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View Full Version : Behaviour changes following loss of fellow cats


dinahsmum
02-05-2006, 10:08 AM
Several people have comented on changes in behaviour of the remaining cat(s) following loss. It's an interesting thing isn't it - I suppose it's quite basic animal behaviour and the shuffling round of the pack/changes in leadership etc.
Mini has changed quite a lot, in some minor ways and some more noticeable. The main overt change is that she is sleeping (daytime) in a quite different place - and not Tizzie's old place either. Took me some time to get used to finding her in a previously ignored basket in a corner of my bedroom. I can't come up with ay animal psychology to explain that. Her eating habits have changed, and she has taken the place Tizzie took on my lap every evening for the last few months of her life.

Hreow
02-05-2006, 11:25 AM
If Tizzie was the dominant cat, she probably frowned on Mini sleeping in that basket, even if Mini didn't want to sleep there? Now that Mini's the boss, she can sleep where she wishes.
The rules for the "cat-chess" that goes on in a multi-cat household, or outside, are complex and not for humans to grasp easily. :-) Dominant queens seem to have similar powers to the chess queen, though.

Fran
02-05-2006, 12:17 PM
Yes, we had a major shift in heirachy here when Lucky passed on over Christmas. Actually, I thought that Matilda was alpha female here whilst Lucky was alive and she actually tried to make Lucky's life hell at times but it became apparant after Lucky had departed that Lucky had infact been alpha female ;) Matilda, seemed to try from day one of Lucky's departure to take over as alpha female, strangly enough she seems to have accepted that Maud is now alpha female despite the fact that Maud is several years younger than herself. I would say it didn't affect the boys in the slightest and they still have the same heirachy as they had before lucky's passing...

Hreow
02-05-2006, 12:27 PM
My only experience is from when I lived in an area where most people (if not all) had cats. The female cats would have their garden, and perhaps a bit more as their core territory, and the males would "annex" (and defend against other males) the territories of the females around them as well as their own garden. It's the only time I've had a chance of observing larger populations of co-existing cats.

Fran
02-05-2006, 12:34 PM
It's rather a strange mix in our house. We have two females, one speyed one not. 3 males, 2 neutered and one entire. Surprisingly, it is a very calm existence. Matilda and Sylvester like to keep themselves to themselves and prefer human company to other felines. Actually things are so much easier since Lucky passed away as I could never trust Sylvester or Matilda with her as they really tried to hurt her. I always had to keep her shut away from them when I wasn't around. Now there is no Lucky they all seem to get on just fine :? Not sure what will happen when I introduce two more females into the house later on this year. Especially, ones so dominant as Siamese/Oriental :shock:

dinahsmum
02-05-2006, 12:53 PM
I should have added in my first post that Mini is alpha, without a doubt - is Siamese, would gulp her food then steal Tizzie's, Tizzie was very deferential to her, Mini was a litle b*tch and would seek out all Tizzies 'quiet hideaways' and colonise them. But never the basket I spoke about, neither of them were very fussed about that........yet suddenly, that's 'the only place in town'. :roll: :smt102

Roll on two nice, uncomplicated, eunuchs - tummy kicks anyone?

Hreow
02-05-2006, 01:52 PM
The basket may not be in the optimal position to watch all critical paths? If she was making sure that Tizzie didn't get anything nicer than Mini had?

dinahsmum
02-05-2006, 01:53 PM
The basket may not be in the optimal position to watch all critical paths? If she was making sure that Tizzie didn't get anything nicer than Mini had?
Yup - good point!
I can understand much of the dog psychology but the cat stuff is beyond me - inscrutable +++

Kazz
02-05-2006, 05:31 PM
Well I have given up trying to figure it outdogs easy peasy. But cats - I am in the dark.:roll:

I never figured out who was in charge if anyone was. Put down two dishes of identical food and Cleo would always take first choice but if she wasn't there or not hungry and Oscar took a dish Cleo would never move him from it nor would he move even if she passed him or vice versa. On the bed if Cleo was asleep on the bed Oscar never jumped on her side he always came up the other way she would attack him and growl (but that only started a few years ago) and I put it down to her failing hearing not hearing him coming because if she saw him no trouble. Its when he jumped up and took her by surprise the trouble happened. Where as Oz let Cleo jump on him to get to where she wanted but she used to when younger. No one had better sleeping places than another. They would intermigle one have a chair then if that one got off the other may get on or may not it was first come first served basis I think but remember my two were one boy one girl:-D .

Since Oz has gone Cleo still will not sleep on the left hand side of my bed, :( and her sleeping habits have not changed, she still snoozes where they used to or one would when in. Although she was noticably sadder.:cry:
Karen

dinahsmum
02-05-2006, 05:33 PM
Your two are prob not the best example Kazz - being siblings and together for 23 years ...... had probably reached an understanding long ago!

Kazz
02-05-2006, 05:48 PM
You are probably right DM. Everyone said they never had need to fight they had three of everything - a little like the dogs really.:roll:

bobbie3917
02-05-2006, 06:12 PM
my 2 are easy going
they both let each other sleep where they want never fight over food dishes or anything maybe they have worked it out already i dont know

MzTrouble
02-05-2006, 07:13 PM
I had 2 cats, and one of them was run over. The one left behind (pugwash) mourned for Horatio terribly. A lot of his fur fell out, he cried all the time, became very thin. We were so worried and took him to the vet who said, he is morning his brother. Give him time! We really thought he was going to die as well!

Fortunately, he perked up and is happy as larry now :)

dinahsmum
31-05-2006, 06:11 PM
I think Mini is now going through mourning with a vengeance - she is crying so much :( - and those of you with Siamese experience will know how loud that is. :shock: I was speaking to my neighbour across the road at her door this afternoon and I could hear Mini from inside the house! :shock: She has been vet checked and is physically fine.

Hope the arrival of the babies will help her. She is happy if I cuddle her, but I can't do that all day, and think it's probably best not to indulge her too much.

The previous post is helpful - I'm sure time will heal.

Kazz
31-05-2006, 06:37 PM
Since Oz was PTS Cleo has become a lot more clingy is the best word to decribe it. And to me noticable sadder - she often looks as if she is waiting for something maybe for him to come home :( I know cats have no sense of time but I think she "realises" he has been gone a long time now and misses him.
But there again the clinginess could be down to her age, or to the fact she considers me security/familiarity she previously associated with Oscar and she misses that - there again maybe the fact I "worry" over her more than when I had the two they were invincible but now Oscar has gone I realise no-one lives forever and could be blamed for "fussing" over her a little to much.

She grieved like Mini is weeks later rather than straight away, as if they just realise the other is missing, it is sad and I tried not to indulge her to much but it is hard isn't it you just wish you could explain.

dinahsmum
31-05-2006, 06:42 PM
Thanks for that Kazz. Yes it's a shame we can't sit them down with a cup of tea and a cuddle and say 'I know - there's an emptiness in my world too'.

Do you know the 'trophy' noise cats make when they're bringing you a wonderful bit of game. Like our CP colleague ..... , phonetically, it's HRE-OW! That's the noise, loud and repeated. :roll:

Roll on next Friday .... if it doesn't help Min the arrival of the babies will distract me!

and thank goodness time does heal.

Kazz
31-05-2006, 06:48 PM
Thats the noise and whats gets me is I swear she does not pause for breath :roll: she just carries on I say "yes Cle" but until I touch her she does not stop :?

Hreow
31-05-2006, 09:21 PM
Hreow is Old English for sorrow, mourning. Maybe the word stems from a cat-noise?

Kazz
31-05-2006, 10:29 PM
Hreow is Old English for sorrow, mourning. Maybe the word stems from a cat-noise?


You learn something new every day........:) Thanks

Well Cleo sounds like she is in mourning really sorrowful noise, goes right through you and really carries a distance:roll:

dandysmom
31-05-2006, 10:33 PM
Hreow is Old English for sorrow, mourning. Maybe the word stems from a cat-noise?
Fascinating: I didn't know that...

dinahsmum
01-06-2006, 11:47 AM
Hreow is Old English for sorrow, mourning. Maybe the word stems from a cat-noise?
or maybe my cat knows Ancient English??????

That's interesting Hreow, but I'm a bit alarmed that you have chosen such a sad board-name.

Hreow
01-06-2006, 03:51 PM
Long story and now more of a "badge" than a sign of a mourner.

Booktigger
02-06-2006, 03:01 PM
Ginger has seen a few cats come and go, and did change after 2. When I got him, I had a very dominant female, but didn't realise just how dominant till she went and he changed character completely - wasn't going to get any more cats cos of that, but Snowy came unexpectedly. She was the right kind of cat for him, she made him be friends. After she went, he suddenly started using the litter tray - that had been taken away after she went, as he never used it. He stopped sleeping upstairs during her last illness, and has never bothered that much since.