House Move

chellshoc

sorry if posted before but am moving house in the next couple of weeks and would like any advice on how to make the change easy for my 3 cats aged 12,11 and 7, they are house cats and have never lived anywhere else but the home we are in now,and i am concerned for them as it will be a big change. thankyou for any advice or tips you can pass on to me

doodle-bug_2

Personally, I would book them all into a cattery for duration of the move. Packing, moving furniture and such can be very confusing for them. It's fair to say that no matter how much you love your animals they are not top priority when moving - you are concentrating on the logistics of the move, and packing etc.

If they are away and being spoiled, they will return to a new house, but with all familiar furniture/possessions in place - and you will then have lots of time for them without being stressed about putting furniture and things into position - should be easy for them to adjust.

Best of luck!

Milford_Cubicle

I see what you're saying about a cattery, but for four cats it's going to be really expensive as they need to be up to date with jabs, plus extras and the cattery costs on top of that.

When I've moved house with cats, I've always confined them to one room just before the move. Give them plenty to occupy them. If they're good at coming home on a night (if they're outdoor cats) then allow them out until the night before, but the day of the move confine them to one room which only has their stuff in it and nothing you need to pack or move.

Make them the last thing you 'pack' and do the reverse, confine them to one room in the new house, put all the stuff they had in the old house into that room before you let them out of their carriers, then once things are in place introduce them to the house slowly.

Once they're settled into the house, if they're 'out' cats, introduce them to going outside the same way you would a kitten, slowly at first and then just as they would normally.

Cats are very adaptable to moving house, as long as the introduction is done slowly and consistently. Don't just kick them out, close the door then go to work one day, you need to be around for a day or so to let them go in and out several times and get their bearings. There is a chance one or more will wander and not return if they're not happy in their new home but that's a cat thing unfortunately and a risk you take.

Good luck

doodle-bug_2

I do understand that cost is an issue with catteries, although I think that this is the best option. Otherwise, I would see if a friend could take them in for a few days (and confine them to a room) until the new house was all sorted out.

I think that it is all too easy to open doors by mistake in the confusion of a move, and that all the bangs of moving furniture and boxes could be an upset to settled cats that have never undergone such a rude awakening!

Good advice on the slow introduction. Someone I knew had an elderly cat and let it out when they moved. Went inside and shut the door after five minutes (it was cold!) - nevertheless the cat was never seen again. I like to think that the cat is curled up near someone's fire, but.....

At least your cats are house cats, so you won't have that worry!

Best of luck on your moving day.

GracieP

doodle-bug wrote: »

I do understand that cost is an issue with catteries, although I think that this is the best option. Otherwise, I would see if a friend could take them in for a few days (and confine them to a room) until the new house was all sorted out.

I can only speak from dog experience, but that would have confused the hell out of my dogs. If we took them to a sitter and then came along and took them to a new house it would have taken them much longer to settle as it would have been two disruptions instead of just one.

It's not impossible to plan your move in such a way that you still spend plenty of time with your pets. Obviously it's easier with dogs, as you have to take them on a walk and it's a fantastic way to take a break from packing. But you can take time out to make a fuss of your cats each day too.

SnowyOwl_2

I moved with three cats from England to Ireland...trust me, cats are adaptable creatures! On the day of the move put them into a room which can be closed off from the rest of the activity. If necessary put them into their cat carriers until one particular room is empty then pop the cats in there. When you arrive at your new house bring the kitties in first and again put them in a room which can be shut off. In the longer term your cats will be OK as they will have you and their familiar cat beds, litter trays, bowls etc etc around them.

My poor cats had to spend six months in a cattery between my old house and my new house in Ireland - but when we finally all moved into the new house and got all their old familiar belongings around them it was like they had never lived anywhere else and they settled in right away.


I don't think I'd bother with a cattery either - it'd just make more work for you.

bijouinnuendo

Hi we moved with 4 cats last year. Luckily both houses had a downstairs loo so we made use of the upstairs bathrooms as this was the one room in each house we didn't have anything to move in or out of. We popped the cats, some toys and litter trays in 1st thing in the morning and then put a very large notice on the door to stop anyone from entering.

The cats were last out of the old house and 1st in to the new one. Once the removal lorry had gone we made sure the cat beds and bowls with dry food were out and the cats settled in immediately.

They are all indoor cats so as the furniture was the same they weren't stressed at all.

Bijou