Tips for moving house with cats

[Ally T]

We finally have a moving-in date for the Vicarage & it’s only 5 weeks away - 20th May. Eek! Can’t believe how quickly everything is coming together now & the next 5 weeks will be busier than ever over there.

We have two cats who will be 9 this year. They are outdoor cats, so come & go as they please through a cat flap. One is a home bird, a snooty pedigree who doesn’t like getting her claws dirty & one is an ADVID hunter, the daughter of an outdoor rat catcher. Chalk & cheese, but both born on the same farm next door to where we live & within days of each other. The ratter abandoned her babies in a hedge & the pedigree was the farmers purebred Lilac Point Birman who was intentionally bred. We couldn’t take one baby without the other as they were cuddled in the same basket for warmth when we popped in to see them, but we have never told them they’re not actually real sisters. Shhhhh……

We had a littler tray when they were tiny & before they had had their jabs & had been neutered, so we are in the process of buying a new one & stocking up on litter etc to keep them indoors for a couple of weeks when we go. They are microchipped & I will update the database details, plus they have their names & my number on their collar tags.

Any tips on how to manage their transition & make it as stress free as possible? They will be moving into a house a good 4 times the size of the one they live in now & I don’t want them to spin out or escape or get lost, even though we will only be a mile away in the next village & they could easily wander back here if they wished.

What worked / didn’t work when you moved house with kitties?

 

[Matata]

Choose one room in the house in which to confine them for a few days, include their beds, blankets, toys, litter. Feed and play with them in the room. Put some of your dirty clothes in there with them too so they have familiar smells around them. Depending on how confident they are acting, open the room after a few days and let them explore the house on their own. Since the house is so big, I'd duplicate an isolation room for them on the first 2 floors of the house so they can escape to them if they feel the need until they are settled in.

 

[dk168]

I have read Jackson Galaxy has good tips on moving house with cats from one of the cat related sites that I follow on FB.

DK

 

[Star gazer]

How exciting that you have a date!! Yay! <3 When we moved, we took our cat to the home with us a couple times BEFORE the actual move.. he was able to sniff around the rooms, explore, get familiar etc. He is NOT an outdoor cat.. but for your outdoor kitties, I would recommend maybe holding them in your arms, and walking around outside a few times in the new neighbouhood.. They will pick up sights and scents and be ready to explore (and come home) on their own, in no time. Our old kitty growing up was an outdoor cat. But our cat now is indoor, but loves to watch the birds from our window. And sometimes venture out, but only in fenced in backyard!!

 

[foxinsox]

Oh that’s so exciting!! I’m thrilled for you!
100% what @Matata said but also add in Feliway diffusers in the parts of the house the cats will be based in at the start. It’ll help them feel more relaxed and that they’re “home”.

 

[dk168]

+ 1 re: Feliway Diffusers.

Mine was not allowed outside when I first got her as she was not chipped. I am her second (and last) family for the past 15 years.

She was stressed while indoors and pee'ed on a cushion. Once I plugged in the diffuser she was fine.

She was chipped a few days later and was allowed to go out to roam her new kingdom, and fought with the neighbourhood cats!

DK

 

[missy]

@Ally T no words of wisdom to share here that hasn't already been shared but to say good luck with your move and good luck with the kitties. As we all know cats HATE change. But they will adapt and get used to it in time and I am also confident they will eventually love exploring their new gorgeous big house. Wishing you much happiness in your new abode. ((((((HUGS)))))))

 

[RMOO]

On moving day, I would suggest you lock them in an empty room with their stuff (in the old house) so they don't accidentally get out while the doors are open and people going in and out. Then move them to the new house and isolate them in a room there as noted above, after all the movers are gone, for the same reason.

 

[AdaBeta27]

I locked mine in a cat playpen and a dog crate while the movers were there because I didn't trust some idiot to not open a door and accidentally leave a cat out. I moved them in their cat carriers, to the new house. I didn't keep them penned up long. Only until the movers left, really. My three aren't outdoor cats, but I'd recommend you keep your cats shut indoors for at least a week because I know people who moved and had their cat take off from the new place and it was never seen again. Microchip yours, if they're not already. My cats were very cool with the move. They looked around, found all of our and their stuff, and evidently thought "Cool! We live here now." There was no hiding or acting skittish or anything. They were not the least bit troubled. Keep yourselves calm and confident, too, because they will read your moods and react.

 

[LilAlex]

I think you'd need to leave very quietly and move at least 5 miles away

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

we put Borris into a really good cattery we had used before, a few days before we moved so she would not be worried about the house emptying out

we got her back about a week latter
- we moved ourselves and it was 2 1/2 hours away and required a lot of trips (it seemed a good idea at the time as we had had a very bad experience with crown removals prior)

once we got her back we kept her inside for 10 days and then she has closely supervised time outside for the next week

Good luck @Ally T

 

[ManaS]

Moving with cats can be a bit of a juggle, huh? Smart move with the cattery, gave Borris some peace during the hustle. We did a DIY move too - loads of trips, but hey, seemed like a good idea at the time!

 

[ManaS]

Moving with cats can be a bit of a juggle, huh? Smart move with the cattery, gave Borris some peace during the hustle. We did a DIY move too - loads of trips, but hey, seemed like a good idea at the time!

Keeping her inside for a bit post-move is a solid plan. Btw, if you ever need help with the heavy lifting, heard good things about Three Movers.

 

[Ally T]

Keeping her inside for a bit post-move is a solid plan. Btw, if you ever need help with the heavy lifting, heard good things about Three Movers.

Hi there! This thread is from last year & we moved last May, so all settled & fine now, thanks.