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Do you think that kittens miss each other, when they are split up?
@beautyqueen26 (16030)
United States
September 5, 2007 6:31am CST
Today I was watching two little kittens playing in our front yard (they belong to the outdoor female cat) and I was thinking how much they seemed to like each other. They were having the time of their lives, just rolling around on the grass and wrestling with a stick. And, I thought how sad it would be if they ever got separated.
And, it made me wonder if kittens actually miss each other, in an emotional way. Do you think that kittens miss their brothers and sisters after they have been "adopted" by other families? How do they deal with or express that grief? And, what can a pet owner do to help them cope with their loss?
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5 responses
@lilaclady (28206)
• Australia
5 Sep 07
I have often wondered about this sort of thing with all animals, when you see them at the zoo and then they send some baby animals to other countries, I sort of think animals have more feeling than most humans prefer to think they have...
@lilaclady (28206)
• Australia
6 Sep 07
I agree... although I think these days with all the slaughtering of animals the best place for them to be is in zoos but only if they have natural like enclosures with a lot of space as our Melbourne Zoo has...
@cmsk2005 (1770)
• United States
5 Sep 07
Yes ofcourse I think. You can notice if you hide the one and let watch the other, you can see the kitten alone will be very upset, will look for the other siblings and when can't find, will be so upset just walk around or just doing nothing, thinking about the sibling. You can watch the face of that kitten then and it clearly shows the sadness and the reflection of its mind. It also goes away with time like everybody else and specially when any one adopt then it gets healed going the new place and gettinh attention from somebody else. I think they should be provided with some games or something like that which can make them happy and help them forget the other
@eachen2002 (889)
• United States
6 Sep 07
I think it's alot like not seeing your relatives for awhile out of sight out of mind.Not that you don't miss them they just stay in the back of your mind.
@delladidit (466)
• United States
5 Sep 07
...They do miss each other for a time. After they have been separated for a while, they seem to not recognize each other and will fight. Mother cats will attack her grown baby. How strange nature is sometimes.
...Grief can be expressed many different ways. They may stop playing for a while or eatting. They may sleep a lot. They may pee where they are not supposed to. They may seem clingie and want to be with you, following you around the house.
...To help them over this, they need a lot of attention. Socialization is the term used to describe human petting and handling of young kittens. You need to touch them during this transition. If they are sleeping, just a few strokes every so often. If they are not playing or eatting, pick them up and cuddle them, pet them. If they are clingie, encourage them to play.
...Hardest expression of grief to deal with is peeing in inappropriate places. You have to be firm. Push their nose in it and gently place them in their litter box. NEVER HIT YOUR CAT WITH YOUR HAND!! It is better to roll up a piece of news paper and hit the floor, not the cat. Only do this if behavior continues and try to catch them doing it. They will better understand what you are reprimanding them for.
...If this behavior continues, they may have a medical condition they need help with. Get them to a vet, asap.
...Best thing I have found to remove odor is borateen. Or is it borateem? Old borax laundry soap. Mix powder into paste with a little water. Sponge out as much urine as possible and then spread paste on area. Let it dry, remove dried paste and vaccuum area well. Bissel make a good carpet upholstry spray, too.
...If I could remember what box I packed it in, I'd grab my cat behavior book and give you the reference. There are several out there. Experience has taught me a lot, too. Almost 50 years of having cats will teach you a lot. I think there is a book...Everyting I Know, I Learned From My Cat.
...Have a purrfect day and peace be with you. =(^;^)= Della
@beautyqueen26 (16030)
• United States
6 Sep 07
That is fantastic information! And, certainly it explains the behavior of my cats when I first got them as kittens. My baby girl cat was forever peeing in the corner and overly clingy as you mentioned. I believe that her litter-mates and siblings lived next door to us and she could still hear them through the walls of the apartment. (we got her as a kitten from the neighbors.) That must have been so hard for the poor baby. But, she became my little girl very quickly and adapted well. She is still very clingy and right now is curled up in my lap. I would miss her so badly if she passed. And, now my daughter has adopted her as well. Very happy about that. I will bookmark this page and use it as reference for our next kitten. Fingers crossed! Thanks again. Very pertinent information.
@beautyqueen26 (16030)
• United States
9 Sep 07
Thank you so much. I will do so. Be well and thanks for chatting with me.
@delladidit (466)
• United States
6 Sep 07
...Adopting another kitten may help with your baby girl's clinginess. Cats are social creatures and another kitten will give her some company and a playmate.
...On the other hand, you may experience what is called territorialism. Your baby girl may start marking her territory. Having a second litter box may help with this.
...As soon as I unpack the book I use, I will enter it here. It is a great reference on behaviors. It lacks a lot of information on the different breeds and their personality traits. However, it gives a lot of good information on how to care for your cats and kittens. That is what I was looking for, at the time, as one of my cats was having kittens. (# of her kittens are my avitar.)
...Please feel free to ask me any question you may have on cats and cat care. I have a friend who is a vet and I can ask her if I do not know the answer.
...Good luck with your fur babies. Have a great day and peace be with you. =(^;^)= Della
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