Cat question: "lending" my parents my cat, bad idea?

[slackerinabox]

So my parents really like my 9 month old cat and beg me to drop him off for the weekends - I've been doing it for the past 3 weeks and wonder if this will have a negative effect on the cat. He's already acting strange, spending much more time in the living room instead of spending time with me or my roommate. My big concern is that he'll end up using the bathroom in the wrong spot since, well, I don't like discovering cat piss in interesting places. Is all this back and forth going to confuse him?

My parents love the ah heck but don't like the responsibility of a full time pet. Is this back and forth going to have lasting impact on the cat's sense of stability?

 

[ch33zw1z]

Your cat is growing up. My family had lots of cats (3 litters of 6 when I was a kid...i know i know, i tried to get my mom to spay the thing but nooo), your cat is growing up. They're loner creatures by nature, and if you disappear 3/7 days a week it's gonna happen faster. Don't worry, it will still eat the food you buy and go in the litter box (also a cat thing).

 

[spidey07]

It will impact kitty somewhat, but he'll get over it once he settles down.

 

[kami333]

I used to take my cat to my girlfriend's every other day. It didn't act any different, I think as far as it was concerned the two places were connected.

 

[mercanucaribe]

You're treating your cat like 45% of Americans treat their kids.

 

[Ronstang]

You think that is strange? When I was in graduate school I lived in my house by myself along with my dog, a female boxer. My neighbors across the street liked my dog so much that they would knock on my door and ask me if my dog could come over and spend the night. They did this on quite a few occasions. My dog had sleepovers at the neighbors. Strange.

 

[FreshCrabLegs]

Originally posted by: Ronstang
You think that is strange? When I was in graduate school I lived in my house by myself along with my dog, a female boxer. My neighbors across the street liked my dog so much that they would knock on my door and ask me if my dog could come over and spend the night. They did this on quite a few occasions. My dog had sleepovers at the neighbors. Strange.

LoL, that really is strange. Did your neighbors have kids?

 

[JBarr]

They're programming your cat into a Republican

 

[Ronstang]

Originally posted by: PCMarcelino

Originally posted by: Ronstang
You think that is strange? When I was in graduate school I lived in my house by myself along with my dog, a female boxer. My neighbors across the street liked my dog so much that they would knock on my door and ask me if my dog could come over and spend the night. They did this on quite a few occasions. My dog had sleepovers at the neighbors. Strange.

LoL, that really is strange. Did your neighbors have kids?

Yes, two kids. Their boy was in high school and their daughter was in 8th grade when I move into the neighborhood. The whole family enjoyed my dog....and they argued over who she would sleep with. It was crazy.

 

[slackerinabox]

Originally posted by: kami333
I used to take my cat to my girlfriend's every other day. It didn't act any different, I think as far as it was concerned the two places were connected.

No, no, no - I'm not worried about the cat's "mental state." I'm not trying to baby him, I just don't want him to piss on my clothes or act up based on what I perceive as possibly confusing.

 

[Mo0o]

Originally posted by: mercanucaribe
You're treating your cat like 45% of Americans treat their kids.

ding ding ding ding

 

[FlashG]

Originally posted by: mercanucaribe
You're treating your cat like 45% of Americans treat their kids.

guilty

 

[Linflas]

Originally posted by: freedomsbeat212

Originally posted by: kami333
I used to take my cat to my girlfriend's every other day. It didn't act any different, I think as far as it was concerned the two places were connected.

No, no, no - I'm not worried about the cat's "mental state." I'm not trying to baby him, I just don't want him to piss on my clothes or act up based on what I perceive as possibly confusing.

That is the risk you run with what you are doing. 9 months may be young enough for the cat to deal with this but generally cats settle into their space and react negatively when they are moved around a lot. The pissing is the cats instinctive reaction to try and claim the new territory as its own.

 

[Luthien]

Hmmm, I don't see anything wrong with it. Maybe your parents are trying to just spend more time with you through that cat or thinking they will get their own cat if it works out.

I would think your cat is going to turn out to be a really social cat when it comes to people and greeting people that come to your house etc. Likely your cat is a social cat by nature. Often cat's are afraid of strangers no matter how they are raised, while some are more cautious than afraid and others will immediately warm up, rub up and want to interact with new humans.