Cat Chat Feline Forum

If you've moved house with cats, how long did you keep them in? Did they go wondering or missing, or always returned to new house? Have you any thoughts on how much longer to keep mine in bearing in mind what I've said about Toby below?

The cats have adjusted to new home although Lottie seems very cautious about what's behind the kick boards in the kitchen (have taken them off and nothing unusual to my mind!). She adores my company and doesn't seem particularly interested in going out.

Toby on the other hand is going stir crazy, when awake meowing at the top of his voice and in the night fighting with his sister - he'll attack her even if she's on our bed. We are all giving him as much love as he wants, letting him have a lap at night if he wants and I've been trying to play with him every day as well as giving him different food as a treat and putting treats in a ball. He has someone in the house approx. 22 hours a day, so always someone around although we do leave him alone if he's resting. Would be happy to let him out now, but we moved a two minute walk away from our old house, where he was very popular with the neighbours. One lot would give him treats and he'd pop in and have a look around their house. Another one would let him in to sleep. To the best of my knowledge he's only ever been as far as half way between the houses and that was more when he was young (nearly 15 now).

Cat flap is hopefully been installed in 9/10 days time. Plan to let them out at a weekend first so all of us can keep an eye on which direction they go. Also, thought I'd try and be out in the garden the first morning so they have a sense that's our space.

We moved house two weeks ago and have kept both cats in since then. Lottie is taking it in her stride, accepting she can't go out. Toby has had his moments meowing at the top of his voice in the night, but the last 48 hours he's looking out of the window more, trying to sniff at air coming in through gaps (I have all windows about 0.5cm open with catch closed as it's warmer) and now he is bullying his sister. We've had five cat fights in 24 hours with Toby picking on Lottie.

I'm playing with him every day, giving him love and a lap when he's come looking for company, am feeding four small meals a day, playing with him and have a ball he can move around to get treats out. I have various scratching methods and even cat grass for them. Can anyone give me any advice on how to cope for a little while longer.

We wanted to keep him in as long as possible, as we're only a two minute walk from our old house where he was very popular with the neighbours. I accept he may try to find his way back, but am worried he'll get lost so want him to have a real sense this is his home.

Most people suggest 3-4 weeks incarceration (which it is in Toby's case) but most people move at least a few miles from their previous home.

I suspect after 2 weeks Toby will be quite confident to venture outside and if he does find his way back to old territory (for all you know this may have included your current home; boys wander further than girls generally) he might meet some of his old mates and his behaviour will improve.

I would suggest you start on a day you are at home and let him out before breakfast, into the back garden. Let him sniff around and then maybe call him back for his breakfast fairly soon. Repeat a couple of times and he should be fine.

Just my opinion, but it sounds like he's a seasoned outdoor guy and 2 minutes walk from where you used to live is nothing in cat terms - plus you'd know where to find him!