| Are you going to move ? This is a promise for busy days ahead: boxes to pack, future adjustments to prepare, logistics to think about ... And in the middle of it all, there is Kitty ! Cats love their routine, indeed moving around is often a source of stress. Here are some tips to make the transition from one house to another happen as calmly as possible for your cat and for yourself. |
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Before the move: prepare your catA move often goes hand in hand with a lot of unrest. For this period to be the least traumatic possible for Kitty, prepare it gradually. If you can, first leave some empty cardboard boxes in the rooms a few weeks before you start the packing step. Thus, your cat can adapt to their presence and make it a new exploration territory.During the period of preparation for the move, be sure to preserve the routine of your cat: meal times, moments of games ... Kitty will be able to cling to these landmarks which will reassure him. Finally, you can plan to leave your cat to relatives or a cattery during the most stressful moments of the move. This is the ideal solution, especially if your cat is naturally very anxious or if you plan to do some work after your move in. Unfortunately, this is not always possible. In this case follow our advice for the second step. |
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D-Day: Keep CalmOn the day of the move there will surely be people, lots of noise and displacements, which are all sources of stress for your cat. To keep him out of trouble, lock him in a quiet room before starting operations. Leave with him his litter, food and water.When they arrive, you will have to warn the people who are helping you to move away from entering the room where your cat is. For added security, you can place a small sign on the door. Move all the other parts, the one where your cat is (if it has not already been emptied) to be the last one to deal with. Once the calm has returned, you will only have to bring your cat to his new home: find tips for this step in our article "How to travel stress-free with your cat ?". |
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On arrival: let him adaptIf you arrive in a large house, it is advisable to leave your cat enclosed in one room with his belongings (litter box, food bowl, etc.). It will thus be able to adapt calmly to the noises and the odours of this new environment. After a few days (watch your cat, to see if it is ready), you can let him explore little by little the other rooms.In order to help Kitty feel better at home and be appeased, you can permeate his new territory with facial pheromones. You can use a diffuser or spray of synthetic pheromones or just gently rub a cloth or sock around the head of your cat. Then pass this fabric on the furniture and the edges of the house (doors, walls) at the height of your cat. Our last tip: do not let your cat go outside right away. Allow a minimum of two weeks during which you will ensure that the doors and windows remain tightly closed to prevent Kitty from escaping. Then, when you feel he is ready, you can let it out to explore the surroundings. On the first few occasions, choose a time before his meal (so that the hunger makes him go in) and keep an eye on him. |
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Cats and moving : how to be correctly prepared ?
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Tips and tricks