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I was once asked if I thought animals grieved when another animal died. I was saddened to learn that yes, cats do grieve when another pet in the family dies.

Fifteen years ago, I rescued a tiny kitten who needed to be bottle-fed. She was only a few days old, and her eyes were just beginning to open. Lily grew into a gorgeous, huge, white, long-haired Norwegian Forest cat. She was gentle, affectionate, and extremely well-behaved. I adored her.

Shari Emling

Five years later, I was given a feral rescue tuxedo kitten who was estimated to be about two months old. She had been abandoned in the Baylands near Palo Alto, California. Her name was Olivia.

Lily immediately “mothered” Olivia, and they lived that way for ten years.

Three weeks ago, Lily died of kidney failure. She had done well for about four years, but then the kidney failure worsened. One evening, she fell asleep and never woke up.

All that time, Lily had still cared for Olivia. She cleaned her face every day.

I was so very sad, but my reaction was nothing compared to Olivia’s.

Shari Emling

Olivia stopped eating and drinking. She would not go anywhere near the feeding area in the kitchen. I tried feeding her on the other side of the kitchen, using only a salad plate, but nothing worked.

Olivia hid on the windowsill behind a large leather chair in the living room. I couldn’t lure her out, even with her favorite roast chicken. She also compulsively pulled out her fur until she had scattered bare patches all over her body.

Three days after Lily died, Olivia finally drank water from a running faucet over the sink, but she still refused to eat or interact with me. She faithfully used the litter box, but not often, since she was not eating at all. She looked like a skeleton covered in fur.

My vet said he could feed her through a tube down her throat, but that it is often not very effective because it can cause even more stress. He said to be grateful that she was finally drinking water, and to keep offering her favorite wet cat food.

I asked if she could possibly be sick. He said she was grieving for Lily.

I had not known grief could be so serious for a cat, but he assured me that it definitely could.

I tried to hold Olivia to comfort her, but she didn’t want attention. She wanted to hide and be alone. I tried to hand-feed her favorite food. I tried offering treats. Nothing worked.

Finally, after two and a half weeks, Olivia appeared at the plate in the kitchen and meowed for food.

I loaded the plate with her favorite wet cat food, and she ate it. Then she demanded more and more until she finished the entire small can. However, if I tried to walk away, she would leave too, so I stood beside her for as long as she wanted to eat.

This happened several times that first day, until she ate two entire small cans of cat food.

Now, on her third day of eating again, Olivia is coming to sleep on my lap. I am cuddling her and feeding her whenever she wants food. I haven’t seen her pull at her fur today. She just wants to sleep and eat.

I have learned, the hard way, that cats can definitely grieve, and that grief can have very serious consequences.

Hopefully, Olivia is now accepting Lily’s death and will regain her strength, health, and joy. When she is more stable, I will look for a calm rescue cat to be her new buddy.

Please wish us luck. My heart is broken for her, but I see things getting better.

UPDATE:  I adopted the local street cat (who someone named Gracie) and Olivia LOVES her and has welcomed her into the house.

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Story submitted by Shari Emling.

This story was originally shared on The Animal Rescue Site. Share your very own rescue story here!