Should I separate 2 senior cats. Seeking advice

[Annalizz21]

Here's my situation, please offer your advice/opinion on this if you can bear with me:

I have two 13 year old cats (Lizzy and Jayne) that my family and I adopted as kittens and I have grown up with. They are not litter mates but have been together in the same house their entire lives.
Since getting them, Lizzy and I have been attached at the hip. Wherever I am, she is most of the time. She sleeps next to me every night and will go to whatever room I’m at and sit near by. Her and the other cat Jayne tolerate each other and sometimes will sleep on the same bed if they are not too close to one another (friends from a distance). They do not really play together or anything. When I moved off to college Lizzy took it hard at first and licked balled spots on her belly. However, after 6 years of me being back and forth between college, she is more used to me being away for longer periods of time. My parents say she always acts happier when I’m home.
Now that I’m back from college, I’m moving in to my own place 20 minutes away. This leads to my problem.....
Do I take Lizzy with me out of the house she has always lived in and the cat she has always been around? Or do I leave her at home and her not have me around as much? I want to do what’s best for her and Jayne. Of course I want her with me. But again, I need to do what’s best for my older kitty.

 

[Furballsmom]

Her and the other cat Jayne tolerate each other and sometimes will sleep on the same bed if they are not too close to one another (friends from a distance).

My parents say she always acts happier when I’m home.

Do I take Lizzy with me

In a word, yes

 

[CatladyJan]

Go for it. I think it’s more important to cats to be with their human rather than the home they’ve lived in. Home is where the heart is.

If it becomes an issue you aren’t that far away and can always visit

 

[ArtNJ]

I say yes as well. She might be deriving more value from the other cat than you think, I'll share my experience in that regard, but nonetheless, its clear her major attachment is to you.

My very first adopted pair, Smokey would cry if he didn't know where Bandit was. Bandit, however, never seemed to care wth Smokey was. Smokey stopped crying, but throughout their lives, he was the one that seemed interested in the relationship. Bandit mostly had an "oh its you" relationship. When they were young, they did play, but as they aged, Bandit had less and less use for Smokey. Never any hostility, Smokey wasn't too pushy, but it just seemed he didn't have much use for him. Yet when Smokey died, Bandit *immediately* become *much* more affection-seeking with the humans, and this was a permanent change. I can only conclude that he got more value than we believed from Smokey, and took comfort in his prescence, even if he didn't want to interact with him much.

So based on that experience, it wouldn't surprise me if your cats are deriving value from each other. Nonetheless, the major attachment of Lizzy is to you and I think she would be happier with you (after some time to adjust to her new home of course.)

 

[Lisannez]

I would say take her with you. We have two cats that were exactly as you describe. When they were 11 my fiance had to come cross Country for work, and he took one of them with him (the one that was more attached) and left the other one at home with his roomate. The first night the one that was with him was a bit scared to be in a new spot but after that was fine. I said did she miss her sister? Look for her? He said absolutely not it was like she did not even notice. When they reunited it was fine, but they did not miss each other either. They are now 13 and we have moved them to three different homes (now our last) and they adjust fine so long as we are here.

 

[susanm9006]

I would take her with you and see how it goes. If she isn’t really bonded to the other cat she may not miss her at all and may enjoy being an only. If she doesn’t adjust you always have the option to bring her back to your parents home,