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I just moved out for the first time ever across the street from my mom's house (long story). I have two cats, one which is mine and who loves me to death and the other which is more my parent's cat. My cat is 15. She's been at my parent's house for, basically, 15 years. She sleeps with me every night and has done so most nights for the past 15 years.
I'm having this dilemma of whether or not I should move her. The rental company does not allow pets in my new home, but they never check either. She is extremely skittish and it's near impossible to put her in a kennel, but I feel horrible leaving her at night. I was wanting to bring her to my place at night and return her to my mom's in the morning so she can maintain her routine there but sleep with me (which she likes) at night.
I'm hesitant to bring her over full time because I'm afraid she won't adjust well. Her and my other cat also keep each other company and I don't particularly want to break that up since my other cat lost his main companion (my dad) this year and has had a really hard time adjusting to it.
Do cats cope well with being moved like that (back and forth)? Should I just leave her be at my mom's house and visit her daily? Or just full on move her? She hasn't been with me the past two nights and she seems (so far) unaffected. She's not meowing for me and she isn't displaying any signs of stress at the moment.
Do cats care more about their environment/routine than their favorite person? I'm not sure how much of this is really her being potentially upset by my absence or how much of it is the projection of my own separation anxiety onto her.
Cats are creatures of habit. I think that going back/forth would be more uspsetting to her in the long run than staying at your Mom's. Consider also that your mom may be depending on the cats morte than you realize since your dad died. I think the anxiety is all yours.
I agree. You may upset her even more by the shifting back and forth. Why not try a trial period and let her stay with your Mom. Leave a well worn T-shirt so she can cuddle up too...You may be doing both the cat and your Mom a big favor by letting her stay.
They are happier in what they consider to be their own enviroment. Cat's do not like c-h-a-n-g-e. However, if she is happy going back and forth, I see no reason to continue doing that. That way your baby gets to see her companion and stays happy too!
Cats don't like change, but it depends on your cat.
I've moved my boy around a lot. He is 14 (at least) and he sleeps with me every night. In fact, he is sleeping next to me right now with his head on my computer. Once I settle into a new environment, he's okay. And as long as he is familiar with the environment, he is okay.
So I would say, try it with your kitty and see how she does. Make sure you have her litter box set up before you move her to the new place. And keep an eye on her so that she stays only in your room. Cats look for places to hide when they are nervous and you don't want her to disappear and give you a heart attack. She may do fine shifting back and forth. I think my cat would manage it just fine.
One of my cats would actually LIKE the excitement of going back and forth...but she is a pretty unusual cat who also loves car rides! Depends on your cat...if she is skittish it might not be the best thing for her. I would say try it out for a little while, and she will let you know if she wants to go there for sleep time by the way she acts when you arrive after the routine has been established. True, cats are creatures of habit, but they are also very adaptable and able to get used to new routines. I have moved with cats 3 times now, (one time was across the country from NY to TX in a moving truck!) and they always did fine once settled in. Good luck with whatever you decide...!
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