Hello, im 17 and my parents are split up. I live with my mum and have done for the last 6 years, and so we have a cat of 6 years who i've grown up with and its been in the same house for 6 years with no other pets. Its like my best friend and i love it like a family member. Anyway, its time for me to move out and im moving to my dads before joining the army... My cat of 6 years will live with my mum and her boyfriend (who also have a cat who is 1 year old now.)


1st question

Will my cat forget me and/or be angry at me for leaving it? i'll be only visiting it once a month for 1 year then once every 6 month when im in the army

2nd question

Will my cat be able to settle in a completely new home owned by a younger cat without me there? and any tips for my mum in bonding them together, we tried a few month ago and they just fought and my cat cried and was very angry, hissing etc.


p.s thanks for reading and any insightful answers will be much appreciated.

Cats can be funny. I certainly don't think she will be angry or annoyed at your for leaving, and I dont think she will forget you if you are visiting reasonably regularly

As for her moving, she will have your mum there as a constant. It might be a stress for both cats, and it would be best to give your cat her own room n the house to 'make her own' and then allow her to see the new cat and get them used to each others smells etc. This will also allow the 1yr old cat to get used to having another cat in the house.

It sounds like it wasnt done 'properly' last time, as you cannot just put them in a room together and expect them to get on. Physical contact should only be allowed when they can successfully see each other without growling/hissing etc. You can do this by 'stopping' the door open a little bit so that they can see each other, but not touch each other. Then if you feed them by the crack i the door they start to associate being near the new cat with food. Only when they are calm near each other can you move on to physical interaction.

__________________

Hello

i worried about the same thing when i went off to uni - my lovely cat (then 7) looked round for me & slept on my bed for 2/3 days, then was normal, but never forgot me -he'd run straight up to me every time i went home and always slept in my bed every night i was home - this went on until he died aged 18
no worries on that score. kitty love is life long!

the matching up new one maybe more of an issue -havent been through it myself, but its a slow process theres a link to advice below
Living Together - Introducing a New Cat


also feliway - its a pheremone thing that comes in a diffuser or spray can be useful in calmer cats when introducing - it takes up to a week to kick in, about £20 on ebay

hope that helps a bit!

I visit my parents once a month at the moment and none of the animals have forgotten me, the dogs go crazy when they hear my car and the cats appear, from nowhere it seems, as soon as they hear it too! When I visited during uni it was the same. Even my blind guinea pig knows its me... maybe she just recognises my smell (hmm better check my deodarant! hehe)

No chance any animal will forget someone who has given them love and care over a long period of time as often that love is often appreciated and returned!!!

Don't worry and follow the advice above about Feliway as that works well.

All the best.