moving and cats..advice needed please :)

[mum2A&L]

We are moving this weekend into my mums for a few weeks till we find a decent place.

Ive never moved with a cat and have NO idea how to go about it. Lady currently stays inside as i need to have her done, and we don't have the time or space etc for kittens. She will be going from having the roam of a tiny 1 bed flat, to a huge 3 bed house!!!! im going to be putting her litter tray and food downstairs in the garage, as that is the only sensible place alice can't get to. I don't know weather to leave her locked in what will be our bedroom for the first couple of nights with her food and tray in there, so she has a room that she is 100% used to, or just to let her have free run of the place!!

anyone got any ideas/tips/ etc?

 

[lauramumof2]

I would probably keep her in one room for a day and then give her a bit more freedom and then a bit more.

I hope it goes well.

 

[Mildly]

I heard once that you should put butter on your cats front paws when in your new house. As the cat sits down and relaxs whilst licking the butter off and becomes accustomed to the new place.

I have no idea whether that works though

 

[NickyB]

Butter on the carpets though? lol

We moved twice with our last kitty, he took it really well. And I also recommend starting them off with one room they can feel safe in, food and tray etc. Then when tey seem comfy let them go a bit further.

 

[nickilubs]

Haha yeh kittys like butter,....we did it too ours but they insisted on wondering around skidding and licking their paws hehe little butter paw marks everywhere.

I would just keep all the bedroom doors shut and let the kitty have the roam of where ever you parents don't mind her being.

 

[Flame]

I have moved a few times with my cats and i dont think locking them in one room would be a good idea. Let them roam once they are in the chances are once they are in they will hide somewhere, put some food down and a cat tray nearby where they are hiding so they know its there and let them come out in their own time.

I'm sure once they realise what a big amount of space they have they will love it

 

[mrs_tommo22]

Ive moved a bit with my moggies and they were fine, let them have run of the place sweetie and they will become accustomed quicker.

 

[choklatemunky]

The butter on the paws thing is for when you first let them out of the house - they come back to the place they got it as they love it so much - its meant to guarantee they find their way back 'home'.

 

[Charlie:-)]

I would let them have the run of the house, I think the cat will get used to its surroundings quicker. Always have with our cats when we have moved home.

 

[emma28]

Oh god poor you moving.

Your cats will be fine, whatever you do. Our's moved no problems. From our house to the in-laws

 

[debecca]

We've moved a few times with cats.

Generalyl speaking, because they're so routine-driven, they usually react badly to a move and will stay in one room in the new house to begin with. Ours lived behind the telly for about 3 days and were very stressed. Anyway as time goes on they'll gradually explore and get more used to the surroundings (and your cat will probably be well happy with the extra room!)...

As for them going out, general advice is to wait at least 3 weeks. We tried to do this with our rescue cat but she snuck out of a window after 3 days. She came back though!!! She was definitely ready to go out thoguh - kept whinging at the front door.

Good luck with your kitty and with the move in general

 

[kalia]

Only let kitty out once you have moved all your stuff in. Let kitty out into the room that his litter is in and make sure he has noticed the litter tray is there. Then let I'd let kitty decide what he wants to do - stay in the 'safe' room or go explore.

In my experience, you aim for one room but kitty wants to explore the whole house They don't seem too phased by new places as long as there's not lots of scary movement (hence moving everything else in the letting kitty out). They find somewhere to hide and keep an eye on what's going on.

I tried the butter on paws thing Kitty did not want to have anything put on his paws and in trying to escape got butter on the carpet Cat treats in a bowls might be better

I'd make up a nest out of fleece blankets for my kitty to hide in as he is a big wuss and he likes blankets. But yours may like other things.

 

[GBLiz]

we move every 6 weeks with our pussycat! she's always been fine with it so we give her full run of the place as soon as we get there - BUT we are usually staying in small places like a holiday studio flat or a caravan. If i were you and you're not sure how she'll react, i'd keep her in one large room for an hour or 2 just to recover from the journey and then let her explore, but dont let her out for a while.