Of course, cats are able to grieve. Moreover, not just for people, who are often their owners, but for the family and friends, for their relatives with whom they had lived side by side for a long time.
Most often, dependent animals give way, gentle creatures accustomed to love and care. They cannot sit still, restlessly wandering through the house in search of a missing friend and endlessly meowing. Their interest in games and personal care fall. Often, there is a loss of appetite. It is interesting, that cats who have lost a companion, may not show signs of boredom in the next few months. That is why, not every owner is able to see the wounds of a four-legged friend, thinking the strange condition of the animal is a strange disease or age-related changes (if the cat is not young). While the sad and melancholy mood of the animal can be managed without using the medicine.
First, show the cat to the vet to rule out a medical cause for depression. And if there are not any physical ailments, then proceed to "psychotherapy":
- 1 more often take the animal on your hands;
- 2 constantly talk to lonely darling with calm and gentle voice;
- 3 regularly comb its hair and put it in order (if the cat does not mind such a procedure);
- 4 indulge not only with nutritious but also delicious food for cats with pleasant aromas. More often feed from hands;
- 5 try to give your pet, who has lost a close friend more attention, leaving no time for sadness and melancholy (the game, caress and even a joint TV viewing with a beloved family member make wonders);
- 6 If your pet has a sociable character, you can try to take home another cat or a female cat (preferably of the same age), but this should not happen before the cat starts to get used to the loss;
- 7 If your favorite is hardly going through the loss of a friend, try not to expose it to unnecessary stress (feeding regime change, repair, relocation etc.).
Although today not much attention is paid to such deep trouble as longing in cats, definitely we should not dismiss it from both the insignificant and inconsequential. Sometimes, after the loss of a loved friend, a cat's behavior is changing dramatically. Mischievous and active minx turns into a sad and melancholic constantly ailing. Only the caring owner is able to withdraw the cat from the depressed state and return it to the joy of life.