Hello all.

First time poster to this newsgroup and I am hoping I can get some
valuable advice please.

I have owned a cat for 7 years. She is a sweetheart with a mental age
of -2 (!) and a dribble problem !  For 5 out of the 7 years, I held
down a relationship with a complete narcissist which I almost moved in
with and thank goodness I didn't.  Finally got out of the relationship
and one of the conditions that was going to be laid down was that if I
moved in with him, the cat went.

I am now in a relationship with someone else - someone that really is
horizontal in most things and whom I love and care for very much. He
always appeared to like my cat and they got on well.

Recently, we moved in together.  I was forced to sell my house because
of financial problems and as we get along great, he asked me to move
in with him.  And it was fine to bring the cat.......3 months on, things
in that area have broken down somewhat.  It's one bedroom flat.  The
cat was used to going out and now she's not able to. She recently went
"on holiday" to my mom's whilst we went away and her personality
changed loads since she came back - having the freedom of the house
and being put back in a flat I think didn't go down too well........

I have worked what I think is a compromise out with my other half.
The cat goes to my mom's for 6-12 months whilst we sort out bigger
living accommodation such as a house.  If my mom will have her - still
waiting on the answer. That way, I know the cat will go to a good
home, where I can visit and she will have the run of a large house and
garden too.

Thing is, I have read on here some other posts whereby the general
reaction was dump the boyfriend, keep the cat.  He is upset that he
can't seem to tolerate her and I tried playing the card of "lose the
cat, lose me," but in all honesty I don't want to lose him because we
have great friendship that I think runs very deep but I still feel
lost.  I have descended on this guy, who has been so accommodating
with me moving in and accepted me dumping loads of stuff in the flat
but surely it's not fair for me to impose something that he can't deal
with ?

Thing is, I am sure it will be better for the cat to have somewhere
where she can roam free rather than being couped up all day everyday
and it would only be temporary......

Any help or advice appreciated.

Thank you.

Jamie