One of the family cats, Dragon, is very possessive of me. Whenever I go on a trip for a…

How long have you been gone on your other trips? Cats are creatures of habit, and thrive on routine. When you go out of town, it takes Dragon a set amount of time to become used to the new routine without you, and during that transition, she’s uncomfortable and scared. Each cat may adjust to a new routine in a shorter (or longer) period of time. But I suspect that you’ve never been gone long enough for her to adjust to the “without you” routine.

Once you go to school, she’ll have a longer period of time and probably will eventually calm down and adjust. It could take a week, two weeks, or even a month before she feels more comfortable. Your family can help now by starting to take over some of the cat duties, such as feeding and playing with Dragon at set times. That way, when you leave, only part of her routine will be disrupted.