Would you give up your pet just because someone else wants it?

You know, just take your first sentences.. You adopted this cat, that means this cat warmed to you, loved you, loves you...

As a result others see the merits of it's nature, loving.

You did that, the cat would not be happy anywhere else.

Invite your Mother over more often or teach the cat to travel

Thank you for giving a life to a little munchkinnnnn and showing it so much love that it showed others the same x

Yes, I would and have done . I was just a school boy when my cat went missing for about 2 weeks . I was walking home and was about a block away, when I saw my cat in someones front yard with a little old lady . I said, "hey that's my cat" . She looked shocked and said "It came here about 2 weeks ago" . I called it by name and it came over, but going by the look on the little old ladies face I quickly said, "well he seems very happy here" . Whereupon she realised I was giving her the cat and thanked me profusely . She needed it more than me .

Cats, in my experience, much prefer to stay in familiar surroundings, as long as they are well loved and looked after.

When we moved to our present house, the sellers noticed that my wife was smitten with their cat when we came to view the property.
Several visits later, and after much fussing of the cat, they wondered if it would be OK if they included the cat as part of the deal.
The cat had lived and thrived in his territory in and around the home for five years, and loved its life there. They knew that moving the cat would cause it major stress for a while.

We agreed to take over the cat, and from day one it was as if it was our cat all along. The cat's life had been hardly affected, and only its servants had changed.

Cats are far more fickle than dogs when it comes to this sort of stuff. Warmth, shelter, food, fuss. They don't really mind who gives it to them.

Cats in my experience accept most humans . They can also go out of a nighttime, get chased by dogs or simply be too far away by daybreak to come home . They can find a nest of mice, or some other "wild" attraction and as they are never really tamed but simply adopt humans, they can quite easily adapt to new environments . When moving I would always lock up the cat in the new surrounds till it had settled for a couple of days as they will panic and attempt to return to familiar teritory if the move was not of their choosing . Well cared for, well loved cats, can simply go elsewhere, not out of dislike of the owner but simply out of curiosity or just being a cat .

I agree. There's even a good chance that if teh kitteh is forced to move to another house, it may run away and come back to the first house. If I were in this situation, I'd let the cat stay where it is and just visit frequently. Good for the cat and the mom, I'd think.

Cats and humans....

You're less than four years out of college and your mom is "old and lonely"? How old is that-45? She's actually in the prime of life. However, even though you found the cat, she really became the family's cat and would feel most secure there. My vote would go to keeping the cat in the family homestead, hard as that is, and starting over with a new pet that will be forever yours.

I have had cats myself so I can understand. Yes, they like familiar surroundings and can get stressed when you move, but they adapt. I've done it when I moved. They get used to after a few days, the cat might hide for a while or maybe not it depends so much on the particular cat's personality -- some are very curious and others are more skiddish.

In any case, if it is your cat, and you really want him, take the cat with you. If your mom wants company, why not get her a new cat? You can go to a shelter and ask which cat would fit in well with your mom and her personality. If you adopt an older cat, the shelter would likely know the cat's history and personality and could find one that would fit her nicely.

Bonus you give a cat without a home a new home and your mom will have her own cat for company.

PS - my mom went out and did this on her own. She said when all the previous pets passed away she wouldn't get another (all the other pets were one of us kids' pets that couldn't bring them where we were moving). She loves the creature and he loves her. she got him for mousing purposes but he is her baby now.

Will you be spending days home with the cat?

Is your mother home during the day?

Will you be moving so far away that you couldn't visit the cat at its current home, or your mother couldn't visit it in its new home?

So then the question is moot. "Should I leave my pet with my family when I move out" would have gotten you "It is up to you, what do you value more, making your mom happy or keeping your cat?"