Realized I didn't "finish my thought," in my posting above.

Based on Mandy, I'd say Mandy would do better in a home where she is the 'only' cat. But finding such a home is HARD. I mean, most cat lovers have multiples, and even with 1 other, Mandy is going to take ages to settle, unlike my other cats who would need 3 weeks max. And a person who only wants ONE cat, well, they want to be able to interact with that cat. Mandy is not that sort. So for her, this is definitely THE best option for her.

What is bothering your mom about this situation? Why is she considering putting the kitty in a shelter? It doesn't sound like he is destructive, so I'm not sure where the problem is.

Maybe if you explained that, we can develop a plan for addressing that concern instead.