Moving with your cat

Moving is stressful for people, but it’s even worse for cats. Cats do not like changes and are very attached to their own place and stuff. In this article we want to give you some tips on how to make a moving as pleasant as possible for your cat.

• Let the cat get used to its carrier a while before the move. Put the carrier in the living room and make it an attractive place with a comfy blanket or give treats in it.
• If possible, bring the cat to a guest address on the day of the move.
• If a guest address is not an option, make sure you put the cat in a quiet room on the day of the move for as long as possible. Preferably a room where no one will come, for example the bathroom. Put food, water and a litter box in that room and also some toys and a comfy cat bed or something else that your cat likes to lie on or in. Don’t put the cat in the car until you are ready to leave.
• Set up a room in the new house with familiar things for the cat and of course food, water and a litter box. Don’t put any new stuff in this room. Let the cat rest there for a while. You can also put a Feliway® evaporator in the socket there. When the cat is comfortable, you can open the door to let him explore the rest of the house. Before you do this, make sure there are no places where the cat can escape.
• Give your cat plenty of attention and play with him to reassure him and stick to the same routine as you had in the old house.
• Make sure to change the address details on the chip of the cat.
• If the cat is allowed to go outside, wait with this until the cat is completely used to its new home. Especially if the cat was already allowed to go outside at the old house and it’s close by. This reduces the chance that the cat will walk back to the old house. If possible, let old neighbors know about it so they can keep an eye out and contact you if they see your cat in the old neighborhood. How long the period of keeping your cat indoors in the new house should be, varies per cat. If the cat walks through the new house as if he has always lived there and is relaxed, you can let him go outside. On average this is a period of 3 weeks, but 3 months can also occur!
• In consultation with us, you can give a stress-reducing remedy on the day of the move and/or for the car ride.