At one point I had 4 cats. A few days before the 1st (Kittie) died (we knew it was going to happen) she was sitting between us. During that time each of the other 3 came up on the couch and licked her head and snuggled her.
The 4 always got along but until that time they had never shown that kind of affection to each other.
Kittie was the alpha cat. These was a chair she liked to sit in. If one of the others was up there and she jumped onto the chair, the other would get off...no confrontation.
After Kittie died, they sat looking at that chair and refused to go on it.
All 4 always knew when I was not feeling well and would snuggle in.