hi all, i'm in a dilemma and wondered if any of you have any ideas......in january i am hopefully moving abroad to live, i am taking max (dog) but i also have a 5year old cat, my worry is wether to take him with me as cats don't like change and if he ran away in a starnge country who knows what would happen to him :(
so here is my problem.. he won't live with anyone else happily as have tried this a few years back after another cat i owned got run over and killed, my mum took my now cat to live with her so he would be safe from roads but he kept coming home, it took him a few days but he found his way and also he wouldn't eat while with her. So re-homing him is a bit risky on his part e.g safety and upset, i don't feel confident in taking him abroad because i'm worried he might run away and i wouldn't know where he was so does anyone have any suggestions, i feel so cruel :(

We had friends who moved from the USA to France, then to the London (6 months quarantine), then to Scotland, then back to the States. They took their cat with them all the way :) Does work sometimes - obviously some cats may be different :)

Daisy

Just an idea but maybe you could start taking him with you to your moms house and keeping him in a 'pen' until he gets used to it being a safe place.

If you could leave him there for a few hours before returning for himhe might grow to accept waiting for you?

Sorry I can't be any more help but I can't even be in the same room as a cat without all kinds of nasty allergic reactions happening :(

I cant see it being a problem taking him with you - it'll all be new for him, so there wont be a recognised house to run away to (unlike if he went to your mums). I think it'd be a shame if you left one of your loved pets behind :(

Edited to add: Just a thought - how soon did your mum let him out? If you take him with you, its best to *try* and keep him in for at the very least 3 weeks so he knows the smell of his territory and therefore the way home. :)

my son has just returned from living in spain, he bought his 2 year old spanish cat home with him, he kept her in for 3 to 4 weeks, and she is fine, just has a wander round the garden, doesnt try to run away.

thanks all for your suggestions, my mum can't have the cat on this occasion because she now has a dog and doesn't want anymore pets, when she did have him she kept him in for 3+ weeks but he still ran away, i could try taking him but if he runs away there i might not get him back and would worry if he came to harm as some foreign countries dont look after animals like some english...my other concern is how he will cope on the flight i'm worried enough about my dog....oh decisions decisions!

Hi Jacki :)
You'd be amazed how well cats can take the stress - more so than many dogs. It would be a real shame for you to leave your cat behind - as coming from someone with 3 rescue cats, it really does knock them for 6 to lose their families (not only the human family members but dogs too). It would probably be harder for him to go through the upheaval of missing you and your dog than to get settled in a new home.
Maybe it'd be worth checking out the vets/rescues near your new home, as they would likely put your mind at ease? Do they have a microchip database there? I believe there is a global one, but I cannot for the life of me remember which one it is. If so, you could have a collar with the phone number of the microchip database on so that if he got picked up as a stray they'd be able to get you reunited. I doubt you'll need it if he's kept inside for long enough to get his bearings (3 weeks +), but it'd help none the less?
Good luck
Kathy
xxx
ps: If you do decide to rehome your cat, please email me and I'll see if I can help.

Hi,

A cat will be ok as long as you ar there, they are adaptable creatures, although I only moved in England, i took my cat and just kept him in foir the first few days to get used to new environment then I did the old wives tale, I put butter on his paws and put him out , he sat there licked the butter off and went he came back half an hour later, take him with you, he will be happy as long as hes with you.

clare

Keep your cat indoors don't allow the cat outside this way no chance of running away. Get the cat microchiped just incase :)

thanks kath, i will have a good think about it and if i decide the worst which is not to take him i will e.mail you :)
i am going to spain so he will be micro-chipped, my worry would be if he got into the wrong hands but i suppose it could happen here too, i'll let you know when i e.mail ttfn :)

it might be a bit hard to keep him indoors dollface because he is used to going outside and also i have 2 children and the door could get left open at any time, i am going over to spain in two weeks to check things out so will make my mind up then :)
thanks for replies it has eased my mind a little bit :D