I'm in a bit of a dilemma. I've been living in the US for just over a year (having moved from the UK) and plan to stay here for probably another 3 - 4 years at least. My job is secure for that amount of time (and longer, in fact).
Life here is great but the thing I miss most from home is my wonderful old lady kitty, Chilli, who lives with my mother. We got her when she was 1 and she's 17 now (and still going strong!)
I do plan on moving back to the UK eventually, but the thought of going another 3 or 4 years without a cat in my life is difficult. Especially at the moment, it'd be lovely to have a cat companion at home. However I only want to get a cat if I know I can look after the kitty for as long as it lives - be it, 10, 15, or 20 more years.
There are some minor practical complications (when I visit the UK I usually go for a few weeks at a time, so I will need friends to cat sit; my apartment isn't huge - 500 square feet or so, and no outdoor space without the cat being in a harness; I don't have a car so will rely on friends to drive me and kitty to the vet when necessary) but the biggest concern I have is getting a cat when I will eventually have to fly it across the Atlantic back to the UK. I know this is doable in theory but I wouldn't want to put an animal under such stress if they couldn't handle it. This would be a one-off thing, but yeah...I don't know if it's a bit unethical.
I guess I'm just wondering if anyone else has been in this situation or has any thoughts. My mother has suggested I just wait until I move back, but even before I moved here I didn't get to see Chilli that often and was always excited to go home to see her. I just don't want to miss out on years of possible happiness with a feline friend since I've already been living without a cat on a daily basis for almost a decade now...And since I have my own place for the first time in non-student accommodation, this seems like a good time to get a cat. Just unfortunate that I'm now living in a different country...
Thanks for any thoughts!
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from Pets https://www.reddit.com/r/Pets/comments/k7ihag/should_i_get_a_cat_expat_living_abroad/
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