Kitty and Construction

We are about to begin major remodeling in our home. There will be construction workers making lots of noise five days a week for about six weeks. Our plan is to secure our 19-month old, indoor only kitty-girl in the large room where her food, water and litter box are already established. She will also have a window to view the world. I am concerned that the noise made by "unseen" people in the house will frighten her. She is a very outgoing kitty, who loves to meet everyone new. She is not overly skittish about "normal" noises, but this will be loud and in close proximity. Is there anything we can do to lessen the stress of this situation? Anyone have experience with this particular concern? If so, any tips to make things go more smoothly for our sweet girl?

Eeep! I am not sure what advice to offer on this one. Our cats can not stand a vaccume cleaner.. I can't imagine having them listening to 9 workmen in the house with power tools and hammers. Good luck with this situation though!

She might do okay.

We had a neighborhood stray (Bootsie, who passed away a year ago at age 15) who would not leave the workers alone when they were remodling my next-door neighbor's house. They were using a back-hoe to pound out the front cement steps, and the cat was underfoot the entire time. I actually had to go and rescue him every morning because the workers didn't like cats and really didn't like him hanging around.

What gets me is that the pounding was so loud it knocked the pictures off the wall in my room, and yet Bootsie wasn't 10 feet from it and he wasn't frightened at all.

Keep her room dim if possible, play classical music softly, Plug in a couple feliway comfort zone room diffusers, be sure that there is a sign on the door letting the workman know there is cat in the room and be sure that she has food, water, toys and litter pans. If it helps we have been remodeling several years now (we are doing it all ourselves) and except for a major mad-dash under the table when the power saws start up, our cats have adjusted to the noises easily and will come out to supervise and help-

I had all the wood floors in my house refinished last year (probably about 1800 square feet plus a stairway). Imagine the sounds of big sanders on wood floors for hours and days on end, then hammering for loose boards, then the smell of varnish to finish it off. There were about 7 workmen in at times, so lots of big strangers in the house. They did 1/2 of the house at a time, and because my house has so many doorways with no doors, I actually boarded up different sections of my house as they worked thru the house (I had to keep the cat hair off the varnish during the process).

I kept the stereo going most of the time, and spent as much time as I could with them while the workers were here. I also gave them extra treats and spent more time playing with all of them. Some got scared and hid, and others just sat around and tried to look around the barriers and watch them. I think it was easier for them that "mom" was there to comfort them when the noises got particularly loud. The other thing that probably helped them was the fact that we play our stereo a lot, and usually on the loud side. Loud noises are not new to my cats.

My buddy was quite fortunate in that she was able to foster her kitties out during the entire construction phase.

The cats adjusted quite well to the new home, and they get to see their real "mom" every weekend.

However, I wonder what kind of adjustment period will be necessary when the cats come back their real, remodeled home? We'll find out in a couple weeks, since the construction and remodeling will be finished.

Nancy

You could get someone to cat sit her in thier home while they are working. That's what I'd do anyway