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#1680335
Angelkitty
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Moving question 
Hello everyone. I am moving in about 3 weeks. My cat Tweeter has been in our house almost his entire life but the maybe 3 months he was a stray before we adopted him from the humane league. He hates to go outside and hates to ride in the car even more-the only time he is in the car is when he goes for his annual vet check up so maybe that’s why-yucky needles! Is there anything I can do to get him adjusted to our new place when we move? I was thinking about bringing him with us when we get the keys and the house is empty so he can run around and inspect the place. He is wary of people he does not know and he gets spooked fairly easy. When we moved into our current house 7 years ago we had a different cat (rip Psycho) and she was fine with the move-guess maybe it’s because she had moved 2 different times before. Anyone have any suggestions?
Thank you much,
Angel 
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03/29/08 10:02am
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#1680370
MissAnne2u
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Message To: Angelkitty In reference to Message Id: 1680335
Moving question
having cats all my life and moving numerous times, I’ve found its better to move everything THEN move the cat so that when he/she gets there, there are familiar smells and objects.
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03/29/08 10:43am
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#1680925
Dragongirl6
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Message To: Angelkitty In reference to Message Id: 1680335
Moving question
The first thing you should do is get a hard shelled carrier if you don’t already have one (just the hard plastic ones that can’t be ripped out of). You need to get him used to the crate and not only use it when he goes to the vet. That means he should be fed only in the crate. First, put his food right outside of it, and then slowly move it inside, so he gets used to going in and out. Put his favorite treats in there, his favorite bed if he has one, etc. and make it a really positive thing. When he goes in on his own comfortably, close it and just walk him around the living room for a couple minutes and then let him back out. You can slowly move to walking him outside in it and going for short car rides around the block. My cats LOVE their carriers! They sleep in them, run in them when I say "crate", are happy to go outside in them or to the car, etc. You just have to make it a positive experience.
Quote: He is wary of people he does not know and he gets spooked fairly easy.
Because of this, I would DEFINITELY take the following advice:
Definitely move all your stuff before moving the cat. Having everything in the house that he is already familiar with (couches, beds, tables, your clothes/sheets/pillows etc.) will make him feel more comfortable. For the first week, keep him confined to a smaller room. Because he is not used to the new house, it will be a lot more stressful for him to just be dropped into a giant new place and he may end up just hiding under the bed. The bathroom works really well because he can have his litter box, food, bed, etc. and there is nowhere for him to hide or for the invisible kitty eaters in his mind to hide. This will also help him be re trained to his litter box, because he won’t be used to its new location and being stressed, scared, etc. will make him more likely to pee inappropriately and start bad habits. Of course, you can bring him out under supervision, let him sleep in your bed if he usually does, etc. but when you aren’t home he will feel safer in a smaller space. Have his crate in their as a sheltered space for him to go since he will hopefully be used to it by then.
Believe me. I have volunteered in a cat shelter for over six years and this is what we recommend for all cats going to their new homes or people moving. People think it seems cruel to "lock them up" but it actually makes them feel much safer and makes the transition a lot faster and easier. It works really well and ensures that he brings his good litter box habits and behavior with him to the new house.
Good luck with the move! Let me know how it goes with him.
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03/29/08 05:53pm
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#1681841
Keechoo
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Message To: Dragongirl6 In reference to Message Id: 1680925
Moving question
Our poor Einstein was also taken in as a stray and has moved over 10 times now. He’s lived in apartments that were not our furniture and ones that were. By the 8th time we moved, I tried one of his vet’s advice and I’ll be doing it again this late spring or early summer.
I take him into the house and we go into a room we unpacked ahead of time or to the bathroom (he loves the sink filled up with water or one of the kids bath toys.). I sit on the floor, usually with my older daughter, and we read aloud and soothe Einstein by petting or talking, especially when he looks very upset. When the movers are gone, my daughter and I leave to get the house together while Einstein stays in his room. He hears our voices and spends his time sleeping or exploring his room. I bring him in his food and within a couple of hours of being alone we let him out. He explores the rest of the house and we greet him as he enters a room. Everyone once in a while, I pick him up and carry him throughout the house. My husband takes him to see his litter box every half hour until we see that he has gone.
He no longer howls at night like he used to before I started my trick with him and he settles much faster.
I would try a little of everyone’s tricks or if one of them sounds like your cat then use that persons advice. It’s always difficult to move with our pets and children.
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03/30/08 10:26am
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#1681997
KrazyKelli
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Message To: Keechoo In reference to Message Id: 1681841
Moving question
I would follow what Keechoo said. Every time I move the cat to a new location, I keep it in an already established room (bedroom or bathroom) and keep the cat in the room for a day to a week (depending on how long it takes for the movers to finish and leave). S/he will grow comfortable in the small space and then when everything is set up can explore the house under supervision. I would not let the cat run loose in the entire house at the get-go, especially if the cat is male. You do not conclusively know what kind of pets the old owners had and if a male cat is left to explore everything, he may pick up a spraying habit or at least be very upset. Another bad part to letting the cat run loose in the whole house at the start is that S/he may bolt and hide somewhere you may not be able to find. After all, the house is new to both of you. This is especially hazardous with smaller cats and kittens.
If moving a herd of cats, I find it’s best to move the more dominant and/or older cats into the new house first, then the younger and less dominant cats. That way, outside of the stress of the move, there will be no dramatic changes in behavior between all the cats as a whole and the older/more dominant cats will have less stress in claiming everything as theirs beforehand.
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03/30/08 01:15pm
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#1683326
Angelkitty
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Message To: KrazyKelli In reference to Message Id: 1681997
Moving question
Thank you everyone for your advice-I appreciate it SO much. This is my first move with him and I am a little nervous for him. Good thing is it that we will be moving stuff over for about a week (boxes etc) and we will be staying in our current house until a couple of days before we sell that house. We plan on setting up the new house room by room so that way when we are officially in the new house it will be ready plus when the cat comes over it will be almost done. I do have a cat carrier and he loves to go in and lay in it so he does like it but not when the door is shut. I will try the food thing as well-he has treats that he loves so much (greenies) and I will coax him with those. I’ll keep him in the bedroom since he is with me all the time and if he does not see me he will start to cry until he finds me. We are going to close the door to the finished basement area until he is comfortable with the whole house and then let him down there. I will wait to introduce him until all of our stuff is in there so he feels comfortable with his own smells. Thank you again for the advice-I will keep you updated.
Angel
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03/31/08 09:43am
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#1688690
Dragongirl6
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Message To: Angelkitty In reference to Message Id: 1683326
Moving question
Haha, everyone loves greenies! Seriously, never met a dog or cat that doesn’t like em.
Anyway, good luck with the move. Just give him time to get used to it. Make sure that he wears a collar with an ID tag and is microchipped, especially for the first few days. A scared cat in an unfamiliar place may slip out the door even if he is afraid of going outside because he won’t know which doors are which and get easily lost. Something like 80% of lost pets are lost shortly after moving or going to a new home. Better safe than sorry.
So, let us know how it goes! The bedroom works well for a cat that already knows you, just make sure his litterbox is nearby. For a cat that doesn’t know you, we always go for the bathroom (totally used to adopting cats to people, not in the moving mode) because the cat will have no attachment to sleeping with you and will hide under the bed instead. So that will work.
Good luck!!
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04/04/08 01:16am
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#1688999
Angelkitty
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Message To: Dragongirl6 In reference to Message Id: 1688690
Moving question
Yeah he loves his greenies! He is micro chipped-we did that when we got fixed shortly after we got him in 2001. As far as the collar-he will not wear one. I have tried since he was a kitten but he does not like anything around his neck-he will freak out and start racing around the house trying to get it off. He has kitty asthma and I do not want to stress him out and make him freak out and then have breathing problems. He has been to the vet for it and each year he is checked out at his annual check up and so far he does not have to take any medicine (unlike his human mom who has severe asthma). We will keep him in the bedroom until he gets accustomed to the entire house. I will keep everyone update-the move is in 2 weeks.
Angel
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04/04/08 11:23am
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#1689837
Dragongirl6
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Message To: Angelkitty In reference to Message Id: 1688999
Moving question
Lol. Some cats just don’t wear collars. Chips are better, anyway. Best of luck on your move!
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04/04/08 10:54pm
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#1706438
Angelkitty
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Message To: Dragongirl6 In reference to Message Id: 1689837
Moving question
Well the big move is this weekend! The cat knows there is something going on but at least he has a TON of boxes to play in! I will let everyone know how he does. I figured I am going to put him in a bedroom with food & water, litter box, toys, the rabbit in her cage (since they are buddies) and shut the door-that way I do not have to be concerned with him trying to run out the door with all the commotion.
Angel
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04/17/08 09:06am
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#1708982
Angelkitty
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Message To: Angelkitty In reference to Message Id: 1706438
Moving question
Well we are almost moved, the cat is still in our old house and he is SCARED!!! He is hiding under the kitchen sink (which is empty) crying and licking his lips (he does that when he gets nervous). He actually hissed at my hubby earlier which he never does. He seems better since he is hiding under the sink. Poor little baby-guess that’s what I get for babying him! I will keep everyone updated on how he does in the new house. I think I am more nervous than he is. I am gonna take him over last in the cat carrier and he HATES the car so much! I gotta more 4 tanks and a huge rabbit cage when everything else is moved over. Why am I moving again?! lol
angel
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04/19/08 12:07pm
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#1711052
Angelkitty
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Message To: Angelkitty In reference to Message Id: 1708982
Moving question
Well we are moved in our new house! It took 3 days to move and I am TIRED! I messed up my ankle-I think I tore something which sucks because it’ll be like the eighth time I tore something in my ankle so it might mean surgery this time! Anyway-I got my 4 tanks and my rabbit moved. The cat was hiding under the kitchen sink in the cabinet the whole time we were moving so he was almost last to go on Saturday. We got him in the cat carrier and he cried the whole way to the new house! As soon as we let him out in the master bedroom he ran under the bed and hid for a couple of hours. After a little while he came out and went about exploring the new house. He hid under the kitchen sink at the new house almost all day yesterday but towards the evening he seems better. He went downstairs in the family room and was looking out the windows. He explored again last night and actually slept in bed with us which he hasn’t down since Friday night. He is still a little jumpy but I think once everything is put away and back to normal that he will be ok. I am just glad the move is over-now to unpack!
Angel
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04/21/08 09:34am
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#1721027
Angelkitty
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Message To: Angelkitty In reference to Message Id: 1711052
Moving question
Well the cat is fine now!!! I am SO happy. The only thing is that he will not go into the basement (which is finished) unless someone is with him so we had to put his litter box on the ground floor. He is back to being his bad self-which I love!
Angel
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04/30/08 10:30am
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