The followin’ post will be written in human English fur reader and translator ease. Our Service Cat posts aren’t intended to be an all inclusive Trainin’ Manual but rather Tips, Tricks and Techniques used/developed by mommy A thru her many years of animal trainin’, cats in purrticular. And to offur insight into your questions about Everything Feline. Always remember, Training is all ‘bout Repetition and Rewards.

MeOW  Welcome to Service Cats and Everything Feline on Furidays. Furstly, we’d like to apologize fur our absence last week. T’ween the stress, the added pain, and mommy’s monthly doctor’s ‘pointment, we just flaked, zoned out, didn’t feel up to posting. Ya’ know, life happens sometimes, and gets in the way of all your plans. However, we’re back this week with a pawsum and timely topic that was brought to our attention by one of the sweetest e-mails we’ve received in a while. Befur we get started, remember, you can ketch up on any of our Service Cats posts by clicking the links on our Training Tips and Everything Feline page from our menu. And don’t furget to leave your questions or blog topic suggestions in the comments below or send us an e-mail via our Contact page, also in our menu bar. Now, let’s get to it. 

     It’s that time of year, back to school, off to college or away for internships. For many, this is the first time they’ll be away from the home they grew up in. And some, like mommy did, will be returning to school after years of holding down a household. So, what do you do with your beloved furry purrer that’s been there with you throughout the years? Especially, if like one of our pawsome readers, kitty is bonded with you above anyone else in the house. Each year, thousands of people head off to live on campus in dorm rooms or apartments with roommates. While it’s an exciting time for many, it can be a very stressful time for kitty.

To Take Kitty Or Not:

     The questions we were asked were, “My older shy cat is deeply bonded with me. Would it be less stressful to take her with me to college, or leave her in the house she’s always known, even tho’ she doesn’t get along well with anyone or the other animals in the home?” The next question was, how should I introduce kitty to roommates?” First, we want to say, Thank you for saving a life and taking responsibility for that life till the end. We are not disposable when it’s inconvenient and we appreciate that you realize that and are trying to do the best you can for kitty.

     Some of you may remember when we told the story of mommy and Shad being homeless but happy because they were together. If you want to read it you can do so here. Anyways, obviously, we recommend taking kitty with you as soon as possible. Fortunately, many colleges are learning about the bond between humans and pets and are starting to allow them in dorms. You need to check with the college of your choice for their pet policy. Do Not Ever try to sneak Fluffy or Fido into your dorm, apartment or rental property. It’s not fair to them or to future renters.

     If your college doesn’t allow pets, you’ll either have to leave kitty/woofy at home or live off campus. Often colleges require Freshmen to live on campus for the first year. Plan your finances so that you can move off campus and reunite with kitty as soon as possible. Regardless of kitty’s age or health, it’s you and not the house kitty is attached too. And, altho’ cats aren’t big fans of change, they do much better when they can be near their chosen human.

This throw smells just like mommy.

Reduce Kitty’s Stress While You’re Away:

     In the meantime, how can you make kitty more comfortable during your absence? Start off by making sure kitty has a Decompression Room (your former bedroom is the perfect choice. Don’t change the sheets when you leave.). Place all of kitty’s essentials in the room with him/her and make sure mom, dad, or sibling knows kitty’s routines (ie; meal time, cleaning litterboxes, etc.). Be sure to leave a few pieces of heavily scented clothes with kitty, so he/she can feel close to you. We also recommend coming home once a month if possible to visit and refresh the scent clothing. However, you may be too far away to come home that often, so we highly recommend sending freshly scented garments back home to replace the old ones. We recommend, night shirts, bras and other lightweight garments. They shouldn’t be too heavy and thus won’t cost much to ship/mail back home.  

Bein’ close to mommy and minglin’ our scents is the bestest thing ever.

Telepathy And Kitty:

     Years ago there was a study that talked about sending telepathic messages to your pets when you were away. The premise was that you could visualize your pet in your mind and they would be able to feel your presence. While mommy thinks this is mostly hogwash (ridiculous), still she tends to do it just in case. It certainly doesn’t hurt anyone. We also recommend phoning home and letting Fluffy/Fido hear your voice. We’d love to hear any ideas you have about communicating with your pets when you’re away. The first year of college and away from your beloved furry is going to be stressful for both of you. But, by implementing a few of these tips, you can make it less stressful for kitty. And remember, soon you’ll be able to reunite and be together again.

What’s that you say? Togetherness is the only way to go.

We’re gonna wrap this up fur today. Join us next week when we discuss introducing kitty to roommates and other pets in the home. And don’t furget to leave us your comments, questions and topic suggestions in the comment section below, or send us an email via our Contact page. As always, you can ketch up on any of the Service Cats posts you may have missed by clickin’ the links on our Training Tips and Everything Feline page. We’re joinin’ Comedy Plus fur Feline Furiday. See you soon.

Do/Would you call kitty to chat when you’re away? 

Have you ever tried to send telepathic messages to your kitty?

Till the next time……………………………………………………Be Blest!!!

Luv and Hugs and Kitty Kisses

Deztinee and RaenaBelle