🚀 go-pugleaf

I am fairly new to the net but want to respond to several questions asked
recently.  Are two kitties better than one? Same litter? genders? What
behavior observed after death of companion? Replacement?  I have had
some experience in each of these areas and I hope it will help.  I got
two male kittens from the same litter at 5 1/2 weeks, barely weaned.
They played (and occasionally fought) together beautifully.  They washed
each other, etc.  They were as different as day and night -- one outgoing
one shy, but both lovable.  One was killed by a speeding car right in
front of our house on a clear, sunny afternoon.  The other was sleeping
inside.  That night the surviving cat (over a year old) was very restless
and the next morning he couldn't  wait to be let out.  He immediately ran
to all their favorite places, then climbed up to the roof of our 3-story
house and looked all around.  I don't know how long he stayed there as
I had to get to work. (I'll leave out my reactions, but I have a knot in
my middle remembering...) He has never been the same again.  He does
occasionally play, but not often and not as enthusiastically.  I got
him a "replacement" male kitten (~7 weeks old) but he has never wanted
anything to do with him. (This, I hear, is not *normal*.) He is not as
lovable and sleeps more.  He still loves the out-of-doors and gets _very_
excited at the sound of a jar of baby-food meat popping open!!  That is
what is left of his personality.  So, I believe cats do grieve and I
guess some of them just never get over it.  I will always have at least
two kitties, even if they aren't super-compatable. (Btw, I lost custody
of both cats in a divorce but plan to get two more as soon as I buy a
house!)