Adventures in moving

[ondine]

We are moving from New Jersey to North Carolina this week.  Actually, I am moving with all eight cats.  My husband is staying here and will work until this house sells.  Hopefully, that won't take too long.  Then he'll retire and join me down south.  A little trepidation - attitudes there are a bit different than mine, although the county where we are moving has a WONDERFUL outlook on animal welfare and feral cats.  I can see getting involved again eventually.

Anyway, I am going to try to make this post about integrating all eight cats as inside cats and getting them used to the new digs and one another.  Currently, we have a tortoiseshell cat with her own room because she hates the other cats.  When she sees one, you would think someone was trying to kill her.

On top of that, we have two outside guys, one semi-feral, who are coming inside, too.  So that means all eight cats will have big adjustments to make.

We have hired a pet transport service to drive them down.  The vet will be here that morning (Saturday May 7), to give them all a shot to help them sleep a little.  The grief they give me on the three-mile trip to the vets made me realize they will need it for the nine-hour trip to North Carolina.

I am leaving on May 4 with all the furniture and will hopefully have everything set up for them when the arrive.  Please, everyone, pray for my husband, who will have to get them all in carriers for the vet.  He's never caught any of them and each of them have different tricks for avoiding the carrier!  I imagine he'll be calling me every few minutes.  Luckily, a cat-savvy friend is coming over to help him.

Once they arrive, here are my plans.  The new house has a sun porch that is 15' x 25' with floor to ceiling windows.  It has air conditioning and heat, so it will be ideal, I think.

I've purchased eight 4' crates, so each cat will have his/her own space.  I plan to let them out two at a time a couple of times a day and see what happens.  I am hoping that the adjustments go well, although I am anticipating it is going to take some months.

I have Feliway plug-ins and calming treats ready.  Can anyone think of anything else I should do/buy?

Hopefully, I will have time to post every few days on our progress.  I am going to need the famous TCS vibes!  Thanks!

 

[margd]

Sending many vibes and crossed fingers that all goes well!!!! 

  It sounds like this will be a real adventure- hopefully of the good kind! 

 

[bottledspirit]

I've moved a few times with my kitty and once with both kitties but not with 8 cats!

If they've never lived somewhere new before and aren't used to moves, I'd do the towel thing for sure... grab a towel and rub it all over each of them and take that with you to the house. Rub the towel all over the walls near the base at least so that it maybe transfers some of the scent. and is there for when they arrive.

For the cats during the move itself your husband can start giving them an herbal de-stresser like Bach Flower in their water (or drops into the mouth) a day before and the day of the move. That's worked like a dream for each of my moves. Careful with the vet shot for older kitties. I just prefer to do something more natural if it'll work than medication and especially if it'll be a hot trip. Some sedatives make it so kitties can't regulate their body temperature. Since you're going with a pet transpo, I'm sure your vet and the transpo are aware of that though.

May 4 is really soon! But if you can do a couple small car trips before then, we got our kitties used to the drive before this super long last move (16 hours) by taking them on small car trips to get coffee and back. I'm not sure how much good that one did, but oh well, we tried. =) We would go to a schoolyard with them, let them out to sniff around the car and have a drink, then put them back in the crates, get coffee, and go home. It was supposed to simulate the litter box breaks during our 16 hour commute. Btw, the 16 hour trip including hotel went fabulously so I guess we did something right!

Having said that my kitties are young 4(5?) and almost 7. If you have older kitties please read up of anything else you can do to minimize stress because that can really cause health concerns in an older kitty.

 

[ondine]

@bottledspirit  - thanks, I hadn't thought of the towel trick.  Of course, all my towels are packed, so I'll have to wait until I get there to try it.

 

[bottledspirit]

Good luck with your move! Update us after! I feel like a lot of people can benefit from moving advice.

Also if you really can, that bach flower stuff is awesome and can be added to their water at the new house too. It was a really noticeable effect on my one boy where he wasn't afraid at all during one of the earlier moves and then as I weaned him off it (days later) you could see him start to realize "Hey wait.. this is a new place... I'm not supposed to like that." lol, but by then his scent was all around so it wasn't as bad of a transition. =)

 

[cat nap]

[thread="318688"]Adventures In Moving#post_3998472  [/thread]
@Ondine...Sending you all Positive Vibes and Well Wishes for a good moving day, tomorrow.  

    

(Can I just say that I am a little 'envious' that you are moving south, and will be enjoying warmer weather...as opposed to cold, cooler, short summers, and then winter...again.

)

(I am so envious of americans, that have the choice to move east, west, south, north,...Here we only get to move east and west...whoopie, doo.  Sure canada is beautiful, but come on...when is summer arriving. Okay...enough ranting.)

Hey, though,...how did you manage to luck out, on a fantastic husband...that will have to 'wrangle all the cats' into the carriers???. 

(I know, I know,...'when they made him, ...they broke the mold'...and all that.)

I will say a few prayers for your hubby, but really good that your 'cat-savvy friend' will be there, too.

(I can just hear the 'language' that will be involved...but probably not appropriate to post...online.)

I know you don't have the time, to write up a 'flow chart'...for your husband and friend...but really...I think you should have.

In case 'cat one' does this ...then move to step B...if not...move to step C....

If 'cat two' pulls this trick...then try....step D.

(This is the worst advice possible.

  

..so just tell him and your friend to act natural, calm,...have plenty of food, treats, (for the cats...and for humans, too.)...

Probably wise to take the more competent advice of @bottledspirit...and others, here.)

Wishing you a smooth trip, and start of a great adventure.

Cannot wait to hear some updates...when you get settled.

Drive safe, and slow...and all the best. (I'd probably take some things that smell like 'home' from the cats, and put them in plastic garbage bags, and then throw them in the 'sun porch'...but then the cats might be wondering...'where has their stuff gone'.  Idk...have to out-think these cats.)

 

[angels mommy]

@Ondine, Hi, sounds like you got some good advice above. I am in NC. What part of NC are you moving to?  I am  all the way over on the coast.  

 

[ondine]

@Angel's mommy - we are in Burlington. I've spent yesterday and today running errands. Turns out, the movers aren't coming with my stuff, including the crates, until NEXT WEEK! The cats arrive Saturday, so I had to buy new crates.

Luckily, Petsmart had enough and I had a few extra dollars. I am setting them up tomorrow. At some point, I will give them to some local rescues but it was nerve wracking to say the least.

Also had to buy an inflatable bed to sleep on until my furniture arrives. This is going to be an interesting week!

 

[ondine]

@ catnap - actually, he's better at wrangling them than I am. They seem to pay attention to him.

I have towels and blankets for them all and hopefully they'll settle in. The only thing I really worry about is them meeting one another (one inside cat and my two outside guys have not met the orhers) - hence each is getting his/her own crate for at least the first few weeks.

 

[ondine]

@ bottled spirit - I did get the Bach's and I have Feliway plugged in. Fingers crossed!

 

[cat nap]

@Angel's mommy - we are in Burlington. I've spent yesterday and today running errands. Turns out, the movers aren't coming with my stuff, including the crates, until NEXT WEEK! The cats arrive Saturday, so I had to buy new crates.

Luckily, Petsmart had enough and I had a few extra dollars. I am setting them up tomorrow. At some point, I will give them to some local rescues but it was nerve wracking to say the least.

Also had to buy an inflatable bed to sleep on until my furniture arrives. This is going to be an interesting week!

Hang in there @Ondine. Perhaps look at it as 'camping out' in your own home for the week, if that makes it a little easier to deal with.

  Though, it's better than camping, since you are in your actual house.

Another bright side might be that you'll be living for a week with all just minimal essentials, and the rest of the stuff will just seem like 'bonus' when it arrives.

I know it's not great logic, but sometimes camping or going on a trip/cottage makes you appreciate the small stuff more. Like the daily stuff you need to get by. 

(that is supposed to be food, not cake...but the only other emoji was cat food...

)

  You get my meaning, though.

@ catnap - actually, he's better at wrangling them than I am. They seem to pay attention to him.

I have towels and blankets for them all and hopefully they'll settle in. The only thing I really worry about is them meeting one another (one inside cat and my two outside guys have not met the orhers) - hence each is getting his/her own crate for at least the first few weeks.

Ahh, yes, he must have deeper voice, which some cats like.

@Ondine...that sounds like a really good plan using the crates.

Your sun porch sounds quite large, 15'x25',...so you might be able to get some sort of 'dividing net' or 'indoor window fabric rolls-plastic-mesh screening' to build some sort of 'separate areas' for some of the cats, in case they want their own spaces/areas. Maybe some sort of divider type wall, with thick plastic plexi-glass inserts as see-through areas.

But that is more of a future project, in case you need it, and can design it to look good with being inside the existing porch.

I have seen some photos on this site, or maybe online, with 'fenced in cat walk-ways' around living areas, or 'larger indoor enclosures for cats'... which seemed kind of interesting, too.

There seem to be so many ideas, but you don't want to spend too much money on them...in case the cats don't use them.

I guess the toughest transition will be the 2 outside guys, getting used to being indoors, since the space will have to have a lot of stimulation for them, to burn off their energy, and keep their minds busy.

Not sure how to get the one girl to like anyone, but wishful thinking has me hoping that since they will all be in the same space for a few weeks, then maybe she might just surprise you, and adapt to the others, by smell.

 

[ondine]

I have cable!!!!  And a land line!!!  And the hook-up for the TV, although the TV isn't here.  *sigh*

Will be getting the crates set up tomorrow.  I bought several plastic shower curtains to put under each crate, as there is only room for small litter boxes and all my guys love to fling litter when they use the box.  It smells plastic-y in there now - hopefully it will dissipate some before the cats get here.

I will post pix once I get them all all set up.  Right now, I am going to go take a nap.

 

[angels mommy]

Yay! Thats great! Well, it sounds like you are taking care of things there.

Ok, Burlington, we are about 3 hours from eachother.

 

[natalie_ca]

Send a message to LDG.  She and her husband moved and took their feral cats with them. She made several posts over a period of time about her experience on trapping them, moving them and housing them until they got used to the new location.

 

[ondine]

Thanks, Natalie. I keep in touch with Laurie. She has been a great advisor and support

 

[ondine]

Pic of the sunroom/crate set up. Once my bigger crates arrive, I will switch out some of the smaller crates.

20160507_090235.jpg

• ondine
• May 7, 2016

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• ondine
• May 7, 2016

 

[cat nap]

20160507_090239.jpg

• ondine
• May 7, 2016

 

@Ondine....That is such a beautiful room. It looks so relaxing, and so full of light and spacious.

I was thinking that maybe having those 'green or blue plastic tarps with grommets' in them would also be handy.

You can get the small blue ones at dollar stores, while the larger green ones are sold at hardware stores, or walmart type stores/big chain stores. (when on sale, they are a good deal.)

The tarps would be good if you needed to 'string them up' between cat crates...sort of like a sail.

In case some cats don't like looking at each other. Or need privacy.

I'd probably get duct tape, soft boat rope, and velcro, too...since that comes in handy for so many things. 

I really like how you arranged the floors.

Very practical.

Cannot wait to see the cats there.

 

 

[ondine]

The former owners left lots of curtains I won't be using, so I draped each crate with one.  At least for tonight, they can sleep without looking at one another.  They are due here in about two hours, so I am getting excited and a little anxious.

The transport company has texted me a few times to let me know they are OK.  This continues to be an interesting experience.

 

[ondine]

The kitties have arrived!  I was very surprised they are alert.

Alfred and Schofield were outside cats (in an enclosure, so they'd only seen our other cats from a distance and vice versa).  Teresa had her own room because she hated the other cats.  So they're all meeting someone new.

Halsey, our inside alpha, is hissing and spitting at Schofield, who is responding in kind.  Oh boy.  I covered their crates so they can't see one another.

Teresa, Chester, Josie, Molly and Gracie have hunkered down inside their carriers.

I gave them each some dry food and water with a few drops of the Bach's rescue remedy.  I am hoping they all just sleep for a bit.  Tomorrow, I plan to release them two at a time into the room and let them explore.

The only problem is that in the five three-foot crates, there is not enough room for the litter boxes and the carriers.  Not sure how I am going to handle bathroom issues - I think I may just remove the carriers and put in a towel or blanket.  For now, they are all safe and home!

 

[cat nap]

Yay!  Good that all the animals are safe and sound.

So great that they arrived well. And kind of feisty, too, with Halsey and Schofield spitting at each other.

That's going to take some time, to calm down. I would have thought that they would be too tired to do anything but stare at each other.

Hopefully, by smelling each other, and everyone, and getting some good food, and hearing your voice...they will all become adjusted quicker.

Roll on the days, for some good sleep, eating, exploring, and getting used to their new surroundings.

Scent marking with their cheeks, bodies, and paw pads, only, and no exaggerated messy litter thrown about.

A little, okay, but not a lot.