Moving house with cats - any advice/comments appreciated

[Jodie]

We should be moving in four weeks!

I have two fifteen year old cats who've only ever lived in this house. They've never been in a cattery, but I've just about got my head around putting them in one for 24 hours, so that's the day of completion sorted. I can bring them home and easily keep them in one good sized room with all their needs for the first day or so, and then let them decide when they want to venture further.

Has anyone got any recommendations to make them as comfortable as possible in the days that follow. I was thinking of a Feliway diffuser, some sort of scratch post/facility (as they are both using to going outside), growing some cat grass and allowing time to play with them more.

Also, how long should I keep them in for. Lottie is very much a home loving cat and totally attached to me. If she goes out, she's always in sight. Toby, however, loves it outside even during rain and snow. He likes popping into see the neighbours and we can see him returning as we're moving a two minute walk away. If he can find his way between the two properties fine, but ideally it would be good to get him really used to where his new home is.

[meriad]

Jodie, Feliway definitely won't do any harm. And putting them into their own room with their bedding, food and a litter tray is a good idea.

Main advice to give is make sure you don't let them out for a minimum of 2 weeks but ideally longer; 4 is good and longer even better.

Depending on what they're like generally chances are that at 15 they'll take it quite in their stride and absolutely love having all these boxes to explore and jump up on and in and out of. Just make sure boxes with cleaning things are kept closed.

Good luck with the move - they will be fine. Chances you will be more stressed than them so remember to have that kettle / or a bottle of wine or beer where you can easily find it!

[meriad]

Oh and if your cat's aren't already microchipped then get that done in case they do get out and can't find their way home. And if they are already chipped then remember to update the company with your new address details

[Willowgill]

I'm sure they'll be fine with the move as long as they have lots of time to establish this is their new home with plenty of their own bedding, toys and most importantly their humans around them. I would definitely keep them in for several weeks and as has been said make sure they're chipped. Also if it's not far away I would ask your neighbours to look out for Toby and let you know if he arrives on their doorsteps. My son emigrated to NZ last year and took their 2 cats with them - they had to spend 3 months living with a friend over here until their rabies shots were valid and then had the long flight and 10 days in quarantine over there before they were finally reunited with their owners - they have settled in remarkably well and are now happily spending their days in the sun or under the house to keep cool as well as catching lizards and proudly bringing them home. Good luck with the move - just make sure Toby doesn't wander off before you get him to the cattery

[Crewella]

All good advice, I recently moved with my six and the one I was most worried about, 19 year-old Minnie, coped the best - as soon as she'd found her heated bed and the litter tray, she went straight back to her usual routine. Others took longer, and I did start them off in one room (and then played it by ear, as you are planning), but they all settled in pretty quickly. I think us being around and familiar furniture really helped.

One thing, when you do first let them out, after four weeks or so, let them out just before food time, go out with them and then call them back in after they've sniffed about for a few minutes, and do the same for slightly longer the next day. It really helps to establish the 'way back home'.

[Jodie]

Thanks for your replies (so far). Yes, I agree we will need to keep them in for a few weeks. Think Toby will go crazy though, he used to sit by the back door when he was a kitten meowing like crazy to go out. Luckily we get on really well with the present neighbours he likes and we have eachother's telephone numbers (our number won't change).

Sounds silly, but might leave them in the room for the first few hours and then go and sleep at the other end (room is quite long and they will primarily have their stuff in the extension side). Lottie always sleeps by me and if Toby comes in overnight I have to put one of my pillows on the floor for him to settle down.

Think I'm more worried about the cats rather than the move.

[Jan]

When we adopted my mother's cat 10 year old cat after she had to go into a care home, I was worried sick about how Blackie would get on in a completely different home (Mum's house is very open plan, ours isn't) - not to mention our large garden, whereas Mum's is relatively small in comparison.

We did all the things suggested here - used Feliway, and had already started him on Zyklene before we left to come back to Kent. We confined him to the dining room for a day ...but he's a cat that hates being confined (having been used to an open plan type house), so we let him follow us into the kitchen. I will never forget the quizzical look on his face as he kept looking up at the walls, the kitchen units, etc. From then on it was virtually impossible to keep him confined as he would scratch at the doors if we shut him in a room without someone being in there with him. He did sleep in his cat basket for the first few days in the dining room (with the door open) but as soon as he discovered there was a bedroom upstairs and he was allowed to sleep there, that was it.

My biggest worry was the garden. We'd been advised to keep him indoors for at least 2/4 weeks, but keeping Blackie indoors is very stressful for him - and me! It caused him so much stress that after less than a week, I took a deep breath and let him out - walking some distance away from him as he searched his new 'playground'. He then went round the side of the house and leapt up onto the side gate and my heart leapt into my mouth. I followed him out onto the front drive, but by then he'd disappeared. I felt frantic - especially as we have a road at the front with very occasional cars going up and down whereas my mother's house is in a cul-de-sac with no traffic.

Anyway, eventually he returned and had the audacity to hiss at me as I followed him back to our garden ... virtually telling me to 'clear off'! So I left him to it - feeling very anxious the whole time he was out. But back he came after nearly an hour - sitting outside the French doors like he was saying 'this'll do'

Cats are cleverer than we think

[Shelly and Dora]

Hi. I've copied and pasted this from a post I added in february on the old site. It might help a bit? Dora is an indoor only girl so a slightly different scenario.

When Dora and I moved she really surprised me. I had prepared myself for several days of her hiding behind the sofa but she just took it all in her stride.

I also had old litter in her trays and made sure I plugged Feliway in as soon as I got the keys which was about 2 hours before Dora came home. I was lucky enough to be able to leave her at the old house while we unpacked the furniture at the new house.

I put food, water and biscuits down for her ready and made sure her beds and blankets were spread about. I put a few toys round for her and crossed my fingers!

When I bought her in I shut the lounge door thinking that one room would be as far as she ventured for a few days. She hopped out of her carrier, sniffed round for about 5 minutes, jumped up onto the windowsill, sat there for a couple of minutes then asked to be let out of the room. I really wasn't sure what to do but thought I'd be guided by her. I opened the door thinking she'd probably dart behind something but she casually walked through the hall, into the dining room, through into the kitchen. Had a drink, wandered through into the utility room, saw her tray, got in had a wee, hopped out, back through the kitchen & dining room into the hall, took the stairs 2 at a time, sniffed all round upstairs, had another wee in the tray in the ensuite, hopped back downstairs into the lounge, jumped on the sofa on her favourite blanket, curled up and went to sleep!! The whole thing took less than half an hour! I never had any toileting accidents, hiding away, off her food - nothing! That first night she came up to bed with me as normal. It was almost like she sniffed round, decided all her normal things including her Mummy was there so it was fine!