If there is anyone who dislikes moving more than humans, it is cats. Once they adapt to their surroundings, they resist new routines. Though, you already know that. What you may not know yet is how to make moving with cats bearable for your loving pets, so stick with us and learn how to do it the right way!
Prepare your cat for the move
The most unpleasant part of the move for a cat is the time it spends in the carrier. Likely, your pet won't appreciate the seemingly endless time spent locked behind bars. To make it as comfortable as possible when the moving time comes, help your cat adapt to the carrier in advance. The more it dislikes it, the sooner you should start with preparations.
Simply, leave the carrier open in the room your cat spends the most time in. Let the cat explore it and get used to it. You can place food, treats, favorite toys around and inside the carrier to show your cat it is safe. If your feline friend is still anxious about the carrier, talk to the vet. They may prescribe your cat a mild sedative or anti-anxiety medication for the duration of the trip.
Furthermore, you should seriously consider protecting your cat with pet insurance. Nowadays, every moving company offers basic moving insurance for your belongings - why wouldn't you protect your pet as well? That way, your cat will be insured against any ailment or accidents that may befall them during the trip. Pet travel insurance works in many ways like human travel insurance. However, premiums are calculated after taking the species and age of your pet into account.
During the relocation
Moving is stressful for humans and animals alike. Nourish your cat with the right combination of vitamins and supplements during and after the relocation. You, at least, know what is going on; your furry family member doesn't. Cats are territorial and relocation may upset them quite a bit.
Avoid moving-induced anxieties
The best you can do for your cat and yourself is to seek professional help when moving out of state. However, you should do whatever you can to keep your cat safe and secure on moving day and reduce its stress as much as possible. The safest way to do this is to empty one room in the house completely and move your cat with its belongings there. That room, preferably a bathroom, should remain closed while the movers come in and out. Not only will your cat remain in the house, but you will also be certain where to find it and it won't participate in the moving chaos. The cat shouldn't be in the carrier until the moment you need to leave the home. While in the room, it should have sufficient but not too much food and water, a litter box, a container, and its toys.
No one knows your cat's daily schedule better than you and you should stick to it, even during the moving process. With feeding and playing coming always at the same time, your cat will go through the ordeal of changing homes much more smoothly. Finally, once you place your cat in the carrier, don't open it until you secure a base room in your new home. Once you move in and cat-proof the first room your cat will explore, place the cat's belongings around the carrier, open it and welcome your furry roommate to its new home with a treat.
After you settle in
Moving into your new home may seem like the end of the relocation process, but moving with cats doesn't stop there. Even though you have brought in your stuff and began unpacking, there is something more you need to consider. You should carefully prepare your new house for your cat. It is their new home, too, though they may not yet accept it as such.
How well they will adapt depends quite a lot on your efforts. You can try to spread its scent around your home by gently rubbing its cheeks and head with a cotton cloth. Then rub the cloth at your cat's level against the doors and furniture to help it get familiar with its surroundings. You will know you were successful once your cat starts rubbing its head against the objects in the house, further spreading the scent coming from its glands and marking its new territory.
Thorough cleaning and cat-proofing
Unless you purchased a brand-new home, it may be that the previous tenants owned pets, which could cause a problem. Your cat may be upset by the scent left by the animals that used to live there, and it may take it longer to adapt to the new environment. Cats are territorial, and the least you can do to help them adjust is to remove any traces of previous residents. Make sure you deep clean any furniture and carpets, steam clean the floors and disinfect all other surfaces.
As it goes with all relocations, they tend to be quite chaotic. Stacks of heavy boxes, power plugs, cables, and unsecured windows pose a threat to a cat. To properly cat-proof your home, make sure there aren't any nooks or holes where your cat can get stuck or hurt. Also, find and remove any pest-control traps and poisonous or harmful houseplants.
In case your cat is not adapting well
Depending on the size of your new home, it should take from one to three weeks for the cat to get familiar with its new environment. Don't open all doors at once and allow the cat to roam freely right off the bat. Let it get accustomed to one room at a time and explore slowly. Spend as much free time as you can with your cat and it should help it feel more secure. If your presence and care don't prove sufficient and your cat doesn't feel at ease in its new home, take it to the vet and ask for a piece of expert advice.
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Until our next cat convo
