spans in something
like a decade. We are spending lots of time now with Gracie.

tom
  #6  
Old October 16th 08, 09:39 AM posted to rec.pets.cats.health+behav
The Nice Mean Man[_2_]
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Posts: 43
Default helping a cat process a death?

On Oct 13, 5:00*pm, "Tom+Gracie+Jenny" wrote:
We have the two calicos, Gracie and Jenny, sisters from the same
litter, two and a half years old.

We did, rather. *Today, Jenny passed away. *I found her lying there,
did artificial respiration, rushed her to a vet who pronounced her
dead, probably of a heart attack.

Before we did the cremation route, I brought the body home. *My wife
spent time cuddling her, and suggested something ... her idea was to
have Gracie see the body, sniff it, investigate it.

Gracie did indeed investigate. *Probably recognized the death smell, -
and- the Jenny smell, and put two and two together. *She seems to
know, Jenny is passed on. . . . After a while, Gracie went across the
room, and sat and watched us for a while.

I've brought the body to be cremated, and am back home.

After that, Gracie has been staying close to us. *Sitting next to me
while I am at the computer. *Lying next to my wife as she took a nap.

The question is:

... What do you all do with a cat who has lost her companion?

We had the two of them so they could play together. *They've never
been separated. *Now Gracie will have the whole house to roam around
in by herself.

My wife is talking of getting another two and a half year old,
definately not a kitten.

Me, I don't know. *Please let me know your thoughts. *All three of us
seem to miss Jenny terribly already.

Tom



Cats are just dumb animals. No matter how much you wish it weren't so.
They don't care about that which they can scarcely understand. They
have the brain cavity the size of a kumquat. Quit trying to read
things into situations that simply are not there.


The Nice Mean Man

http://www.careerbuilder.com/monk-e-mail/?mid=28345951
  #7  
Old October 16th 08, 04:02 PM posted to rec.pets.cats.health+behav
Matthew[_3_]
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Posts: 2,287
Default helping a cat process a death?


"The Nice Mean Man"

**** OFF YOU ASSHOLE


  #8  
Old October 17th 08, 09:19 AM posted to rec.pets.cats.health+behav
The Nice Mean Man[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 43
Default helping a cat process a death?

On Oct 16, 11:02*am, "Matthew"
wrote:
"The Nice Mean Man"

**** OFF YOU ASSHOLE


SUCK A BIG HAIRY COCK, YOU USELESS FAGGOT
 




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