July 13, 2022
Cats are known for their fear of change, and your long distance relocation will face them with a rapid change in both environment and your pet’s routine. Read through our helpful tips for moving with a cat to a new home and reduce the risk of excessive meowing, escape attempts, and aggressive behavior.
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Is Moving Stressful For Cats?
Moving with your dog would mean a lot of barking, sniffing, and investigating around. However, cats tend to react badly to moving, whether locally or cross country. As you most probably know, even the most subtle changes in their life can lead to tremendous amounts of stress. A stressed-out cat is miserable and might start behaving in a manner that makes its owner miserable too – litter box and food avoidance, constant meowing, crying, etc.
Cats are extremely sensitive creatures of habit, and that’s what you should keep in mind during your relocation. As their loving master, take this into account when preparing your relocation schedule and make some preparatory steps to ensure a stress free moving for both you and your cat.
Planning ahead and taking your cat’s needs into account is crucial when relocating home with cats.
Before the Relocation To Your New Home: Consider Your Cat’s Needs
Have you ever marveled at the extraordinary senses of your cat? You must’ve thought about their ability to scan the immediate surroundings and respond to the slightest changes in the environment. So among the most important moving tips is to take her health and these unique abilities into account when planning your cross country move and maintain their routine as much as possible. Here are some of the first things you should do before the move that could help.
Get Your Feline Friend Comfortable With the Carrier
When transporting our pets, it is crucial to have a specialized container to ensure your pet is transported safely. If you haven’t done so already, get your feline friend to feel comfortable in her carrier. Put the cat’s favorite toy or food inside, and make sure she stays in there for a while.
Have Fun With Moving Boxes and Other Packing Materials
Felines love cardboard boxes and like exploring them, which can take them hours to do. Unless you hired professional packing services, don’t close your cat away. Take advantage of their love for cardboard boxes, and include them in your packing process. If you notice they’re skittish and triggered by so many people being in your house – take a few boxes out and play with them. Add their favorite treat during the game, and you will help induce a positive association with cardboard boxes, which will serve you well throughout the process.
Maintain Your Cat’s Routine
An average dog is much more adjustable to change, and relocating with them is a much easier process. But when it comes to cats, it is vital to minimize the stress levels during your move. You will want to ensure that your cat’s routine is maintained during the entire process of your relocation. This means food, playtime, and cuddles at times they’re used to.
Use the fact that cats love playing with cardboard boxes and take some time aside to join her.
The Moving Day: One Part of the House Goes To Your Cat
To prevent your feline friend from dashing out the door while moving furniture and other stuff is on track, you should pick one of the rooms and keep her in there with all the necessities – food, water, and litter tray. Here are some other tips on how to have a stress-free moving day with your cat.
Feed Your Feline Friend a Small and Healthy Portion of Food in the Morning
When dealt with stress and anxiety, our pets can be faced with harmful effects on their body, and this is when they start acting out of the ordinary. Our pets require a proper, healthy, and moderate diet, especially during the periods of transition. To reduce the chances of stomach upset or vomiting, it is important to feed your feline friend with an early breakfast. Don’t go overboard with the quantity of the portion, and follow the health guidelines on the food selection.
Keep the Doors of Her Safe Space Shut
Choose one room that you can move last, and place your feline friend in there during the day of the move. If you are hiring professional long distance moving services, your house will be crowded on the big day. Don’t forget to place a sign on the door asking the movers to keep the door shut, and make sure to pay occasional visits to your feline friend.
Find an Easy Getaway
An easy getaway is a necessity as you wouldn’t want your pet to be freaked out by all that mess that is inevitably going to happen. Use the previously calculated route and get your cat from her room to designated safe space – the pet carrier.
Pick your bathroom as a designated pet space during a move don’t forget to pay occasional visits followed by the games of play.
Settling in Your New House: Follow Your Cat’s Lead
Even though you’ve navigated through the worst part of the process, it is far from finished. You want your cat to enjoy your future home as much as you do, so make sure to take the last steps in adjusting your feline friend to your move to a new home.
Deep Clean Every Part of Your New Home
Unless the house is brand new, you never know who were the previous tenants in your home. To eliminate any risk of your cat picking up any smell or lingering fur, don’t forget to deep clean all counters and surfaces.
Find a Permanent Litter Space
Soon your pet will be ready to explore all areas of your new house and will need a permanent home-base. Make sure to find their litter box’s permanent location before they establish any other routines.
To avoid your pet associating your future home with all the smells she can find from the previous tenants, make sure to clean all of the carpets as well as the counter and surfaces.
Consider Pheromone Therapy For Safe and Stress-Free Cat Relocation
If you think your cat will start to sense that something is amiss despite the joy of playing in the fund cardboard boxes and all of the treats in the world – consider pheromone therapy.
Pheromones are believed to be common in coordinating social behaviors in animals, and they can be used in the form of diffusers, sprays, and wipes to help your cat deal with the anxiety of moving. Good luck!
