I have three cats, Milo & Dexter are 3 year old litter mates and Lola is a year old. Currently I am living in a house with my mother, brother and my kitties. I recently got engaged and my fiance and I want to buy a condo this summer. My problem is I don't know whether to bring all three with me, leave them here or separate them. Each choice has pros and cons.
Option 1: Bring all three - Obviously the pros here are that I get to be with all three and no one gets separated. I would miss them terribly if I decide to leave them. Cons: moving to a small one bedroom condo with three cats = stinky litter, limited space for litter boxes, limited space for them. Also they currently have access to a fenced in yard and in a condo they wouldn't be able to go outside. This isn't really an issue for Dexter and Lola who prefer the indoors but Milo spends a great deal of time lounging in the yard and I think he would go stir crazy cooped up in a condo. I also worry about the possibility of having them in a high rise and them falling etc. I wouldn't know whether or not to give them balcony access or not. Another big issue with this option is that while my fiance absolutely adores them he is allergic to cats. He said that he would be willing to deal with it and take allergy meds but I feel that having 3 in a small space probably wouldn't be good for his allergies. He also is quite adamant that they can't sleep on the bed. They sleep on my bed now so I don't know how they would adjust to not having bed/bedroom access. If we can find a reasonably priced two bedroom I could use the spare room for them but right now it looks like a one bedroom is in our budget.
Option 2 - Leave them all here: Pros they have all grown up in this house, they can all stay together, no space issues, backyard access etc. Also my mom loves them and I know she would take excellent care of them. Cons - I would miss them
It would break my heart not to see them everyday. Dexter in particular is very attached to me. He follows me around, sleeps on my bed, he is my guy 
Lola is very affectionate with me as well and I know she would miss me. Another major con is having a home without a pet... I have always had at least one pet and it would make me unhappy to come home to a petless house. I was thinking that if I left the cats here that I could always get a small dog or another cat. Then in a few years when we buy a house I could move them all in together.
Option 3 - Separate them: If I were to separate them I can't decide between just bringing Lola or bringing Dexter and Lola. I know that Milo would be happiest if I left him here. He is an independent cat, as long as he is fed and can bask in the sun he is a happy boy. Dexter and Lola are quite attached and I am not so sure about how they would adjust to being separated. I was thinking about taking just Lola and maybe getting a small dog to keep her company, since she is very social with other animals (even dogs) but I think that again would cause space issues. Even though Milo is very independent I have a lot of reservations about separating him from Dexter who is his litter mate. They have spent their whole lives together.....
Ugh.... I am really not sure which is the best option.... help?!?
Option 1: Bring all three - Obviously the pros here are that I get to be with all three and no one gets separated. I would miss them terribly if I decide to leave them. Cons: moving to a small one bedroom condo with three cats = stinky litter, limited space for litter boxes, limited space for them. Also they currently have access to a fenced in yard and in a condo they wouldn't be able to go outside. This isn't really an issue for Dexter and Lola who prefer the indoors but Milo spends a great deal of time lounging in the yard and I think he would go stir crazy cooped up in a condo. I also worry about the possibility of having them in a high rise and them falling etc. I wouldn't know whether or not to give them balcony access or not. Another big issue with this option is that while my fiance absolutely adores them he is allergic to cats. He said that he would be willing to deal with it and take allergy meds but I feel that having 3 in a small space probably wouldn't be good for his allergies. He also is quite adamant that they can't sleep on the bed. They sleep on my bed now so I don't know how they would adjust to not having bed/bedroom access. If we can find a reasonably priced two bedroom I could use the spare room for them but right now it looks like a one bedroom is in our budget.
Option 2 - Leave them all here: Pros they have all grown up in this house, they can all stay together, no space issues, backyard access etc. Also my mom loves them and I know she would take excellent care of them. Cons - I would miss them
It would break my heart not to see them everyday. Dexter in particular is very attached to me. He follows me around, sleeps on my bed, he is my guy Lola is very affectionate with me as well and I know she would miss me. Another major con is having a home without a pet... I have always had at least one pet and it would make me unhappy to come home to a petless house. I was thinking that if I left the cats here that I could always get a small dog or another cat. Then in a few years when we buy a house I could move them all in together.Option 3 - Separate them: If I were to separate them I can't decide between just bringing Lola or bringing Dexter and Lola. I know that Milo would be happiest if I left him here. He is an independent cat, as long as he is fed and can bask in the sun he is a happy boy. Dexter and Lola are quite attached and I am not so sure about how they would adjust to being separated. I was thinking about taking just Lola and maybe getting a small dog to keep her company, since she is very social with other animals (even dogs) but I think that again would cause space issues. Even though Milo is very independent I have a lot of reservations about separating him from Dexter who is his litter mate. They have spent their whole lives together.....
Ugh.... I am really not sure which is the best option.... help?!?
