Long - term absence & Siamese

Question
Hi Jessica,
I have two Siamese, a Seal Point who is 9 and a Blue Point who is 7. I got them
from a rescue organization 3 years ago. According to their bio, they were
raised together, but lived with a family with abuse (they were abused as well).
When the female in the relationship left town to get away from the abuser,
she left the cats with this organization because she could not take them with
her. Now to my problem...They are close with each other, but the older one is
definitely dependent on me, and I have to leave shortly for a mandatory study
abroad semester, which is the capstone to my grad school MBA degree
program. I feel terrible about leaving them, but I do not have a choice if I
want to graduate. My parents check on them every day while I am at work, so
the cats know them well. Do I leave them at my house and have my parents
visit daily or move them to my parents house for the 4 month absence.
Thanks for any advice you can offer!
Diana

Answer
Hi Diana.  I feel for you, it's always heart breaking to have to leave a pet behind, even if only temporary.  Because your absence will be so long, I would definitely suggest moving the cats to your parents' house for the duration.  As you are aware, Siamese crave constant human attention, and I believe being alone so much would lead to anxiety issues.  This breed just doesn't thrive without lots of human companionship.  Many cats form strong attachments to their territories.  Siamese are different in that they form stronger attachments to their owners, and I think since they're so familiar with your parents, they won't have too much of a problem with the transition.  Warn your parents, though, that they may be excessively vocal during your first few weeks of absence.  They're calling for you!  But this should resolve on its own.