Just when I think I'm getting over the loss

[JanusAscending]

of my fur baby Flurry, my cat Sammy, who was his constant companion for 7 years, finally realizes he's gone!!! I told my daughter about it last night. Sammy originally belonged to her, but Gramma took him in when she married a guy with cat allergies. She said she thought Sammy was a little slow on the uptake!!! After all this time, instead of his normal "midnight madness" he's roaming all over the house looking in every nook and cranny and crying out for his brother...NON STOP!! He's tearing my heart out. I hope he gets over it soon. :( Has anyone else gone through something similar and how long for? I'd get him a new kitten to play with, but I can't afford another mouth to feed. My daughter takes care of supplying his food and kitty litter, and any shots or vet bills. I told her up front that this was the only way I would take him. She gave me two cats, but one has since crossed over the rainbow bridge from old age. Sammy is a grey oriental and has that cry like siamese cats do...like a baby!!! I'm just about out of tears now from the heart break. It seems unending. What to do...what to do????

[BlueIris]

1. (((( Janus ))))

Here's hoping Sammy adjusts as soon as he can.

[rumpel]

2. I have not much experiences with cats, JA

but with dogs it takes a few weeks, after one of their pack departs.

Try to just enjoy Sammy and he will know that you are his companion now.

:Hug: to both of you

[murielm99]

3. I am so sorry.

Give Sammy lots of love so he can adjust.

Our cat had a hard time when our older dog passed over. Emily was such a sweet, gentle old Lab. Our kitty gets along well with our younger dog.

I am sorry to say that it did take some time. I think it was about a month before our kitty stopped looking for her friend.

Take good care of yourself and Sammy.

[MorningGlow]

4. Ohhh...it's terrible, isn't it?

It's hard enough for humans to have to deal with the loss of a furbaby, but when our other furbabies are sad and "mourn", it's far, far worse. :(

When our alpha make kitty, Dilbert, passed last summer (cancer), I had to mourn from far away, as it happened when MG Jr. and I were visiting my brother in California. And although I had the chance to deal with my feelings for about a week before we got home, of course it was devastating to be back in the house without him there.

But the worst thing was my familiar, Jasmine. She's usually a purring machine--purrs all the time and doesn't even realize it. But for quite a while, she'd climb on me (both our remaining females were very clingy after Dilbert passed), and she wouldn't purr at ALL. Like her motor was broken. Or, more likely, her heart. That devastated me all over again.

But eventually her motor started up again, and although the dynamic is totally different without their brother, both cats adjusted. The only thing that's permanently different is Jasmine, usually an affable lump, now REFUSES to go in the cat carrier, likely because the last time Dilbert went into it he never came back home. And I even retired Dilbert's carrier--I won't use it for vet trips.

I'd say give Sammy extra lovins for as long as he needs it. You're all that's left of his "pack" now, after all.

Be well, JA. Sending healing light to you and Sammy. :hug:

[I Have A Dream]

5. I'm so sorry, JA.

I wish that I could help in some way. :(

[JanusAscending]

6. Bless you all!!

I'm sorry I keep unloading my grief on all of you. It's hits me especially hard late at night when I usually post here before bed. You are all right about Sammy needing XTRA lovin'. When he's not roaming and looking for his brother, he's on me like glue! I can't move without him right under my feet. So yeah....he's been getting a lot of petting and hugging. Stroking his warm body is very comforting, and has a tendency to lower the stress and blood pressure. I have 4 more days of the prednisone pills that are keeping me awake at night and causing big time headaches!! They are however, helping with my lungs and any and all inflammation in my body. I'm even getting my sense of taste back, as my red tongue and saliva glands are healing too!! My eldest daughter is a nurse, who has had to be on it for extended periods because of a back injury. She said "one thing about prednisone is it will either kill ya or cure ya, and you'll wish it would kill ya while you're on it! " She is so right, and on top of that, the five lbs. I took off last week, came back this week!!! Thank you all for being here, I love you and Happy Mother's day to all!!! JA

[Fire Walk With Me]

7. "I'm sorry I keep unloading my grief on all of you."

I believe that's what friends are for. :hug:

[Kookaburra]

8. Sweetie, we love you

Who can you go to if not your friends?

When we lost our kittie Babette, her fur-brother Dolce grieved for weeks. At one point I thought he might grieve himself to death, so I adopted another kitten for him, and although it did help distract him, it was another couple of months before he was back to "normal." It just takes as long as it takes for them. Be extra loving with your kitty -- it'll help you both.

Prednisone pills can make you extra-emotional. Had to take them when I had pneumonia a couple of months back, and the side effects are most unpleasant. The good news is you eventually finish taking them and the side effects go away pretty quickly.

:hug:

[I Have A Dream]

9. You just keep coming here as often as you need to, JA.

We love you! I'm so happy to hear about your sense of taste! That's a big deal!

:grouphug:

[MagickMuffin]

10. Animals mourning the loss of their companions is indeed heart breaking

:cry: We have a code that we live by whenever we have to put an animal down or they transition on their own, we generally will show the living babies the deceased body of their pal. I think this helps a lot.

Now I realize that Flurry didn't have the same situation as a pet transitioning to a new life across the Rainbow Bridge. But the last kitty baby that did transition on us was Kagome 1. Her brother and sister "knew" she was not long for this world and so they adjusted just fine. However, we neglected to show Kilala, Kagome's body and Kilala had just taken a liking to Kagome. Kilala was sick with worry because she didn't know where her new best friend had gone. It took her about a month to quit looking for her and crying out for her. It was extremely sad and I was mad at us for not considering Kilala's feelings concerning her new friend and showing her that Kagome had crossed over.

So, like others have said just give Sammy extra attention and he will soon realize that he's receiving unconditional love and will stop seeking his buddy Flurry. I'm so sorry you guys are still experiencing a rough patch. It will get better with time.

We are here for you JA, whenever you need us :hug:

[northernlights]

11. I'm so sorry Janus

Just spend as much extra time with Sammy asyou can. :hugs: to you both.

[JanusAscending]

12. I jut love and appreciate you all so much!

You are my family, if only in Spirit, and I've come to trust and rely on you. Thank you for the comfort and assurance that "this too shall pass"!:grouphug: