Separating Ally and Ollie for 2 weeks, will they be ok?

lawguy

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My mother is up here visiting me in Minnesota b/c I was hospitalized with the flu (H1N1). She was going to take Ollie back with her to Florida, and if so, I would take Ally to Florida 2 weeks from when she leaves with Ollie. I'm going to go back and live in Florida for about a month to see a few doctors and then take Ally and Ollie back with me here.

My question is - how bad will separating them be? I'm worried about one or the other getting depressed thinking that they'll never see their best friend again.

My only other choice is to take Ally and Ollie together in cargo with me, but I don't want to do that to them either. By separating them, they would ride in the passenger compartment.

So, would it be ok to do this?

ETA: Ally is ~11 months old now, and Ollie is ~10 months old.
 

carolina

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Hey Lawguy! Gee, I am glad you are ok!! I hope you are feeling better now... It will be good to go back to warm weather for a little while!
Well... IMHO, I would take both with me.... Traveling is already stressful, and on the top of it (I am sorry to say, but I need to), your family doesn't have the best track record with taking care of Ally.... I think all of you will be better off if you take both of them with you when you go... Plus there is the issue with the stairs... I don't know - I might be overprotective, but I wouldn't put myself into that situation again...
Call the airlines, there is a weight that if both of them are under (together) they can go in the same carrier...
I do think it would be super stressful for all. But.... That's me....
 

hissy

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There is an airline that is created specifically for pets. I would contact them and ship that way if it is at all possible. I wouldn't separate them at all. They already feel your stress, why add more stress to their day?

http://petairways.com/
 

carolina

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Originally Posted by hissy

There is an airline that is created specifically for pets. I would contact them and ship that way if it is at all possible. I wouldn't separate them at all. They already feel your stress, why add more stress to their day?

http://petairways.com/
They don't fly MN...
 
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lawguy

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So apparently up here in Minneapolis flying pets cargo is not an option during times when it is cold out (I assume this is because they have to bring the pets outside to get them into the aircraft?)

My mother took Ollie. Supposedly, he's doing fine and is happy. I let her take him because he's the laid back one of my two.

Ally on the other hand is fairly unhappy now. I'll only be here for another week or so and then she'll see Ollie. She's not eating normally and cries a lot. She started this around Saturday, so ~36 hours after she took him. I'm letting her sleep in my bed at night right now because it seems to calm her down a bit. Unfortunately, she gets up at 5 AM and wakes me up, but whatever, I'll deal with it until I get the two of them back together.

I don't want to do it this way again. Is there no way the airlines will allow me to bring them both into the passenger compartment in the future? Supposedly, I can only bring them both if they're under 7 months old each. That's a terrible rule.
 

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I hope you are feeling better. Maybe Ally will settle down with the extra attention you are giving her. She is probably grieving for Ollie. They don't understand and her interpretation is that Ollie is not coming back. Like when a beloved companion dies, they grieve. You are doing all the right things to comfort her.


Have a safe trip home.
 

icklemiss21

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Just do introductions the same way you would with a new cat and they should be fine. You could always not tell the truth on their ages - my 6 month old is bigger than my 5 year old female, and if you are not going out of country do you need proof of vet stuff with ages? Give Ally lots of cuddles and I am sure she will be fine

I am glad you are ok
 
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lawguy

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Really? Will they not remember each other immediately?
 

icklemiss21

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Probably not but maybe, have you ever seen cats when one comes back from the vet after an hour, its like they have never met. Its not like proper intros through, usually much quicker
 

carolina

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Originally Posted by icklemiss21

Probably not but maybe, have you ever seen cats when one comes back from the vet after an hour, its like they have never met. Its not like proper intros through, usually much quicker
But that's generally after surgery, because of the smell of the skin disinfectant they put in them.
Mine never failed to recognize one another after coming back from a regular vet visit... Ever. I have seen them acting weird after a spay, or a neuter, or any major surgery, when the smell of the skin has changed - once the scent of that chemical disappears, it is all good. It is not like they never met...
Lawguy - it is going to be like when you travel... they will probably act weird for a day... and then they will come to their senses. They always give me the cold shoulder when I travel, but by the second day they are completely fine... I imagine it will be the same...
 

icklemiss21

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Mine have hissed and hid from each other after a regular vet visit, or even the time I brought Autumn to the shelter for a few hours (a meeting showing volunteers that feral cats can come around and just need love). But it was a one night re-intro and not the usual intro.
 
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