Advice on moving our cats to a new home

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Dulci (In- Loving- Memory - you

Kitty's final- rest in a grove- of trees

Purred: Fri Jan 4, '08 7:47am PST


	Hey all, we are buying our first house !!! the kitties will be happy in the long run, cause they will finally have ROOM to spread out. BUT, i don't know how to move them without serious stress. My little girl (the one "writing") has Feline Herpes that flairs up under stress, so i want it to be as smmoth as possible. any sites, books, or just "tried and true advice" for the furred and furrless members of our household? (ps. it's only a 20 minute drive - the drive isn't what i'm worried about, it's the "new home")

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Zibby

Scaredy cat

Purred: Fri Jan 4, '08 8:25am PST


	We recently moved from WA to MT with our dog and two cats. We gave them a sedative for the car ride, which helped tremendously... neither are good travellers. When we got to our new place, we put their litter box and carrier in one room and shut the door. We did this partly so they couldn't escape when we had the doors open and were moving a lot of stuff in, and partly so they wouldn't feel overwhelmed. When everything was moved in, we opened the door and just let them explore when they wanted to. It took several days before they felt comfortable enough to check out the whole house. Zibby is a scaredy cat and everytime someone new came into the house for a few months, he hid behind the dryer. He doesn't really do that anymore and they both definitely enjoy having more room to run around and especially love the stairs!

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Emma Barrett

It\'s good to be- the Queen

Purred: Fri Jan 4, '08 9:08am PST


	In November, 2007 I moved from a VERY small FEMA trailer (lost everything in Hurricane Katrina) to a two story townhouse. Early in the morning before the movers came (it was only a 15 minute drive to the new house) my friend came over, and we put all four cats into carriers. Drove them to the new townhouse and put them in an upstairs bedroom with food, water and litter box. I had already put a mattress and box spring in that room and no one was going to have to go into the room during the actual move. Movers came to my trailer, loaded up everything and I met them at my new house. They placed my furniture, and my friends who had come to help me worked with me to put food in the fridge, make up bed in downstairs bedroom etc. After everyone had left, I went upstairs and opened the bedroom door. Just walked in and greeted everybody and then walked out, leaving the door open. In a couple of minutes each cat ventured down the stairs slowly......taking time to explore and sniff around. This seemed to work the best for me - the friend who helped me transport the cats had used this method before. It keeps the cats secure and safe.........a few months back on CATSTER there was a tragic loss of a cat who ran out the door while the family was moving, and was hit by a car. Zibby's family did pretty much the same thing....Hope this is of some help......let us know how it goes. Good luck Faye - meowmy of Emma Barrett, Louis Armstrong, Benny Grunch and Pete Foutain Edited by author Fri Jan 4, '08 9:15am PST

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Hunter

The most- ferocious timid- cat there is

Purred: Fri Jan 4, '08 2:13pm PST


	I think it depends a little on the personality of your cats. We have the two extremes. For Sam, he immediately wants to run and explore all over. We've moved twice with him and I often bring them home with me when I visit my parents. We just show him where the litterbox is and make sure he doesn't have anywhere he can get into trouble. Hunter, however, is a huge scaredy. For him, we set him up in a quiet room whenever we go some place new and just let him be until he feels comfortable coming out from under the bed and exploring on his own. After a few days he likes to go explore at night, when there is nobody around to scare him. My one big tip is to carefully explore and make sure there aren't any places kitties can hide, get stuck, etc. When I was little and my parents moved one of our cats found his way into the ceiling in the basement. It took my parents a full week to coax him down! I would also make sure that if the kitties have any favorite toys or blankets to sleep on that those get unpacked ASAP so that they can feel more comfortable.....a feliway diffuser or rescue remedy in their water might also work. Good luck!

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Celine

Queen Celine

Purred: Thu Jan 31, '08 1:03pm PST


	I'm very sensitive when Mummy moves. She's moved me 4 times already! She thinks I should be used to it by now, but who would get used to a car ride?! Mum and Dad are moving in April and normally she puts me in a quiet room until everything is moved, but once she opens the door, I get so much cuddling and love, plus a new house to explore! For the first couple of days, I have to be careful and make sure there are no scary monsters that will jump out and get me, but once I realize it's just me, Mum and Dad, I relax and feel at home!

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Athena Marie

I shake my- fluffy tail on- the cat walk!

Purred: Fri Feb 1, '08 11:09am PST


	we've moved 3 times... mom just puts us in the carriers, gets to the new places with us, and puts us in the bathroom, opens the carrier doors. we have food, water and a litter box in there... and once everything is done, and everyone else is gone, we get to come out. we've adjusted incredibly well each time. maybe feliway spray could help with your kitty? ask your vet too!! in a few years we'll be moving out of state... hah now mom will need advice on that one with 3 cats! (it's about a 24 hr drive). good luck to you and your babies!

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Charles

looking for the- door into- summer....

Purred: Sat Feb 2, '08 6:09pm PST


	we had to move and in and out of our house when we renovated.. so kitties went into one quiet room for a couple of days with their beds and kitty houses and litter boxes and toys and food dishes so they had somewhere safe and were allowed out only during the evening when it was quiet. Then they could sleep with their particular human if they wanted, or retreat back to their safe place. All cats are different (and our family was 4 feline at the time) and this worked finally after a day or two. Most important is to make sure kitties are secure when the doors are open and the movers are moving things ... Charles was lost and hungry for 4 days after he bolted through an open door (silly Charles!). Lucky we were only moving a block away and we were able to recover him.

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Cleopatra

Cleopatra~Queen- of de Nile

Purred: Sun Feb 3, '08 10:15am PST


	I too have moved lots of times. Mom usually puts us in a quiet room and shuts the door so she doesnt have to worry about us running out while the omve is happening. Once everything is done, she lets us out and we can explore at our leisure. Once we see all of our things there, we become more comfortable. Congrats on the new house! How exciting for your Mom!

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