first time moving house with a cat...anyone have any experience to share?

[sfbridges1]

My gril won't be there at the move, we will pick her up after. She's only two years old and doesn't remember any place but this one. When she enters the new apartment for the first time, how would she react?

I'm scared that she will hide and be scared for awhile.

How did your cat react when you moved house?

 

[ritz]

Boy, was I in your shoes/paws three months ago.  Like your girl, Ritz only knew my condo, third floor, where she'd been since I adopted her 2.5 years ago.  I worried a LOT--Ritz is a shy, somewhat skittish cat, afraid of sudden noises; she lived on the streets for the first six months of her life.

I moved 1/2 my stuff in, mainly the bed, and then I moved in Ritz.  I confined her to the master bedroom and bathroom (which had her litter box in it).  She stayed in the cat carrier for about four hours then hide under the bed.  That evening I let her have access to the entire house--if she choose.  She did venture out, timidly.  I praised her, but otherwise ignored her, i.e., didn't make a big deal out of it.  Basically, I let her dictate how quickly she became adjusted to the new house--which was (1) on the ground floor and (2) more than twice the size of my condo.  About five days later, she was comfortable with the house, much quicker than I thought she'd be.  To the extent possible, I positioned the furniture in my new house as it was in the old, e.g., tv across from the sofa; dresser bureau across from the bed.

Interestingly, it took a few days longer for her to get use to the traffic.  Being on the third floor, although she saw cars from the windows, she didn't *feel* the vibrations from the cars on the roads.  She would cover and sometimes hide under the sofa, but with a lot of reassurance from me, she quickly got over that. 

I put out Feliway and put drops of Rescue Remedy in her food; I've used it before with success for similar stressful events.

Let us know how it goes--and any more questions.

 

[MoochNNoodles]

When we moved into our house we brought both kitties here and shut them in a bedroom with familiar things; towels from the old house, their cubes they hide in, toys, litter box, food and water, etc.  They did hide for a bit.  We limited them to that room for a day or so and then we let them explore as they wanted.  At first they were in the same cube together and they weren't eater to eat or drink; but once things calmed down and we spent time with them they started up again and were fine.  

I have heard of bringing water from your old house to give them because it can taste different.  I would suggest bringing things that smell like your old home and putting them where she is.  Things like towels you've used or a t-shirt you've worn may comfort her because they smell like you.  We leave those out for our two just when we travel.  Also if she has a bed; do not wash it before the move.  Just anything to smell like what she is familiar with.

Good luck!

 

[kat013]

+1 to previous posts.  I've also taken my slept-in bedsheets and laid them out on the floor of the room the cats will be staying in the first couple of days.  So it overlays your scent onto the foreign scent of the carpet.  The more unwashed stuff that you and the cats have been on from the old place into the new place, the better.  As a precaution, I put little trays of kibble in every corner where their litter boxes aren't, to send an initial message to not poop or pee there.