Moving house can be a stressful time for any pet parent, but moving with a cat can be the most challenging thing of all. While it will only take you and your family a few days to settle in and adjust, it may end up taking a number of weeks before your cat starts to feel at home again! Read on and see what you can do to make your cat feel welcome in your new lodgings.
Bed, Bowl and Tray:
Once you’ve gotten the bulk of your belongings out of boxes, it’s important to set your cat up with theirs. Find a room similar to where their bed, bowls and tray used to be and set them up there. Having these familiar items in a vaguely familiar room will help to ease your cat’s anxiety over having to spend time in a new house. They’ll probably want to have a bit of a wander, or perhaps go off on an investigation and it’s actually very important that you let them do this. Having their favourite lounging spots set up will also help combat their new home woes!
The New Garden:
If your new home has a garden, it can be equally important to let your cat have a gander around its borders (if they’re the outdoorsy type of course). As the old tale used to go, a cat should remain indoors for three days to ensure that they know where to come back to when they’re hungry. Whether there’s any truth to it or not I’m not sure, but if you find that your cat has gone missing, the first place you should check is, as hard as it may be, your old home. Instinct and habit are two hard things to break!
Restlessness:
Upon moving into your new home you may find that your cat will develop a restlessness or a habit of hiding. This means that they are still not sure of their new surroundings. There are a number of things you can do (such as the solution listed at the beginning of this article), but Catnip can be used in a pinch to take their mind off their current predicament. At other times you can use toys and treats to help keep their attention focused on the good aspects of moving home, as opposed to the hassle it may cause them!
Changes in Mood:
Depending on your cat’s existing personality, you may notice that their mood has changed somewhat upon you entering your new home. A friend once told me that their loveable fur ball who couldn’t get enough of people changed into a grouchy claw-all once she moved home. If this is the case with your cat, they just might need some time to get used to their new surroundings; the same can be said of small children!
Routine:
Upon moving into your new home, try to adhere to the same feeding and sleeping routines as you did in your old abode. This will help lessen the time it takes for your cat to adjust; the more things that stay the same in their new surroundings, the more they will be inclined to trust them. Moving furniture will also help bring a sense of “the same” to your cat as they will have already associated those things with you and your scent – scent is the most important aspect of helping a cat to feel at home.
If you have any tips or tricks you think we missed why not get in touch and let us know! We’d love to hear how you adjusted your cat to your new home! Aside from that, cat-fans, that’s all we have for today. Be safe, be good and be sure to make lots of beautiful memories in your new home!
Adieu.
