Moving - Need Advice

emmam

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My fiance and I are moving (along with our housemate), and I need some advice.

I've read a few articles and talked to some friends who have moved with cats, and I thought I had a pretty good idea of how we should do this as to minimize stress to the cats. We were scheduled to move next weekend, and things were going smoothly.

Last night, due to an emergency business trip, we had to push up the start of the move to this weekend. I say start because the plan is to move all of the furniture this weekend, but since none of the utilities will be on until next weekend, we won't actually be living in the new place until next weekend. This odd situation this conflict of schedules has caused pretty much scraps all of the plans I had made for a smooth transition for the kitties.

What can I do to minimize the stress on my cats during this time in moving limbo?
 

sar

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Hi and welcome to TCS!


Feliway!
You can buy some Feliway plug-ins that will help while you are living at the furniture-less place and it will also aid in the transition into your new home!

You might also want to consider adding some Rescue Remedy to their water, so as to help keep them calm.

Other than that, you need to try to keep things as stress free as possible (difficult I know - in the process of sorting a move myself!)

Try to provide some clothes - that you have done heavy work in, which will hold the scent of you and your sweat. This will be good to keep around for your cats as it holds familiar smells, even when the furniture is gone and you move across to the new place.

When you are taking the cats over, isolate them to one room with food, water, litter tray, Feliway and the familiar smells of home (the sweaty clothes and the same bedding you used before the move, not having washed it) This will give them a 'safe zone' while you are getting sorted. After time in here, you will be able to gradually let them explore the new place on their terms.


Another handy tip is to try to place the furniture in your new home as colse as possible to how it was set up in your old place (if possible) as this will feel more familar and help with the settling period!

Good luck with moving the furiture this weekend and let us know how everything goes!
 

ryanjay

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I moved last year with 17 cats...I had my bedroom set up and moved them into that and then when rest of house was finished and things were calmer I let them out of my room. We had been packing for a few weeks so the cats we had moved with 4 years prior to that knew somethign was up-the newer ones had fun with all these great toys we kept bringing them(aka the boxes
I find the first few days ina bedroom helps them ease into it...when they go out it still must smell like"home" just walls have moved hehe RJ
 

gizmocat

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Might I ask how you transported the 17 cats? Were they all put into carriers? Did you take them to the new home all at once, or in stages?

Just curious.
 

ryanjay

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LOL
Stages...I tooks the ones who like eachother in seperate cages but same trip. some are bro/sister and I took two in same cage cause they are very bonded. did this in early am that way it was a smooth drive(moved about 5 miles but if it was mid day it would have taken lot longer due to traffic really backs up. Sadest part of move was it POURED the whole day. all moved in 4 trips ina 4 door ford so I was cracking up if we should get pulled over..might get mistaken for robbing the animal shelter
RJ
 

ryanjay

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just stared at that a minute...no last year we had 16...oh boy losing my mind number 17 came with the house....pregnant to....lol
 
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