In this article
Cats are loyal, loving animals that can form strong bonds with their owners. But what happens when you give your cat away? Is it possible for them to miss you, even if you’re no longer in their lives? Yes, cats can form strong connections with people, and they often experience signs of separation distress and behavioral changes that some interpret as grief and longing when they are rehomed. However, there are things that you can do to make the adjustment period easier.
This article explores the possibility of cats missing former owners and provides tips on helping them adjust to their new homes. We also discuss the importance of weighing all the factors involved when deciding to give away your cat.
Is Rehoming a Cat Traumatic?
It’s important to understand that while cats can not communicate their feelings, behavioral observations suggest that cats can and do show signs of separation distress and behavioral changes which suggest they miss their former owners and feel sad about being separated from them. This is especially true for cats that have spent a great deal of time with their previous human companions and have grown to rely on them for love and affection.
In general, cats will go through some stress, and what many anecdotal reports describe as a period of mourning when they are rehomed. They likely feel confused and scared by the sudden change in their living situation. However, if a cat lived in a neglectful environment, where they didn’t have an owner who loved them. They may still “miss” them but not in the way that a cat that had a caring and responsible relationship with their previous owner would.
Rehoming a cat is not necessarily traumatic, though it can be a difficult experience for both the pet and their owner. However, there are things you can do to make the transition easier for both of you.
Tips for Helping Cats Adjust to New Homes
If you’ve given away your cat and are worried about them missing you, there are steps you can take to help them adjust to their new home.
- A few weeks before the move, take your cat to the vet for a check-up, and make sure they are up to date on all their vaccinations.
- Provide plenty of comfort items from their previous home. This can include things like toys, beds, scratching posts, and blankets that smell like you or their previous environment.
- Use pheromone diffusers. Add them to your home one month before the move, and make sure the same product is also in the new home.
- You should make sure the new owners provide them with a safe space, at first a room with several hiding spaces. Be a passive and positive presence and allow them to take their time and approach you whenever they are ready.
- Spend extra time playing with and bonding with your cat in their new home to help them feel more secure and comfortable.
- Slowly introduce the cat to the other pets in the house so they can get used to each other.
- Stay in touch with the new owner, and ask for updates on how your cat is doing in their new home.
While it’s rarely easy to say goodbye to a beloved pet, it’s important to consider all the factors involved when deciding to give away your cat. With love and patience, cats can adjust to new homes and still hold their former owners in their hearts.
Do Cats Think You Abandon Them When Leaving?
This is a common concern for some cat owners. They can rest easy, as it is unlikely that cats would think of their owners as people who abandon them when they leave home. Since cats do not speak, it is hard to understand exactly what they feel. Scientific studies and expert literature suggest that cats can form strong bonds with their owners, cats displayed secure and insecure attachment styles. Anecdotal evidence suggests that they may feel a sense of loss and need some time to adjust. We know that changes in the social and physical environments as well as uncertainty are definitively stressful for cats. It’s perfectly normal for cats to feel somehow insecure without their previous owners, showing signs of separation distress especially if the cat had an exceptionally strong bond with them. Some would interpret that as missing them, but since cats don’t speak we are only speculating; but it’s important to remember that cats are resilient animals. Their adaptable nature means they can form new bonds over time, provided the new environment is stable and their emotional and physical needs are
Conclusion
It’s natural for cats to feel stressed and somehow insecure when they are rehomed. Cats can show signs of separation distress from their previous owners especially if they have a strong bond. But in time, cats can adjust to their new homes with the help of comfort items, lots of love and patience from their new owners, and plenty of bonding time to help them feel familiar and secure in their new home.
Featured Image Credit By: medveda, Shutterstock
16 Responses
Hi I have 2 cats I got my first 3 years ago then I tried helping hand rescue and decide to foster.
A kitten that had eye infection. It took 2 months Devore the eye was cleared up enough to consider returning her for adoption. Well she attached herself to me but my other cat did not like the situation. She quit coming to my bed at night and distanced herself in other ways. I kept hoping things would work out. I want my first cat back the way she was. But having trouble resining my self to turn second cat back to hhr. Second cat is now 9 months old. I feel so guilty but feel I owe it to my first cat. And will my first cat return to the way she was before second carat came? I fear first cat will not come back to the way she was and I will have rehomed second cat for nothing. Help thanks for any input you may have.
Hi Gloria, thanks for sharing your story and for giving another kitten an opportunity. Cats are territorial and many do not like sharing space and resources with others. Unfortunately, it is impossible to predict how things will turn out. But we do recommend you make the effort to spend quality time with your first cat alone, things like grooming, feeding treats, and playing with them can go a long way. We wish you good luck.
My family recently got evicted, and now has to get rid of our two cats for reasons such as housing, health (we found out the cats were making my sibling sick), and the well-being of the cats themselves. I'm having many worries, including what kind of family my cats might go to, new environments they'll have to adjust to, and above all, the worry that my cats will think that my family just doesn't want them anymore. It's breaking my heart to have to give them up, how can I know they'll be okay, and that they'll be taken care of?
Blake sorry to hear about your worries, the following post has some great tips for you: How to Safely Surrender a Cat: 4 Responsible Steps & FAQ – https://www.catster.com/cat-health-care/how-to-surrender-a-cat/. We hope this helps!
My daughter is inconsolable about leaving her cat behind due to a break up. She was in Astoria, NY. Her partner came home from a trip and broke up with her. She could not handle the breakup and flew home to Texas. Her partner will take good care of their cat but my daughter had a strong bond with her cat. I mean, a bond I admired from Texas and never got to meet her cat. They were together for 2 years (her and the cat)
Will the cat be ok? It’s heartbreaking to see my daughter agonizing over her loss which I totally understand. I have 4 dogs, but told her partner we would make it work if the cat was ever to be rehomed.
Please be real with me and tell me if cats adapt well to this type of change. (The change of my daughter leaving her cat like she did, it’s so sad) She felt she had no choice but to leave, mentally she was unable to deal with the unexpected breakup)
Thank you for sharing your story Audge and for being such a compassionate and supportive parent. It’s clear your daughter had a deep bond with her cat, and it’s understandable that leaving her behind would be heartbreaking for her. Cats are resilient and adaptable creatures, and if the cat is staying in a familiar environment with a caregiver who will provide love and consistency, she will likely adjust well over time. While she may initially notice your daughter’s absence, cats often find comfort in routines and their surroundings.
For your daughter, this is an emotional loss, and her feelings are completely valid. Staying connected, even through updates or photos from her ex-partner, might provide her some comfort if she’s open to it. It’s heartwarming that you’ve offered to take the cat if rehoming is ever needed, but for now, focusing on your daughter’s well-being and offering her a safe space to process her grief is the best support you can give. Thank you for your care and kindness during such a difficult time.
I am Grace from Manhattan New york
Hi Grace, nice to meet you, and thanks for reading us!
I have two cats , Luna, one year old , Lucca 4 months old
I love them so very much but they are sick and I can't pay to get them treatment, I am retired, living on Social Security thier treatment is over 1000.00 dollars a piece , I will have to turn them over to the humane society. Can they treat them and can I readopt them ?
Hi Lynn, sorry to hear about your struggles. You will need to ask the particular center to find out if they will allow you to readopt Luna and Luca. Here is some relevant information: If You Surrender a Cat, Can You Adopt It Again? – https://www.catster.com/lifestyle/can-you-adopt-after-surrendering-a-cat
We hope this helps. Also try to put your cat’s well-being first, remember real love is about prioritizing the other’s health and happiness. As hard as it is sometimes that means learning to let go of our attachment to them.
I feel so bad! I took a cat to BCAS today because he was on my porch for weeks. I would have loved to keep him but I have 5 cats right now. I tried to bring him in but my cats got really upset. I am hoping they find him a home. I am going to check back with them in a week. Did I do the right thing? he was an indoor cat. I think he was lost or someone dropped him off.
Hi Diana, thank you very much for your comment and for bringing this stray to BCAS. You did the right thing, as much as we would love to help every single cat in need, we are only humans, and having too many cats is not healthy for them or for us. Hopefully, BCAS can help to find their owners or some new owners for him. You might also be able to help find a loving owner by making some extra publicity in local cafes or social media. Thank you for loving cats.
Our cats both almost nine one started peeing & pooping in house not in clean litter box last straw pooped on chair Other cat had for doesn't clean self good breath bad I tried shampooing sprays
Took to vet to be put down can't afford expense I'm almost 77. Vet said healthy cats have vaccinations rabies shots etc and found another vet take them in and rehome. I feel so sad and guilty & wonder if they are ok. I can't ask or find out how to I stop feeling guilty? I loved them and have always had cats but never had these problems they were not same litters a month apart in age one rescue
Hi Nancy, please don’t feel guilty it is amazing that a vet could help them find another loving home. At any age it is important to put the cats' quality of life first, if you were unable to care for them surrendering them was the right thing to do. Here is a post that might help you deal with your emotions and feelings:
Euthanasia Guilt: 8 Tips to Work Through Your Feelings: https://www.catster.com/lifestyle/euthanasia-guilt/
How to Safely Surrender a Cat: 4 Responsible Steps & FAQ:
https://www.catster.com/cat-health-care/how-to-surrender-a-cat/
We hope this helps.
Am I crazy ,or is it really me hearing my cats crying to me ???????? ?
I had an unexpected move, where animal control came for my three cats.
They have since than been adopted. No chance of getting them back ????.
I hear one who seems to be in danger, she has never been in danger before and I am so scared for her as I did not know this could happen… I'm sad enough already and am left hopeless. Now her two brothers are asking for there sister, I had a dream she was run over ! and now I don't hear her ????????..
Is this possible ???? ? I saw them born from there mom, and we were together 6 years I'm retired and never left there side..we were supposed to be together for ever…????????????????????????.
Hi Marybella,
I'm so sorry you had to adopt out your beloved cats. That would have been a very difficult situation, but I hope it helps you to know that even if your cats miss you, they can be very adaptable. Cats are very good at taking care of themselves and are quite resourceful, so even if your cat was experiencing some danger, it is likely that she could figure her way out of it.
I don't know what situations they ended up in, but chances are, if someone adopted them, they are caring for them, and you can rest assured knowing that even if the love they have for your cats is different to yours, it is still love.
I'm sorry that this is such a difficult time for you while you miss your babies. You could try sending some mental messages back to them letting them know you're thinking of them and still love them, and maybe that's all they need to hear. <3 I hope that helps. Take care, Marybella, and thank you for getting in touch.