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New next-door neighbors who moved in during late spring brought with them their German Shepherd "Miski," whose first birthday was celebrated two weeks ago. It's been amusing watching her try to interact with my elderly (19 y/o) cat "Weasie." She still has enough puppy in her that she's perpetually curious and wants to play with any creature possessing legs. Of course Weasie will have none of it. When we're on the front steps and Miski is headed out for or returning from a walk, the dog will approach with a friendly face while the cat rises to all fours and hisses away. Having been very well trained, Miski rarely barks at Weasie or due to anything. She's content to relax on her back porch or in the yard while her people are away, never attempting to escape despite not being tethered.
Last Friday morning, all that changed. As I prepared to start my work day, Miski launched into a frenzy of barking and whining. She was racing back and forth across her yard when I walked over to check on her. Upon spotting me she ran up to the gate and looked me in the eye, continuing to bark as if to say, "Don't just stand there, do something!" One of the people she owns was arriving, so I remarked that she must've been excited to see him and went back into my house. Later on I found out what had provoked her (and kept her going bonkers all the way through Monday.) Her humans are close friends with another young couple; the male halves of each pair had gone out bicycle riding early on Friday. En route back the other guy's bike had collapsed, spilling him to the pavement. He landed exactly wrong, on his head outside of where his helmet protected it, and is still in a coma. There's been no encouraging news except that he began responding to reflex testing, though still unconscious, on Monday. Eerily, Miski had picked up on the fact that something was terribly wrong even before her human had gotten home. The people are presenting a calm and composed image in public, but she's not similarly inhibited and has been doing their emoting for them. (These other people have house- and dog-sat for Miski's stepparents before, so she's bonded with them.)
Eerier still is how Weasie started behaving this week. She, too, has let loose with some otherworldly yowls and entreating glances. But, given that she's been a drama queen as long as I've known her, I don't know whether there's anything to this. Could she be picking up on Miski's changed behavior and showing sympathy without knowing about the issue at hand? Or am I reading something into nothing?
Cats are emotional barometers, and Weasie certainly could be reacting to Miski's stress. Just the barking alone could be bothering her, but it could be more than that, too.
Keep a close eye on her, stress can make a cat sick, especially a senior kitty. Some blood work to check her kidneys wouldn't be out of line.
It could be she's reacting to Miski's behavior, but since they don't spend much time together, I'd think it was coincidence. Best to take her to the vet to make sure she's feeling OK.
I've seen many instances of animals reacting to pain in other animals. Once we had a sick cat who was being restricted to the basement while he was recovering. Our dog was just beside herself wanting to get to him. She howled and bayed and paced and dug at the door until I finally let her downstairs to be with her friend. they laid together and were very close and I actually think the companionship helped to ease the inevitable passing of our old dear cat.
I had a female rotty that was 10 years old and than got a male cat that was 7. My rotty died of cancer one night and was taken away to be buried, my cat realizing that his friend was gone ran around the house frantically looking for her meowing loudly. Six months later he also died of throat cancer. I believe that animals can be attached to one another or as easily as humans
Weasie was already scheduled for a check-up this Saturday, and not a moment too soon. To hear her tell it Miski had ruined her summer by moving in. She usually likes nothing more on a hot day than to snooze in her cozy "nap box" on the porch beneath a window. This year, nothing doing. Not once have I noticed her in that box. We don't have AC, but she's found relatively cool indoor spots that are to her liking. Most often she can be spotted napping inside the big master-bedroom closet. All Miski wants is a four-legged friend - for now. She'll probably get the genetic memo soon enough and be more adversarial. Not that it matters to the cat, who got that memo long ago.
All's been quiet for the past two days. My hunch is that Miski may be over at the injured friend's house keeping his spouse/gf company.
I am not sure that "sympathy" would be the right word--that's anthropomorphisizing too much. However, I don't doubt that Weasie is responding to Miski's distress; not sure if it is a sympathetic reaction as we understand it, more like she knows that another animal close-by is in distress and is responding to the vibes.
Even when cats don't "like" an animal that is close-by, they can still think of them as part of "the pack." Not every animal in a pack likes on another, but they are still co-dependent, although it also wouldn't surprise me if it were also an indication that Weasie's "tough girl" image was just that.
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Having been very well trained, Miski rarely barks at Weasie or due to anything. She's content to relax on her back porch or in the yard while her people are away, never attempting to escape despite not being tethered.
There's been no encouraging news except that he began responding to reflex testing, though still unconscious, on Monday. Eerily, Miski had picked up on the fact that something was terribly wrong even before her human had gotten home. The people are presenting a calm and composed image in public, but she's not similarly inhibited and has been doing their emoting for them. (These other people have house- and dog-sat for Miski's stepparents before, so she's bonded with them.)
