Expert: Jessica - 1/23/2010

Question
Hi Jessica, I am back again.  Two of our cats were Russian Blues.  Haeh, our older Russian, was born with a heart defect, and we just hoped that he would have a happy life.  He made it just over 6 years, with his heart giving out on him this past December 23rd.  We made the decision to put him down.

My question deals with our 3 1/2 year old Russian.  Even though there is a 3rd cat in the house (the stray that we took in and which you provided great advice for); Benjamin is still showing signs of depression and looking for the older Russian.  He plays a little each day, but mainly lies around in the same area where Haeh used to sleep.  

Is there anything that we can do?  Or will he just have to work his way through this?

Thanks,

Carl  

Answer
Hi Carl.  Sorry to hear of your loss.  

Mostly, cats need to work through grief on their own.  Sometimes cats will fall into a deep depression that they can't get out of after they lose a companion, and they need antidepressants to help them recover.  Your kitty might be a candidate for this if he has lost appetite or if the depression continues for a couple of months.  You should talk to your vet if either of these are true.

You may be able to help your kitty in a more natural way by using some flower essences.  I like a line called Spirit Essences because they were formulated by a widely respected holistic veterinarian and an animal behaviorist.  The Loss Remedy would be appropriate for Benjamin.  See www.spiritessences.com for more information and to order.

Aside from this, keeping a steady routine and encouraging Benjamin to interact as much as you can will be the most important way to help him come through his depression.

I hope all is back to normal soon!

Jessica