Moving my tripawd and his sister into our new home in two weeks

[clm333444]

I move into a new house in two weeks. I adopted both of my cats two years ago, and at that time, they had been strictly indoor cats. After a month or so, I slowly introduced them to the outside. They both LOVE going out now but feel more comfortable/confident if I go with them. Well, about a year ago, my boy developed fibrosarcoma as a result of an updated rabies vaccine. He’s doing well now, but he did have his hind leg amputated. He became super depressed during his recovery until I took him outside. He beamed once we went out with one another. Well, my worry is, at the new house, how do I help keep them from becoming depressed? It’s my biggest stressor about this move. There’s a pit in the home to the right and a Yorkie to the left. We all have tall privacy fences, but the cats can scale the wood. I’m unsure what to do because I work from home and am extremely busy, so I can’t play/cuddle all day. I also don’t want to take away something they enjoy, but I’m moving from a detached home with a bit of land to a townhome, so I don’t feel like I’d ever be comfortable with them being outside alone. Would a leash in the field close by still satisfy their newfound love of the outdoors? Any advice would be greatly appreciated because I’m currently feeling very lost.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Is there a decent size yard/patio in this new townhouse that you could consider adding a catio to? That way they could still enjoy outdoor time but be completely safe from all predators, including those from the sky (owls, hawks, etc.) There are some pretty neat catios out there available to buy even from Amazon or Home Depot, or if you're handy,you can build your own. And you can put in a dog/cat door for them to come and go as they please if you desire.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. If the catio is not an option - which I hope it is, then perhaps buy a portable on the ground cat enclosure for them. Unless you can guarantee they can't escape from whatever you use, they really shouldn't be let outside for about 4-6 weeks after the move to acclimate them to their new home. It helps to establish their new home as their base, and stop them from thinking about their old home as a place they might want to go back to. I think until you know you can manage to determine you have an escape proof way of controlling them, the field is a bad idea.
Amazon.com: Outback Jack Outdoor Cat Enclosures for Indoor Cats [Portable Cat Tent, Cat Tunnel, and Playhouse] (Play Tents for Cats and Small Animals) : Pet Supplies

 

[rubysmama]

Hello and welcome to TCS. Good luck with the move to your new place. Hope you and the cats quickly settle in.

As for their outdoor adventures, it really doesn't sound like it would be safe to let them out on their own, particularly your tri-pod boy.

Definitely you could try harness and leash walking. Here's a TCS article on the topic:
Harness And Leash Training For Cats - TheCatSite

Also here's one on How To Keep Your Cat Safe Outdoors - TheCatSite which includes some pics of catios and enclosures, as well as the suggestion of a pet stroller.

There's also this one which might have some tips for indoor fun.
How To Make Your Home Bigger (at Least For Your Cats) - TheCatSite

And lastly this one on How To Move With Your Cat To A New Home In A Safe Way - TheCatSite which might be helpful.

 

[di and bob]

Your cats would definitely benefit an be ahppy with leashed walks. Or put on their leashes and let them run around the back yard under CLOSE supervision, they can and will scale that fence. You could then grab the leash if you need to, easier then grabbing the cat. i wouldn't advise taking them far from home, any dog that is loose could come running up and that would be horrible. i would just get tehm used to teh yard. There are chicken coops you could buy at local farm supply stores or online that make great caticos. It would give tehm a taste of teh outdoors and you wouldn't have to supervise so close. all teh luck, I hope everything works out!