Moving with an Outside cat - How??

carolina

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 17, 2008
Messages
14,759
Purraise
215
Location
Corinth, TX
Hi there - this is obviously not for me, but for a dear friend of mine...
Here is the deal:
My friend has three cats: 2 inside only, and 1 outside only. She is getting married, selling her house, and moving the kitties first to her fiancee's house. She, herself, is moving to her mother's house until she gets married in December. The two inside only kitties have already been relocated to fiancee's house, and are doing fine...
Now comes the hard part - how can she move the outside kitty???
Back Porch is her name - she is probably about 10 yrs old. She is NOT feral AT ALL, and will come inside when the weather is too harsh, etc. VERY VERY sweet kitty....
Grace, my friend, was planning on moving her to the new house, and spending the first three days inside of the house with her, to get her acclimated, and then letting her out on the yard (fenced), and go from there... She can and WILL jump the fence, as she does jump Grace's fence every day...
I asked Grace about the possibility of her becoming an inside only cat, and she said "I don't know" which I think it means it depends on her fiancee, who is going from no kitties, to three!

I have no experience with moving outside cats, but the only thing I can imagine is that she is going to get away to never be seen again... But I can be completely wrong... IMO Back Porch should be brought in, and only left out very slow after Grace moves into the house, in December... But again, that is just me - I have no experience on moving outside kitties, and could be wrong.
On a good note, the neighborhood is very quiet and safe, in the suburbs, definitely safer than where she has been...

I told her I will ask you guys...
Can you please help her on this?
A few things to keep in mind:
  • It is not possible for her to take the kitties to her parents house with her, as they have dogs, puppies, and she travels a lot; the kitties are safer at the fiancee (plus I am closer
    )
  • She can not move in with her fiancee before getting married in December
What do you guys think is the best plan to move Back Porch? What Can Gracie do? Anything I can do to help her?
Thanks Guys!
 

white cat lover

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Nov 17, 2005
Messages
22,206
Purraise
35
She needs to keep her enclosed somewhere outdoors for 1-2 weeks. Some cats adapt faster than others to the new place. When I brought home Squishy as a farm cat, he required months of medical care so lived indoors for months. I then moved him outdoors to a shed where I kept him contained for a week before releasing him.

Any possibility of doing something like Purr-fect fence to keep BP in?

The other thing is to move BP to live indoors. If she doesn't adjust to being indoors only, or for whatever reason they want her to be outside again - then they can enclose her outdoors for awhile & release her?
 

yayi

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Oct 9, 2003
Messages
12,110
Purraise
91
Location
W/ the best cats
Originally Posted by carolinalima

Grace, my friend, was planning on moving her to the new house, and spending the first three days inside of the house with her, to get her acclimated, and then letting her out on the yard (fenced), and go from there... She can and WILL jump the fence, as she does jump Grace's fence every day...
  • It is not possible for her to take the kitties to her parents house with her, as they have dogs, puppies, and she travels a lot; the kitties are safer at the fiancee (plus I am closer
    )
  • She can not move in with her fiancee before getting married in December
Three days is too short for getting used to a new place. I also can't see Back Porch being left in the new house while Grace stays at her mother's (that's what I understand from your explanation).
I think BP should be with the other 2 cats now relocated at the fiancee's. Kept inside to get used to the new place and if BP is not happy w/ the indoor life, the fiancee may want to put up a temporary outdoor enclosure, or go through the slow process of introducing BP to the new outdoor surroundings (this takes weeks - less if BP is used to wearing a harness)
Come December, all 3 cats can move to the new house and do the acclimation together. The transition will be easier because Grace and fiancee will know now how the cats react to change.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #4

carolina

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 17, 2008
Messages
14,759
Purraise
215
Location
Corinth, TX
Originally Posted by yayi

Three days is too short for getting used to a new place. I also can't see Back Porch being left in the new house while Grace stays at her mother's (that's what I understand from your explanation).
I think BP should be with the other 2 cats now relocated at the fiancee's. Kept inside to get used to the new place and if BP is not happy w/ the indoor life, the fiancee may want to put up a temporary outdoor enclosure, or go through the slow process of introducing BP to the new outdoor surroundings (this takes weeks - less if BP is used to wearing a harness)
Come December, all 3 cats can move to the new house and do the acclimation together. The transition will be easier because Grace and fiancee will know now how the cats react to change.
There is no new house -the "new" house I am talking about is the fiancee's house. So Back Porch IS being relocated to fiancee's house, but Grace's plan was to keep him as an outside cat... They will be moving in together - kitties first, Grace only after they get married (so she will be living with her mom for a while, she was not counting in selling her house so fast with the market like this).

The reason why BP hasn't gone yet, is that when Grace started moving her stuff, she (BP) took off for a for a couple of days, and Grace had to travel for work before BP came back (the neighbor was left responsible for feeding). Both have returned, BP is ok, at home with Grace, and she has now a good 10 days or so with her to get ready to move...
 

farleyv

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Feb 19, 2009
Messages
4,796
Purraise
36
Location
New York State
keeping this cat as an outside cat. When I was a child, we moved from the city to the country approx 12 miles. Our outside cat immediately disappeared. When we went back to the city to visit the old house, there was our cat, very thin but so happy to see us. He found his way back to familiar territory. I would never attempt this. My outside cat would become an insider. If it was truly necessary to be outside, it would take months for me to acclimate him. Once there are two indoor cats, whats the big deal of three?
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #6

carolina

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 17, 2008
Messages
14,759
Purraise
215
Location
Corinth, TX
Originally Posted by farleyv

keeping this cat as an outside cat. When I was a child, we moved from the city to the country approx 12 miles. Our outside cat immediately disappeared. When we went back to the city to visit the old house, there was our cat, very thin but so happy to see us. He found his way back to familiar territory. I would never attempt this. My outside cat would become an insider. If it was truly necessary to be outside, it would take months for me to acclimate him. Once there are two indoor cats, whats the big deal of three?
That's pretty much what I told her it would happen...
I don't know if it would be a big deal, I don't think she ever considered it to tell you the truth... I do think it might be an issue for her fiancee. He is a VERY clean, neat, orderly kind of guy, and I just don't know how he is going to all of the sudden take care of three kitties on his own, never having had one cat before... He also travels at least 50% of his time...
If Grace was living in the house, I don't thing there would be an issue, but that is not the case.... so he will need to say yes or no, and it might be a matter of logistics really....
 

otto

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Mar 7, 2008
Messages
9,837
Purraise
197
I agree with the general opinion that Porch Cat needs to be kept inside the new house for a few weeks before being allowed out. Cats take at least two weeks to acclimate their inner 'radar'.

I hope it all works out and she is teachng her intended how to take care of these cats. Going from never having a cat to caring for three, one who will not want to be inside, is quite a challenge. I hope he is up to it. I am assuming your friend will be able to go over every day and check on the cats?

Would the neighbor consider taking over the care of Porch Cat until your friend has moved into the new house?
 

momofmany

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Jul 15, 2003
Messages
16,249
Purraise
70
Location
There's no place like home
When I moved from my old house to current one, I moved all the cats, even the outdoor ferals. I kept them inside my new house for a month before I let them back outside. I kept them in a room that overlooked the back yard and deck, and left the windows open a lot to get them used to the smells of the area. On the day they went outside, they didn't leave the deck area for a week, and only explored for the next 2 weeks when either the dogs or I were in the yard.

3 days is clearly not enough, and I'm not sure that a week or 2 is enough either. Give it a month.
 

3catsn1dog

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Aug 11, 2009
Messages
2,987
Purraise
11
Location
Trapped in the catroom! ;o)
I just think she should try and move the kitty inside. Ive got two cats that went from outside to inside and transitioned very well to the situation..Maybe her fiance would be willing to take the outside kitty for walks on a leash to give her outside time....But to move and put the cat right outside I think is just too dangerous.
 

jack31

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 1, 2007
Messages
1,819
Purraise
15
Location
Cincinnati, OH
In April I brought pregnant Ginger to live here, keeping her indoors wasn't an option--it went against our lease, and our boys were not going to accept her. So I kept her in a large dog crate on our front porch. During her first 3 weeks, before she gave birth, she was allowed out of the enclosure only with me present and would stay right with me on the porch (for short periods of time 15 minutes or so). After giving birth she was only allowed out with me for short periods of time until the babies turned about 3 weeks old, this is when she started to want to leave the porch and I couldn't risk losing her or her getting pregnant again. So she remained solely in the cage until she was spayed, when her babies were gone (they were 12 weeks when she was spayed). I tried to rehome her but I had no takers--the only option besides her outside was our local kill shelter, where with her cage aggression, she was sure to be euthanized. After her spay I started walking her on leash and harness in our yard to get her used to our property. I walked her along the fence line, talked to her a lot about where she could and couldn't go etc. For two weeks she was walked about an hour a day and then put her back in her cage. At the end of the two weeks I did a couple trials with her and that was to test whether she would come when I called her name. I sent hubby into the back yard with her and I stood on the front porch and yelled for her--as a simulation for any day in the future if she wasn't there and I needed to find her. She immediately pulled the leash from hubby's hand and bolted to me. We did this for 3 days and at that point I started giving her freedom from the leash with me outside, she did great and always came when I called. She now is outside all day long but caged at night still--solely because we are planning a move and I am trying to not traumatize her too much because she will have to go through the whole being caged all day long scenario again in a matter of weeks. I have no fear of moving her, and believe wholeheartedly that she will do great. The move is actually a great thing as the street we will move to is much much less busy than where we live now.

Please don't force your friend to make her an inside cat. We all have our views of what is best for our pets and there was a point that I felt it was best Ginger be inside. But I'll be honest, I know in my heart whats best is that Ginger lives, and I know that by her living outside her life may be shorter, but she has known love, and will continue to know love, and had I not taken her in, these are things she never would have known. She will also never have to be a mother again.

Leslie
 

gloriajh

FERAl born “Pepper”
Top Cat
Joined
Jun 17, 2006
Messages
2,027
Purraise
66
Location
CA - Desert
I have nothing to offer - but, am interested in the input from others on this subject because I may be in the same sort of situation - like a move to another state, and, I can't see myself leaving the ferals I care for - it just won't happen as long as I can have the ability to determine their fate.

I'm in the process of socializing the Mommy and her two kittens knowing that one day I may need to move them.

So, I'm posting here because I'd like to be notified when others post suggestions.

I was really encouraged to read that Momofmany said she moved her ferals - but would like details of how she moved them.


Thanks for your thread, Carolinalima.
 
Top