Cat Mourning Loss of Brother

Question
Ali, Of the four cats I had, two were brothers I was asked to foster-care for when they were 5 weeks old (from the Animal Rescue Force) until they were old enough to be neutered and adopted out.  I eventually adopted both of them.  They are both almost 8 years old.  Last month we lost one of the brothers (died) and I'm wondering if the remaining brother (Murphy) is mourning or feeling depressed...that is, do cats get sad/depressed over something like this?  He doesn't act much different than before, but I'm thinking he must miss his brother as they used to play a little together during the day (The other two cats are both female and not related...separate adoptions).

Not only that, he has been spraying in our home for about a year now. And I'm wondering if he's doing that in reaction to losing his brother.

If he is mourning, how long does that usually last?  Thanks in advance for any advice you can give.

Answer
This is an addendum to the original answer.

Erin,

I would suggest that you try the mood music and the homeopathy. It is worth a try and may help to soothe Murphy and at least lessen some of the less desirable behaviors that you describe. Please feel free to stay in touch and inform me of how things are going with Murphy. I will do my absolute best to offer suggestions, recommendations and support. Hopefully this issue can be resolved with the help of your vet, my recommendations and your patience and willingness to try new things to help make Murphy feel a bit happier and more secure. I still really think that Murphy's health ought to be assessed by your vet through a full blood panel and physical examination. Hopefully this information is helpful. If you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me again.






Erin,

Many people are not aware of just how complex cats really are. Cats experience the full range of emotions from joy, happiness and satisfaction to anger, frustration and grief. Since your kitty has recently lost a member of the family that he was close to he may very well be grieving and trying to adjust without the kitty he felt close to. I would recommend that you take this kitty to the vet fairly shortly to ensure that there are no medical issues causing his depression and inappropriate urination. There is a good possibility that these issues may be related to the loss of a friend, but there is always the possibility that we may be wrong and he is ill and needs to be diagnosed and treated by the veterinarian. Animals differ just like people, grief has no particular time table, it is a longer process for some than others. I am not sure how many kitties are currently in your home, I do think that I should suggest that you have one litter box per cat plus one per level of your home, it is possible that the depression and urination have little to do with each other. Litter boxes should not have scented litter in them as some cats are sensitive to scents just like people. I would also suggest that you allow your cats' litter boxes to be in quiet and private areas simply because they also prefer to go to the washroom in private. I would suggest that you clean any areas where your kitty has urinated inappropriately with an enzymatic cleaner. These types of cleaners are widely available at pet stores and some janitorial supply stores, they work by using beneficial bacteria to eat the compounds of organic wastes (urine, feces, vomit) that cause unpleasant odors. Enzymatic cleaners sold in pet stores sometimes come with kits that include a black light, this is helpful because when you turn the lights off you will be able to see if there are any other spots that have heavy concentrations of organic substances that may be causing odors. If there are any air fresheners in the areas where litter boxes are kept I would recommend that you discard them since some cats will react to air fresheners the same way that they react to scented litter. If you had recently changed the kitty litter brand or type when the urinating outside of the litter box began I would highly recommend that you switch back and make a gradual change to your litter of preference. You mention that your kitty is almost 8 years old, I would strongly suggest that you have his kidney function and other organs tested via blood work, this kitty is middle aged and there is a possibility that he may have a health issue that is making him feel depressed and urinate outside of the box. I really wish that I could offer more immediate solutions. I do hope that this information helps. If you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me again. If you wouldn't mind keeping me up to date and letting me know if a cause is found by your vet I would appreciate it. I tend to use the knowledge gained by different experiences through my vet and questioners to help other folks in similar situations.