Should I Take My Cat With Me When I Move?

[VictoriaLV]

Once I graduate from university I intend to move six hours away. However, I’m torn whether to take my 9 year old cat with me or not. She currently lives with me, my parents, and my dad's cat, and has lived here for many years. She’s closest to me, but she also likes my parents.

While she seems to enjoy it here well enough, she doesn’t and never has gotten along well with my dad’s cat (I think it's because they were unfortunately not introduced well). She gets stressed out by children, and since my parents have a lot of grandkids who visit, she has to hide often to avoid them. I also wonder if my older parents will be able to offer as much attention as I give her.

At my new place I’ll have a home with two roommates, one of which is bringing a cat. Both my cat and my roommate’s cat are calm, fairly sociable felines, so I’m hoping they’d get along well if introduced properly. We definitely won’t be having small children over. She’s never had such a huge move before though; I don’t know how she’d take it.

So either way I’m worried about her, and as much as I want her to stay with me, I want to do what’s best for her. What do you all think I should do? And thank you for reading this!

 

[danteshuman]

I would try taking her with you and see how slow/proper introductions go (there are some good articles on it somewhere on this site.) If that fails; leaving her with your parents can be plan B. I would suggest site swapping to. Where your cat gets run of the apartment for a little while as the other cat is locked in a room. That way she learns to be confident everywhere.

 

[danteshuman]

Introducing Cats To Cats

 

[doomsdave]

of course take her!

Like people, cats appreciate an adventure

Hope all goes well

 

[sparrowhawk]

Depends on the cat. Sam (in my profile pic), has moved with me twice, but he is super friendly and loves exploring and new people. My previous cat, Belle, hated moving, but also was never much of a people cat to begin with.

Since your cat doesn't like the other cat currently living with it, but does like your family, I would ask this: how does your cat get along with new people?

If your cat gets along with new people fine, I would say take it and try to get a proper introduction between your cat and the other cat. If your cat does NOT get along with new people, it's a bit more sticky. Have you ever been away for a week or two with friends while your family was still at home? If she moped the whole time you were gone, then I would still say take her with you, but if she hates new people AND you have evidence that she is not distressed when you are gone, then you might consider leaving her behind.

But ultimately, it's your cat - if you want to take her with you, do so. While not all cats LIKE change, all WILL adapt - eventually, it's why every continent except Antarctica has multiple thriving cat species

 

[lavishsqualor]

I think you should take her, but only if you're going to commit to doing the introductions correctly.

 

[susanm9006]

Most nine year old cats would probably be happier staying in a familiar routine and a familiar place than moving to a strange place with new people and a new cat to adjust to but it does depend of how attached your cat is to you and you to your cat. If you are miserable without each other then it's worth trying to take her with but if she is equally happy to be with your parents then maybe it would a better place for her.

 

[doomsdave]

An old cat, with someone to love him or her, no problem.

Move, hold close. Stroke. Settle in. Stroke some more. Purrs come, and come and come.

No problem. Been there done that so many times.

 

[Animal Freak]

I would take the cat with you. If your cat is closest to you then it would be cruel to leave her when there's another option. Heck, that's the only reason I have a dog now. Unless your cat is terrified of strangers and/or other cats, then she can and most likely will adjust. It will take time, effort, and patience on your part and your roommate's part, but it's worth it in the long run. Leaving her with people she just likes, a cat she doesn't get along with, and children she doesn't like is going to be a lot of stress on her anyway so both options come with that.

The cats might not ever be friends, but there's people here (including me) who'd be willing to help you bring peace into the household. Even if they don't get along perfectly, I think it could at least be better than her relationship with your dad's cat. My only concern would be that she is an older cat and, at that point in time, I would be trying to change as little as possible since everything tends to be harder when you get older and especially for cats who don't understand what's going on. However, it sounds to me as if you could put her in a much better situation by taking her with you and it's not as she can't adjust just because she's a bit older. Plus, if it all works out well (and I'm sure it will), she can live out the rest of her life in peace with the person she bonded with.

 

[DreamerRose]

I think you should take her with you. She will be happier with you.

 

[haleyds]

Depends on the cat. Sam (in my profile pic), has moved with me twice, but he is super friendly and loves exploring and new people. My previous cat, Belle, hated moving, but also was never much of a people cat to begin with.

Since your cat doesn't like the other cat currently living with it, but does like your family, I would ask this: how does your cat get along with new people?

If your cat gets along with new people fine, I would say take it and try to get a proper introduction between your cat and the other cat. If your cat does NOT get along with new people, it's a bit more sticky. Have you ever been away for a week or two with friends while your family was still at home? If she moped the whole time you were gone, then I would still say take her with you, but if she hates new people AND you have evidence that she is not distressed when you are gone, then you might consider leaving her behind.

But ultimately, it's your cat - if you want to take her with you, do so. While not all cats LIKE change, all WILL adapt - eventually, it's why every continent except Antarctica has multiple thriving cat species

As said here, depends on the cat and how it feels about people. Really in my opinion that's the only thing that would be a reason to leave her behind. Even if she doesn't necessarily love the new cat, they can learn to live peacefully. For example my two cats do not interact with each other, they don't like each other, but they've learned to accept each other's presence and live in harmony.

 

[danteshuman]

Am I the only one who doesn't think of 9 or 10 as old? I think of it more as middle age since my indoor cats all lived to be around 18-22.