Need help from the experts Please!

[Laura's Babies]

As I have mentioned before, my sister in Florida has my Mama's old cat, Kitty Boo. (Mama died in 1999) Boo was given to Mama as a kitten when she was a baby and she has always lived in the house with my sister and her husband.
My sister and her husband have decided to move to Washington state in March where their youngest daughter lives and will be driving across country with their belongings in a big rented truck.

She had called and asked me if I would take Kitty Boo and I didn't hesitate to say "YES!". After thinking about it, I am worried to death that Boo will miss her home and her humans and they will be bringing her here just to grieve herself to death over loosing her humans. Boo is around 11 to 12 years old now and has never been in a house without a human. They are bringing her and best I can figure, I will already be gone to work when they get here (I have not done my schedule yet for next year.). That is leaving her with no one to see how she is adjusting, if she is eating or not and she is use to canned food.

Boo is not an affectionate girl, she stays on the bed sleeping all day and sleeps on my sisters husbands chest at night. I was excited about getting her until I thought about how she may grieve over loosing the only humans she has ever known and the canned food thing.

Am I just being silly or does anyone else think this is a bad thing for Boo too? The trip across country would be hard on her but loosing her humans and the home she is use to would be even harder on her... What do you experts think? Anyone ever had a situation like this with a senior cat and have it work out good? What should we do???

[Grace]

I'm no expert, but I think the fear of abandonment is present in animals as well as people. Uprooting a senior cat from her home and her family is stressful enough without leaving her in a place with no other person/human to love her.

If you were for sure going to be there to love her - that's one thing. But to leave her while you are gone - I think that would be wrong.

[moosmom]

Laura,

You have every right to be concerned about Miss Boo. Is there ANY way you can have someone stay at your place while you're gone? It would kind of help the "separation anxiety" if there is any.

I'm glad you're taking Miss Boo in. I don't understand why they can't take Boo Kitty with them? My 12 year old Tortie Mollie Rose drove cross country with me when I moved to Michigan and then back to Connecticut.

Good luck in your decision, honey. You're doing a good thing.

[catfamily]

If she gets along with your other cats then after you have her a month and then go back to work she MAY be OK because she has the company of your other cats while your gone.And it would be wise to take her as soon as you get home from work so she has that full non work time to spend with you and getting to know your home and other cats.
I have a very old NEW cat that I just picked up at the shelter and I'm so surprised at how well she is taking to me.She's between 8 and 12.But she's doing great.She's not crazy about my others so I keep her in the mudroom like I did Jasmine at first and eventually I think she'll be OK to come out a few times a day.
But I would give it a shot Laura...if it doesn't work out...someone here on Pettalk would LOVE to take her in if all she wants is human company and sleep all the time.
Good Luck.And I really would at least try it for kitty boo

[Laura's Babies]

My biggest concern is that I will be only 1 week into my trip when they bring her... Maybe we could go get her the first week end I am off after my January trip and see how she does here? THEN ... IF it don't work out, they could pick her up on their way through across country? I don't know why I didn't think of that before...

She is just so special to us since Mama loved her so much and she was right there with Mama when she took her last breath and we feel like she is the last connection we still have with Mama.

[Grace]

Maybe we could go get her the first week end I am off after my January trip and see how she does here? THEN ... IF it don't work out, they could pick her up on their way through across country? I don't know why I didn't think of that before...

I think that is the perfect plan. She will have a chance to bond with you and get used to new surroundings and new friends before you take off again.

[jenluckenbach]

an 11 to 12 year old cat is certainly not ancient. (Monte is almost 13 and I am certain he could adjust to a trip across country OR new surrounding, if he had to)

But the fact that you will not be home is what would worry me. I would definitely either 1) Get her while you are at home or 2) Have her stay with another human until you get home.

I too am glad that you said you would take her, but I truly believe she should move with her family.

[Freedom]

I agree with everything Jen says.

But we don't know the why of her not moving cross country with them

Ruffles moved in with her first owner, Peggy,as a kitten. She lived with Peggy 10 years, unti Peggy died. Then she moved in with a good friend, someone she had known as a visitor, Lucy. Ruffles lived with Lucy until she was 12. Lucy alread had a cat of her own, Topaz. Lucy was moving into senior housing. The only permitted one cat. Ruffles needed a new home. I agreed to take her in. She had never met me before. At that time, I had 3 other cats. Lucy came over one Saturday with Ruffles in a carrier. We opened the door and Ruffles came out and ran behind a piece of furniture. Lucy stayed 2 hours. Ruffles refused to come out and Lucy finally left. Ruffles never saw Lucy again. (I keep in touch with her.)

Ruffles was very depressed for 3 months. She spent her days on the foot of my bed, with a sad expression. Nothing I could do seemed to help. At night, she slept in that spot. She ate enough to keep going, may have lost a bit of weight but nothing noticeable. She got off the bed to eat and use the litterbox. She never left my bedroom unless I carried her out, and then as soon as I finished petting her, she did a slow sad walk back to the bed. The other cats got used to her as a bed object.

After 3 months, one day Ruffles got off the bed and left the bedroom. The other cats were quite alarmed! IT MOVES! Since then, she has adjusted very well, moves about the house at will, jumps in laps and insists on her share of petting, even has to check out the cellar at least once per day to make sure it is still there. Ruffles has lived here 2 years now and is fully integrated with the family.

I would really worry about an older cat being dropped off in a new setting with no one home, based on how Ruffles reacted. Dad and I were both home bodies during those 3 months of Ruffles transition. The cat will adapt at its own pace, not at whatever pace you want / need to set based on your schedule.

I don't know if this helps or not. This is just one cat, one move.

[Laura's Babies]

Freedom, thanks for your input. That may clue me in on what to expect...

The reason why they are not taking her is they are renting one of those big moving vans, a rough, noisey ride and she does not ride well at all and then it is the drastic climate change on a old cat.. From mild winters to rough, cold ones..

Mike suggested I take her younger male Fred and ship him up when the weather permits but I really want Boo! I really want to do what is best for HER..... if only they could stay a week or so with Boo before they leave.

Is anyone here from up around Seattle or Portland (spelling?).. I have not heard from anyone up there since that bad storm went through there the other day.

[DJFyrewolf36]

Bless your heart for wanting to take in Boo kitty! The absolute best thing would be for her to go where she knows, with her family but since that isn't an option the best thing is to make sure that someone is with her at least for a while. Loosing your mom was probibly a very traumatic experence for her and this wont be any different in her mind. Hopefully you will be able to make the transtion period for her as pleasant as possible. Keep in mind what she must be going through, and help as much as you can.

I wish you all the best and again bless you for taking Boo in!

[catmandu]

Is there a way that Kitty Boo can be in a room by herself?
That would help her adjust to the new situation a bit better, until you can come home and supervise the meeting of the Cats.
We are praying that this will resolve itself to the benefit of all concerned.

[Lizzie]

I'm right here, 20 miles north of Seattle, and surrounded by mostly teenage cats who are perfectly comfortable in my only moderately heated home (about 68F). But then, they didn't come from Florida. Which side of the mountains will your sister and her husband be living in, the Spokane side or the Seattle side? That makes a huge difference in weather. The Spokane (east) side is very cold but usually dry in winter, the Seattle side is chilly and damp with occasional freezes.

I'm glad you thought of taking Miss Boo earlier while you are still at home, that should help a great deal. Most of the teenage cats I've adopted have been very long-time shelter residents and so used to coping. Nougat, however, had been at the shelter only about a month and was extremely stressed, only barely eating enough to keep herself alive. She was thought to be in her early teens, and being Siamese made her stress levels higher. She ate so little during the time she was in my isolation bedroom that she scared me and I'd stay in her room when I put her food down (and I tried everything to tempt her) because she was more inclined to eat when I was there. Much to my surprise and great relief, once she came out into the main area, in spite of getting in a huff with the other three cats I had at that time, her appetite greatly improved and within a couple of weeks I stopped worrying about her.

Good luck with Miss Boo! What about Miss Tuxie?

The reason why they are not taking her is they are renting one of those big moving vans, a rough, noisey ride and she does not ride well at all and then it is the drastic climate change on a old cat.. From mild winters to rough, cold ones..

Is anyone here from up around Seattle or Portland (spelling?).. I have not heard from anyone up there since that bad storm went through there the other day.

[Laura's Babies]

Lizzie, they are going to Spanaway, I have no idea which side it is on ..........

[Lizzie]

They will be on the west side of the Cascades but further away from the Sound/Pacific than I am so their weather will be a little harsher. They do tend to get some heavy snow in that area. Puyallup is very close to Spanaway so they should have lots of fun at the fair that's held there every September. It goes on for about 2 weeks and there's lots of special events, bands, etc.

[Laura's Babies]

I have a call in to my sister to discuss me coming to get Boo when I get off the next time. Rie said she will take me for a quick run over there. (don't know why Sis isn't answering her cell phone!) I like this idea better than them just dropping her off and leaving. This way if she grieves to much, they can pick her up on their way through and maybe leave me Fred who is younger and possiably adapt better.