I feel so bad. I've just got my poor kitty nicely settled in here (aka all the boxes are finally unpacked) and now I'm going to be moving again in about 16 weeks! I just moved here 3 months ago from another state, and now due to a way better job offer, it looks like we'll be moving right back. That means everything I just unpacked has to be packed back up, movers arranged etc. It's annoying enough for me, but I feel so bad for little Captain Cuddles.. She's almost 3 and I'm her 4th owner, so she's been bounced around a lot already.. And the last move was particularly hard because she had to go to a boarding facility for an entire month during the process, I had to take her on a plane etc (way more traumatizing for me than it was for her!). It was just a lot of hassle and now I have to do it all over again. (Although job aside, I hate it here so staying isn't really an option anyways). Is there any way I can make this a very smooth and calm process for her? I'm gonna get some Felliway and try to pack up slowly (aka start now, and hopefully it won't be a last minute rush). That'll keep my stress level down and subsequently hers. She's very adaptable and confident now so I think she'll be fine, but I know she gets upset when she sees cardboard start coming out! I read in a magazine that Taylor Swift takes her kitty on tour with her (lol), so I guess they can eventually get used to it, but I still feel terrible. On the bright side, we're moving back to the same neighborhood we came from, so she may sense it as being somewhat familiar..
-
Too many ads? Join our community of cat lovers now to reduce ads by 90%! Click here to join for free!
Moving AGAIN?
- Thread starter sparklexo
- Start Date
I moved almost one year ago today, and was really worried about how Ritz would adjust. Ritz is a skittish cat. I knew she would be okay when after working on my computer for a while I turned around and she had jumped up on top of the kitchen cabinets, grooming herself, observing her new kingdom.
These are just random thoughts. I know cats operate by scent: if you have anything NOT unpacked that has scents from your old place, I'd let your cat smell these. And do tell her about the move, how excited and what a good move, change it will be. They really do understand.
These are just random thoughts. I know cats operate by scent: if you have anything NOT unpacked that has scents from your old place, I'd let your cat smell these. And do tell her about the move, how excited and what a good move, change it will be. They really do understand.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #4
Yes! She'll be coming directly with me. It was only necessary last time because of the situation, there was renovations and other stuff going on that I couldn't have her there for. I think she associates her airline carrier with getting dropped off at boarding though :|
It might help if you leave the carrier out all the time. She can go in and out as she likes without feeling trapped. My cats frequently sleep in their carriers. Another way to get her used the carrier is to occasionally take her for a ride in the car and just bring her back home without any stops at the vet or the airport. It doesn't have to be a long ride, just enough that she'll stop associating the carrier with something bad happening to her.
Also, when I moved into my new place, to the extent possible, I positioned the furniture in the same way.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #7
That's a good idea actually! I prefer it positioned the same way too (makes me feel better! haha) but I know when I set up the furniture here and it was the same as our old place (for the most part), she settled in very quickly and got the idea that this was home now. I just feel bad cause it's SO soon!
All of my cats have always adjusted well to moves. Sophie was my first, and I got her in university. She moved dorms with me during holidays, stayed in hotels, and moved with me three times between graduation and now (about four months). Sometimes, they're a little salty about it at first (especially Sophie), but I'm surprised at how adaptable mine have been!
CC will probably do much better without the month of boarding! Maybe you could even leave some empty boxes out for him to play in.
CC will probably do much better without the month of boarding! Maybe you could even leave some empty boxes out for him to play in.
Since I adopted my cat, Fox, I've moved seven times (plus he's had two elongated stays with Grandma and Grandpa for a few months at a time). He travels in a carrier in the car with me, and at this point, has made eight 7-hour drives and countless shorter drives. Needless to say, he is now a regular jet-setter.
What works best for me and the little dude:
1. Move the cat last. Set up your entire new space and then move the cat in. He'll know all the smells and adjusting will take no time.
2. Clean the new place extra well. If your landlord accepts pets, there is a chance other kitty and animal smells are lingering in the apartment. Those smells really freak Fox out, and I imagine for some cats these smells can cause spraying.
3. Keep the litter box and food in your bedroom. I have a seriously clingy cat and he won't leave my side when we first move. Within a week, he will have explored the house enough that he's comfortable with you moving his food and litter box to other areas of the apartment.
4. Be mindful of higher surfaces. When you're moving, there is a tendency to have surfaces like your dresser or desk covered with boxes and trinkets. Either move in quickly, finish moving before you bring the cat home, or expect your cat to knock things off these surfaces.
Once you've moved a few times, your cat will understand the routine. Fox has minimal anxiety about the crate and moving now, but in the beginning he struggled. Watch out for obsessive behavior - Fox picked up licking his paws excessively until they bled - and remember to spend lots of time at home with your kitty the first couple days after a move.
Good luck!
What works best for me and the little dude:
1. Move the cat last. Set up your entire new space and then move the cat in. He'll know all the smells and adjusting will take no time.
2. Clean the new place extra well. If your landlord accepts pets, there is a chance other kitty and animal smells are lingering in the apartment. Those smells really freak Fox out, and I imagine for some cats these smells can cause spraying.
3. Keep the litter box and food in your bedroom. I have a seriously clingy cat and he won't leave my side when we first move. Within a week, he will have explored the house enough that he's comfortable with you moving his food and litter box to other areas of the apartment.
4. Be mindful of higher surfaces. When you're moving, there is a tendency to have surfaces like your dresser or desk covered with boxes and trinkets. Either move in quickly, finish moving before you bring the cat home, or expect your cat to knock things off these surfaces.
Once you've moved a few times, your cat will understand the routine. Fox has minimal anxiety about the crate and moving now, but in the beginning he struggled. Watch out for obsessive behavior - Fox picked up licking his paws excessively until they bled - and remember to spend lots of time at home with your kitty the first couple days after a move.
Good luck!
