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.