SEPERATING TWO CATS

Question
Good day,

I am wondering if you can help me please, my mom has two cats Tookie and Sonic. We found Sonic when she was just 3 weeks old and she has lived in a flat with my mom and Tookie her entire life. She was originally my cat but I moved out and I was not allowed animals where I moved so I could not take her with. Sonic is now 5 years old and Tookie is 10 years old. My mom is now moving out her flat and into a house where there are two dogs and another cat. We are now wondering if it would be better if Sonic came to live with me as I am now in a ground floor flat with a small garden which I am sure she would love. Before we had Sonic, Tookie lived in a house with us with other cats and dogs and she was fine with it as she is a very mellow cat. Sonic on the other hand is a very vicious cat when other animals are around. She hisses, growls and no one can go near her if she comes into contact with another animal. She will sometimes even hide for a day or two, which is why my mom and I feel that it would be a bit too traumatic for her to now move into a house with other animals. The problem is I am only allowed one cat so I cannot take Tookie as well (and my mom could never part with her even if I was able to) but we are just worried about separating the two as they are really close. They lick each other, sleep together and play together, they do sometimes fight as well though. We really unsure what to do. Should the two be split up and Sonic live with my partner and I where we can give her lots of attention and she will finally have a garden, or should they be kept together and both go to the house where Sonic will most likely have to be kept in the room for awhile? We just want the cats to be happy.  Would really appreciate some advise. We only have two days to make this decision. i would appreciate just an opinion at least, I asked another expert and they did not help me. This is urgent.

Answer
Jay,

This is a tough one!!!!!!!

It sounds to me like Sonic would do better in a one cat household, any way, so you taking Sonic and your mother taking Tookie may be the best solution over all. I suspect Sonic will adjust to being the only cat in the household. I feel, from what you are telling me, uprooting Sonic into a household with even more pets to contend with might be more traumatic than Sonic being the only cat.

Even so, when cats have a change of household, it is a bit traumatic no matter what, so do not be surprised if Sonic hides for the first few days or weeks in the new household.  If that happens, Sonic will, eventually, come out of her shell.

Please let me know what you decide.

Best regards... Norm.