Moving houses is a stressful transition and it can be ten times more stressful for your cat. So, in order to make it as easy for your feline friend as possible, make sure you dedicate a lot of effort to it. The options are numerous, but there are some basic and fundamental rules you need to adhere to. Here is what you can take note of.
Keep your kitty in a separate room while the preparations last (moving furniture, packing, etc.). This way you will protect the cat from all the people moving back and forth in the house with heavy boxes and from the constant noise surrounding these actions. Otherwise, the cat might get so scared and endangered that s/he would run away. If you can, provide a sitter for your cat, a friend or a member of the family.
When on the road to your new home, it would be a good idea to keep the cat calm. You can do that by using a familiar blanket or something similar. When put over its carrier (of course, without blocking all the air flow) it will create a tranquil sense that will most probably make the cat go to sleep and make the moving into a calm one. Don’t forget to provide a sufficient amount of water and food for the trip. Don’t let your cat run free in the car as it can cause an accident, especially if there isn’t anybody to calm him/her down. You know, cats are way more carefree and disobedient than dogs, for example. And if the cat is way too disobedient or too easily frightened, you can consult your vet about some prescription ant-anxiety medications or sedatives. They will relieve the feline and will help you a lot, especially during a longer trip.
Once you are at your new home, again, put your cat in a certain room while the unpacking and moving in of all the furniture lasts. Also, the kitty will probably need a well-deserved rest after the trip. Don’t even think about keeping the cat in the garage, as s/he needs to be around people for the first month or two until s/he is used with the new surroundings. And try not to put your feline friend into too many quite unfamiliar situations all at once.
Don’t wash all of the cat’s possessions. Leave some of them bearing the old familiar smell that will surely have a soothing effect for your kitty.
In a day or two, let your cat explore the house, one room at a time. This will be his/her knew home as well, so everything needs to be as familiar as possible.
And if your cat enjoys going out, allow such ‘adventures’ not before a month after the removal. Just in case, fit a microchip and/or a clip-on collar. Some bowls of water and food around can also help in the sense that they will attract the cat should s/he goes astray.
If your cat is used to sleeping with you in the bed, you can go as far as to not washing the bedding and take the ‘dirty’ linen from your old house, which will be slept on during the first couple of days. The familiar scent will surely soothe your cat.
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