Expert: Karen Craft - 6/12/2008

Question
QUESTION: I got 2 cats that are sisters, when they were kittens. they currently live in louisiana with my parents and I have moved to Texas. I want to take one of the cats with me to my new home. the only reason I don't want to take both is because Tallulah(the one I want to leave) likes to spend her days outside. I live in an apartment that is off a major highway and I am too scared to let her out here. I want to take Biscuit (the other sister) because she likes to stay inside all day. My only dilemma is that I am scared that they will miss each other too much. They sleep together every night in the same bed- they actually have their own room at my parents house. I have asked some vets and they say it would be ok and they can be reintroduced at a later date (like when I am able to get a home with a yard for Tallulah)and they will go back to how they were. I want Biscuit to come home with me because I want a pet and I miss her terribly. I am not as close to the other cat. She is closer with my mom. What do you think I should do? Will it be too tramatic for them? Should i do a trial run or take both or none at all?

ANSWER: Hi Jeanne,

Separating the two will cause a lot of anxiety in them . It is not a good idea. Cats when they lose a loved companion will go into a type of mourning. It is traumatic. My suggestion to you is either take both or leave them both together. If you take both keep them both inside. It is so dangerous to let cats outside. Here's an article about that. You should read it. I think you will change your mind about Tallulah going out again.
http://www.nitewindes.com/InorOut.html

Two cats together always do better than one cat alone. Good luck. I hope you make the right decision.

Ciao, Karen



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: THANKS! also, another question. Since I have inside cats, how do you feel about declawing? THey have that new laser treatment. Do you think it's mean?

Answer
Hi Jeanne,

Declawing a cat brings up lots of feelings from people good and bad. Declawing a cat should be decided on the reasons you want to declaw them for. Out of my 12 cats I have declawed only one. The reason I declawed him was because he wouldn't learn to keep his claws in when he played with us. We had very bad scratches from him. If you worried about your furniture there are a lot of things you can do instead of doing major surgery on the cats. It is a very harsh surgery and I wouldn't inflict it on a cat unless I had too.

I trim my cats nails every week. It takes only a few minutes and I have no problem with the furniture. You can also use this product.
http://www.softpaws.com/
I haven't used them myself but I have heard good things about them. Also get them a good cat tree to climb on. And my cats love to scratch these. http://www.imperialcat.com/
You can get plain ones at Walmart. Good luck.

Ciao, Karen