Is my cat calling for his sister?

[TonTonMacoute]

We got our two cats as kittens, brother and sister, 14 years ago.

Last summer my girl cat died after a short illness, but since then her brother seems to be calling for her in the house. It's usually just after he comes in from outside, he prowls round meowing really loudly, and it's a really strange call, almost human. It really does sound as if he's missing her and is cross with her for staying hidden for so long!

I wondered if anyone else had noticed this behaviour after losing one of a pair.

I've had 10 cats over the years and have always taken the deceased one home so the others can understand where they have gone. I've seen mixed reactions from outright grief to just sniffing and walking away. They do grieve in their own way. My last cat knew where I buried her brother because she was there when I did it. She would often sit by his grave.

One of my 2 sister cats died last December aged 16yrs. They got on ok, but did have their moments. The surviving cat immediately became very vocal, yowling when coming back inside and at night (still does it now). She is also much more cuddly and clingy, which may be because I have been working from home so much. She has been vet checked and blood tested, but just shows signs of mild kidney failure.

It is hard to know if her change of behaviour is related to her sisters death - I wish they could talk.

My cat does this when he gets home. He has always been a single cat though. We thinks it's him announcing that he is home to us. We go and find him or call to him and make a big fuss of him.

Maybe your cat is feeling lonely and wants a bit of extra attention when he arrives home.

I am so sorry that your other cat died.

One of my two cats went missing for 5 days. The one left behind did the strange calling/yowling and also started picking up things like pens and small cuddly toys up in her mouth and carrying them around the house while making a yowling sound.

As soon as her naughty brother came back home she stopped and went back to normal so I do think it's a grief thing.

Ahh yes, one of my cats did this for weeks after his brother died. I felt so sorry for him!

One of mine has taken to doing this at about midnight outside my son’s room!

I thought they didn’t meow at each other - that the chirping was cat2cat and meowing was for talking to humans? I guess he could be asking whether you know where she’s gone?! Poor little chap.

Sorry meant to say, both cats still Alive so it’s not meowing for his sister, but is a new behaviour

Our boy cat went through a period of calling for his sister. She just ignored him - would move an ear but stay lying down. He doesn't do that anymore but he does declare his survival from the great outdoors on his arrival.

Our old car changed completely when her 'companion' cat died - she'd been stand offish and quiet but turned into a very talkative, pleasant lap cat. The cat that died seemed to have cramped her style.

Yes my cat behaved like this when her brother died. She'd sit on the fence just howling for him. It went on for weeks or months. It made me feel so sad for her.

We had sister cats and the one that died first had always mothered the other one. The remaining sister howled and paced for ages. It was so sad.

This is interesting, it seems like they do miss their companions and wonder where they have gone. Love him to bits, but he is a bit of an entitled bloke, he sometimes sounds really cross that she doesn’t answer him.

@PatriotCanes

That doesn’t surprise me, I’ve heard of something like that before. Boy cat was always the alpha, and was sometimes a bit of a bully, and I sort of hoped that he would go first so his sister would have her chance to be top cat. Not to be sadly.

I took my cat along when her sister was. PTS. She sniffed her body and instantly recoiled. And blossomed from that moment onwards as she's now top cat.