Is my cat lonely?

Question
We have had two adopted cats for about four years. They are nine years old and litter mates.  My son was in a serious car accident and I truly believe the cats, especially the little the little female, played a vital part in his rehabilitation. At any rate he really wanted to take both cats but the male has a serious heart condition which means he has to have pills twice a day. Max,the male, never like sharing us with Sam, the female. My work hours vary, I'm a college professor,and now that I am living alone with a lot less traffic in the house, I'm wondering
is Max lonely? The only change in his behavior is clawing the carpet and getting on the table.

Answer
Hi Loretta,

This is a hard question to answer. Some cats get very lonely but some do not. If he was with the female for 9 years then I would say yes, he is lonely. Usually cats will sleep with each other and will groom each other at times. If his behavior has changed then he is showing his loss. If you are thinking of bringing back his littermate it may be too late for that. Cats get territorial and he may not recognize her as being his sister but a rival. When you leave turn a radio or TV on. This will help him cope. Quiet music will make it seem that he is not alone. Try this and see how he is. Good luck.

Ciao, Karen