Hi, just hoping someone can help ease my mind about this really and see if anyone has any similar situations with positive outcomes!
I have two cats, one older lady who is 12 and is happy being mainly indoors as long as she is provided with food and dreamies when requested, and one giant two year old boy who I've had since a kitten and has always preferred being outdoors, even in the snow, but does love curling up on the bed at night and is a very affectionate cat! Currently I'm living with ex partner and both cats have access to outside, away from main roads and on a pretty safe estate. I am due to be moving out in a month, this is very sudden and I didn't end the relationship and so I have had to find a rental property pretty quickly. Cats will be coming with me as they were mine before this relationship. The house I have managed to get does allow cats however isn't a suitable location for the cats to go outside and would be quite unsafe. (No garden but a balcony overlooking a drop) My parents live in a larger house in the countryside, with a garden and fields surrounding it (basically much safer and better for cats) and have offered to take my boy in if he doesn't adapt to being an indoor cat which is really kind of them - they are ten mins away so I would be able to pop and see him whenever. I'm not as worried about my female cat - she mainly sleeps and isn't fussed by the outside, they aren't a bonded pair either really so I don't see an issue with her staying with me. I am completely torn as to what to do, this was the best and quickest option for me to move into for various reasons but I can't stand the thought that my boy cat might not be able to live with me, but know deep down it would be best for him to live at my parents house for a bit where he would probably be happier than suddenly being an indoor only cat (this won't be my forever home but could be a couple of years)....should I try and keep him at mine and see how he gets on or am I being selfish in doing this? Will he even care about leaving me or will he just care that he still gets dreamies, fuss on tap and still gets to hunt all he wants 🤣 just wanted some reassurance really either way as none of my friends seem to understand why this is such a big deal to me and why I wouldn't just ship him off to my parents without a second thought 🤣