Would he miss his brother?

[Almondroca]

About 2-3 years ago we 'adopted' two cats from a friend who could no longer have them. They were both about six years old when we got them. One of them had always been a house cat and the other had been a stray but was taken in by my friend and became a house cat too. But they'd lived together since they were about a year old, although obviously not related.

They seemed to get on pretty well..they'd play together, pounce on each other...which I think was a game! They'd often be in the same room, although only occasionally actually curl up together. So close, but they also seemed to annoy each other.

Anyway, last April, one of them was hit and killed by a car .

The one that's left has always been an intense cat, but he is now really really needy! He talks and talks and talks! And he just seems like he has changed! He scratches the furniture when he never used to...but it's mainly the meowing that is odd. He's definitely different to how he used to be.

So....do you think it's possible that this is related to losing the other cat? And would getting another cat be a good idea....or a bad one? Generally, it seems that introducing a new cat isn't very easy.

Any experience of a similar situation?

Hi Almondroca

I haven't had exactly the same situation as you but I didn't want to see your post go unanswered.

In my experience, a bonded pair like you had would focus much of their attention on each other - playing, sleeping together for cuddles and comfort, generally interacting. I reckon that when your other boy was killed (so sorry about that) your remaining boy has switched all of this attention to you.

My senior (bed) cats have for many years been Siamese singletons and they behave just as you describe. Talking all the time, following you around, sitting on you as much as they can, sleeping with you every night. (Hence the 'bed' cat.) In fact it's only due to the grace of a still chilly house and an electric blanket on the bed that I haven't got my current cozieseniorboy here on my lap while I'm typing. I expect the pad of feet down the stairs at any moment when he wakes up and realizes that Mummy isn't in bed.

Could he be missing his brother? Well I would think so. Not necessarily in any really deep way but his behaviour has changed. If you give him lots of attention he should still be content. (On the scratching, choose the item of furniture you like least (or tack down a sample piece of good carpet) and let him scratch it as an 'authorized place'. Lots of praise if he uses it and firm NOs if he uses something else. They've got to scratch somewhere - so choose where.)

On introducing another cat - well it would basically be starting from scratch and there's no guarantee that another cat would fill the place of the cat who died. I wouldn't, personally, do it just for that reason - and if you can give this one the attention he needs and he's happy. Others may have different experiences though and may be able to advise you more on that.

Best of luck with him.

PS - are you at home during the day or is he left by himself for large periods of time?

I don't think he'd take to another cat, sorry.

Thank you for your replies and thoughts.

I am at home a lot. I work part time but am home based quite a lot so am around most of the time. He certainly gets a lot of attention and we're more than happy to give him attention.

I'm inclined to agree that he wouldn't take to another cat - between him and the cat that was killed and previous cat we had, this current one is the most forceful about not letting other cats from the neighbourhood in through the cat flap! So I don't think he's a cat lover in general....but I was feeling a bit doubtful about it and wondered if some cats, maybe, did like to live with another cat.

I'll just carry on having an endless 'meow', 'hello', 'meow', 'hello' conversation with him then!

Thanks again.

Buy him a pet heated pad/bed if you can afford it. Cats are quite sybaritic and he's just starting to get middle aged now - would probably snooze quite happily on warmth throughout the day.

(Typed over cozieseniorboy sitting on my lap, purring.)

He's currently wrapped up in my son's duvet next to a warm radiator. I've a feeling he would laugh at any 'animal' products. 'Other cat' had a cat fountain which he used all the time. This one knows it's a 'cat product'.

Ah - a sensible cat who already has it all sorted.