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My cat is grieving a death. Should I get another cat or what to do?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Domestic Shorthair | Female | spayed | 11 years and 11 months old | 9 lbs

About a month ago one of my cats passed away and her sister and her weren't very close but have been together since birth. We noticed that she's been almost sad. She has two brothers who are younger than her but should we consider getting another female cat for her or what could we do?!

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Lauren Kennedy, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on August 20th, 2017

I am sorry to hear about your cat passing away. It is very normal for pets in the same household to grieve the loss of a sibling/house mate. What Tommy is going through is completely normal.

I would first recommend taking her to be checked out by your vet just to ensure there is no underlying illness that is causing her change in behavior. If she receives a clean bill of health then you can assume her behavior is due to the loss of her sister.

It is hard to say whether or not getting another cat would help. She may love the company of another female or she may feel stressed at having a new housemate.

In the meantime, while you are deciding on whether or not to add another cat to your home, try spending some extra time and giving extra attention to Tommy, this may be all she needs.

I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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