Moving--What do I do?

Hi I am new to this board and I would love some of your expert advice.

I am a long time cat lover and currently have only one cat. We have lived in the house we are in now since 2001 where she is an indoor/outdoor cat and does not use a litter box (her choice not mine--I noticed it was never used so I put it up). She has use of a pet door but is closed in the house all night and has never had an accident. We are moving on Thursday and don't know the best way to handle the transition. My thoughts are to keep her inside of the new house for an extended period of time but I am worried about the fact that she has not used a litter box for awhile. She used one for about two years when I first got her and she was an indoor cat only in an apartment. My husband is not a cat lover and we are already having battles about keeping her in the new house. But I am worried she will run away. There are woods across the street from our new house and I fear I will never see her again. Another problem is the fact that I have two year old twins that my cat is not too fond of and is the main reason she wants to be outside. Of course my twins would love to get ahold of her and "pet" her which would mostly consist of pulling her tail! So I try to protect her from them. By the way, the old house is only 5 miles down the road from the new one so is it possible for her to find her way back there?

So those are my problems. I love my girl dearly and don't want anything to happen to her. I adopted her from a shelter when she was very tiny and she has been a great friend and don't want to lose her nor do I want her too unhappy although I know this is going to cause her some stress. Thanks for any help or advice you can provide.

Josie

i would advise keeping her in a secure room till things settle in the house and maybe you can put her on a harness to acquaint her with her new neighborhood.

I feed a couple of cats in my neighborhood that are feral. I had them neutered/spayed. There was another cat that I always saw wasn't feral because he'd come over to me with affection, so I fed him. He was not being cared for so I knew he didn't have a home. He was around for a few years. He got very sick, I brought him to the Vet and he was FIV, I had to keep him indoors, especially since he was FIV. I gave him his own room with a litterbox, he jumped right in it and used it, never any accidents. I think in most cases its instinct to go in litter. Good luck.

She would, for sure, go back to the old house. I think you could, pretty much count on that.

I would keep her inside with a litter box. You can always get a new hubby.