I definitely would not take a cat along to the vet's for such a reason. If the vet comes to your house, I am not sure I would want the other cat in the room at the time- I guess that depends on the kitties.

I had very bonded litter mates. When the boy cat passed away a few years ago, he was very sick with cancer for a week or two before we had to let him go. His litter mate seemed well aware that he was unwell, and I think she *knew* when he was gone from the bed where he was convalescing. She was distraught that he was gone, but she did not seem to look for him. I think your other cat may "just know" since the other cat is unwell.

I'm so sorry that you are facing this right now. It is never easy.

Last year when I had my dog put down, the vet came to the house. While it was very peaceful and non-traumatic for my sick dog, my other dog just kept wanting the attention of the vet and tech. He was oblivious to what was going on. I don't think it will matter either way to your remaining pet. But do whatever is better for you.

It's hard for me to think clearly at a time like this so I appreciate the advice. I probably won't include his brother, for all the reasons discussed above.

I wouldn't take the brother to the vet, but if the vet comes to the house (which is what I always try to do) then I suggest you just leave him alone and see what happens. If the brother starts to act uncomfortable, then put him in another room but I think you'll see him react more to the humans in the house than the situation at hand.

When my last dog was euthanized, his pal had avoided him the last few days he was alive. I think she knew how ill the older dog was and why her pal didn't get out of his bed very often. She avoided the room during the procedure and afterward I called her into the room to see the body. She acted as tho there was nothing there.........not even any interest in smelling the body.

I'm so sorry.

I wouldn't have the other cat in the room while it's happening, but I'd let him see & sniff his brother to perceive that his brother is gone.

My brother told me that his younger dog was wary of him for months after he took the older dog away & returned alone, & the vet said it would have been better had Tasha seen the other dog;
she would have recognized & accepted death.

i've never been through this with cats but when i had to have my female corgi put down (cancer), it was done at the vet's office (emergency situation). later in the evening, he brought her little body out to the farm. we laid her on a dog bed on the floor. her corgi brother and my dane girl laid down next to her and stayed that way for about 30 minutes. they would nudge and sniff her every few minutes. it was such a tender moment to see. after a while, they got up and went about their normal routine.

when i had to have my male corgi put down 5 months later, my vet came to the farm. he and my dane girl were SO close, best buddies. after simon was gone, i let ashley and my new dane girl into the bedroom to see him. ashley sniffed him, looked up at me, sniffed him again and then just walked away. so sad.

i'm really sorry you have to go through this. for me, it was important for my living dogs to realize a death had occurred rather than having the sick dog taken away, never to be seen again.

I wouldn't, but if the vet comes to the house, maybe let the body lay there for him to see. I did that years ago when my cat Louie died, but no one was upset. In my present situation there is a mother /baby(who is 20 pounds..lol) and they are very close. I rescued mom and her babies when they were 2 weeks old, fostered and then got the boys a home together. . I kept mom and baby and that was eight years ago and they are never apart. Since we have no idea how old mom is, it will devastate Annie when she dies. All animals react differently, and since yours are siblings, they are probably closer than non siblings as mine are. My sympathy to you and your cat.

When I had to put one of my dogs down, I did take her "sister" with us. My dad went with me and stayed with sister in the reception area. After it was over, I took sister into the room so she could see that her sibling was gone.

I think this is very important for dogs. I have no experience with cats, but I can't imagine that it would be any different. I know that there is stress for many animals when they go to the vet, and cats seem particularly stressed, but I still believe that they need to know, and the only way they can know is to be exposed to the body.

The "sister" that I took with me was terrified of rain and storms. Wouldn't you know it, the day that I had to put her buddy down, it was pouring. She was scared and shaking the whole time, and when I took her into the room to see her sister, she sniffed once very quickly, but at the time it seemed to me that she was so freaked out about the storm that it didn't register to her that her sis was gone. I was wrong.

In the days that followed, when I would say "wanna go outside?!", she'd run towards the bedroom to get her sis. But she'd stop halfway, because she realized her sis wasn't there anymore. Broke my heart, but also confirmed that I'd done the right thing by taking her.

I wouldnt include the sibling when he's being put to sleep, I dont think animals will understand what's happening and it could just stress them out. when I lose a pet I bring them home again and let the other pets see them and sniff so that they can see their buddy is gone instead of just suddenly disappearing on them. when I had my last dog put to sleep, my young pup who adored her knew she was sick, she would come up to her bed and check on her often in the days leading up to it and got to see her after she was gone so she never looked for her. She did take it very hard though, became very down in the dumps and wouldnt eat but I think she understood what happened.

Over the decades, I have taken animals to the vet to be euthanized and never brought them home again, taken them to the vet for euthanasia and brought the body home again, and had them euthanized at home. Of those options, home euthanasia has been easiest for all concerned - the animal being euthanized and the surviving animal siblings.

In my experience, animals - cats and dogs (and horses) - have an instinctive understanding and acceptance of death as long as they are given the opportunity to acknowledge it. The only time I have seen my animals experience angst and grief after the loss of an animal companion is when the companion simply "disappears", never to return home again. But as long as the survivors have the opportunity to acknowledge the body after death, acceptance of the passing seems nearly automatic and involves little or no lingering anxiety or grief.

For this reason, I now try to have euthanasias performed at home so that the animal who is passing can be as comfortable as possible, and the animal survivors know exactly what has happened. If the survivors choose to remain in the room during the procedure, they have that option. If they choose to go elsewhere, they may do that. The euthanasia itself doesn't seem to upset them, though the vet's presence may. After euthanasia is completed, I lay the body on a dog bed in the livingroom overnight to give all of the other animals the opportunity to "view" the body before I take it to the crematorium the next day.

If I must, for some reason, have the euthanasia performed at the vet clinic, I now always bring the body home for the overnight viewing so that the other animals can acknowledge the passing. It really does help them accept the absence of the passed animal without anxiety.

If there is any way to avoid it, I will never again have an animal euthanized without giving the other animals the opportunity to view and acknowledge the body after death. I would not, however, take surviving animals to the vet clinic with me to witness a euthanasia. The trip to the vet would cause undue stress for the survivor(s). The viewing of the body should occur at home, not at the vet's clinic.

Laurie

Several years ago, I had to have our pug euthanized. He and my other dog were best buddies who grew up together. The surviving dog searched for the pug for weeks and was very lethargic and sad. I always wondered if it would have helped if he had seen his friend's body and known he had died. He is now sixteen years old and this thread has convinced me that when he dies, I will make sure my others see the body.

Personally, I leave other pets at home. Putting a beloved companion down is our last great moment together, and I want my focus to be on surrounding that dog or cat with warmth and love. Then I go home and surround the other guys with warmth and love too. I've never seen any mourning behavior or confusion in surviving pets.

Thankfully, It's never been stressful for any of my pets to go to the vet - I've had great, long-term relationships with wonderful caring providers. And when the time comes, they have allowed us all the time in the world to get through the process, including a soft blanket to wrap and cuddle with, and plenty of hugs and tears afterward.

It's always so hard to go through, but I do eventually look back on the various farewells over the years with great love and pride that I was able to end suffering and ease pain, and share those final moments.

Believe it or not pets need their closure too. I make sure when I put down the dogs their companions get to sniff them after they are put down. They are not depressed after. They don't look for them after. I have even done this with the horses. I put my 31 year old down and I had the other two sniff her after. They didn't fuss like they do when you take one out of the field. They were calm and no calling for her. I started doing this after my sister's vet advised her to do this. It has worked beautifully in my household.