Moving Twice In 2 Weeks

[kaylalani]

Hello all!

We are moving about 100 miles here in a week. Due to leasing restrictions, we have to move on the 6th to stay with a friend and then again on the 14th to the place we will be at for at least the next year. I am worried about the stress all of this will put on our two cats. The last time we moved was 3 years ago, and it took six months for one of our cats to fully adjust (we got the second while we were living here). We then are getting married and going on a honeymoon at the beginning of August. I am hoping to have someone come and stop by and see the cats once a day during that week.

Our other option would be to keep them with my sister, who has 2 large dogs and 2 cats and has fostered several more. She has offered to keep them for about a month, during the moving and honeymoon. Our cats would be separated from hers, but also would not see too much human contact during that month, and would be subjected to the smells and sounds of lots of animals.

Which option do you guys think is better, and do you have tips to make the move(s) less stressful? We have had the cat carriers and boxes out for a few weeks now.

Thank you!

Kayla

 

[abyeb]

I think getting a pet sitter to stop by (can you do 2 or 3 times per day instead of one?) would be less stressful for them, mainly because the dogs (the smell and barking) at your sister's house could be overwhelming. Once you get to your new house, introduce your cats to one room at a time, which will give them time to slowly adjust to their new environment. Hopefully some other posters will be able to give you more info!

 

[Lalka]

The lady at my local pet store recommended a Feliway collar for my bf's aggressive cat. She said that she used one for her cat when she moved to a new house and it did help. I didnt try it myself because i didnt want to put something around Kit's neck. You could maybe try the diffuser. Here is the info on the Feliway website:

Moving home with a cat

 

[red top rescue]

There will be less stress if you set up one room for your cats that has THEIR things in it already when they get out of their carriers. Have their litter boxes (along with some of their USED litter), have some of your worn clothese with your scent on them, have their beds, rugs, toys, blankets etc. with their smells on them. Then set them up in that one room with their stuff and that will quickly become their home away from home. SCENT is very important to cats, and if they come into a room that already has their smells, they will be a lot calmer. So YES, take them with you to both places. Assuming your friend you are staying with gives you a bedroom, the cats should stay there with you too. In the next home, your final home, start them in one room, great if it's your bedroom, but if not, give them their own room. Don't let them run around the house for awhile until they have calmed down. Then just leave the door to the room loose so they can open it and explore on their own terms, running back to the safety of their own room when startled. One final thing is that when all your furniture (which they consider THEIR furniture) is being moved, you should have created a "safe room" in your own home if you can't get them out of there, again filled with their stuff. It scares them to see their stuff being moved out, not to mention the movers etc. The last friend I helped with a move ended up having her cats in her bathroom at the end, and then we set up her new bathroom in her new apartment exactly like the other one while the cats were still in their carriers in the car, and they were just fine with it. After she got her place set up pretty much like the old one (48 hours) she let the cats out of the bathroom to explore, and all was well. I have moved with cats a number of times and find this definitely keeps everything as calm as can be, and also keeps your cats safe at both ends of the move.

 

[kaylalani]

Thank you! The first move went well. We are in a basement to ourselves, and the cats have adjusted okay, and are playing and being naughty like they used to! The worst that happened was one of my kitties threw up her meals while I was away for a few days and it was just my hubby with them. But she is keeping food down again. We are preparing to move again on Friday. Our plan is to leave them in the basement while we pack everything up again and move to the new place. We will hopefully get our bedroom set up, or the bathroom like you suggested and then move them in and keep them there until they feel a little more comfortable. Thank you for all of the suggestions!

On a side note, I read that the collars take a few weeks to work, and we didn't plan that far ahead. But we have some calming spray and they're usual toys, etc. My heart has been so anxious for them over these moves, and I appreciate all the help!

 

[Lalka]

Im glad it all went well. You could also leave a shirt or something with your smell on it.

 

[red top rescue]

Sounds like everything is going great. Let us know how you're doing after your next move. I don't anticipate any problems at all, and thanks so much for caring enough about your cats well being to ask!