moving house with cats

[Vickie]

posted in B&T about moving with a baby now I need to know about moving with cats! How can you make the adjustment easier for them? One of the cats is pretty outgoing so I think she'll be fine, but the other is very skiddish, pretty much a scaredy cat so the transition will be rough for him...

 

[princess_bump]

i would probably do a couple of things vickie - when we've moved in the past we've kept the cats in doors for a couple of weeks till they are used to their new home, that way when they go out, they are less likely to get lost!!

i would also say to keep all their toys and bedding etc nice and smelling of them so that they are all comfortable iykwim!!

 

[Vickie]

ours have actually never been outdoors (we live in a condo) but are moving to a townhouse, really don't plan on letting them outside though Didn't think about that with the beds and toys though we were planning on replacing them but may wait on that

 

[princess_bump]

i wasn't sure if they did go out vickie! our's only go out when the sun is out - if its cold or rainy they stay in bed! and they live in england bless em so its quite a lot

i'm sure they'll adapt really well honey x x

 

[Elliebank]

Just give them lots of attention when yr in the new home & make sure they're ok. Let them have a good look around the new house & maybe go with them on their little look around so that they know you're there.

 

[emma_27]

When i moved i kept my cat in one room for the night and let him get used to that then i introduced him to another room etc when we first let him out he was really scared it took him longer to adjust than it did Benn lol.

 

[Mynxie]

when you get there, let them have full reign of just one room the day that you move. Then that night open the door for them to go into other parts of the house but not all of it. Talk to them alot. Rub them with a towel or something and rub the towel around the house (gets their smell around).

 

[Waiting2bMommy]

Usually when you move they mark there territory. I've moved 5 times with my cats. Vet told us to keep them in only one room for 1 to 2 weeks and then start letting them roam the rest of the house for short periods of time so they could get used to it.

 

[NeyNey]

Mynxie hit the nail on the head hun.

We have our three babies, and best thing to do is confine them to one room for a fair few hours, or overnight. Leave clothes in there from the old house so they still have the smell to help them calm. Let them out to explore the rest of the house.

Also you can purchase Feliway, it's a diffuser which helps cats to relax in stressful situations. Plug it in in the room you are going to put them a few hours before hand. Also, give them a few drops of Rescue Remedy into a bowl of water for them, it also helps to relax them.

 

[Vickie]

another question than one cat is very skiddish but the other isn't and she's also very very attached to me, she will probably want to follow me around everywhere so do I lock both in the room as being separated will probably upset that skiddish one? but being away from me will upset the other!

 

[Elliebank]

I personally don't think you lock them in one room - we didn't with ours. Cats are naturally curious & I think you should let them explore their new surroundings. Being locked in somewhere could worry them, wondering what's on the 'outside'.

 

[BlackBerry25]

I have moved across the country twice with my cats, and I just let them explore the new place. I was the same, I had one clingy yet adventurous cat and one more independent scaredy cat. I didn't do anything special, they usually hide the first day in the new house, and then the second day they are out and about exploring.

 

[mrsholmes]

I tried keeping my cats in one room (I have 2 indoor) they just cried, id let them explore