Imagine if you were blindfolded for a whole day, and nobody told you why. Pretty stressful, right?
As human beings, our sight is something we use every day to identify other people and objects. We’d be terrified if our sight was interfered with, especially if it happened suddenly and without explanation.
For our beloved cats, it’s all about smells. Their sense of scent, along with familiarity and routine, are what keeps them happy and comfortable. So, if all of this is disrupted, it’s scary for them.
Fortunately, understanding more about the nature of our cats, how they experience the world, and what we can do to help them, goes a long way to ensuring they feel as comfortable as possible during a house move.
Follow these 5 tips to make sure everything goes as smoothly as possible before, during, and after moving house with your cat.
First, be prepared.
A couple of weeks before the move, set up an area that acts as a safe place.
Gather all their belongings and their favourite toys, blankets etc, and make it their home from home.
This is going to be the place where your cat feels safe on moving day, so having a couple of weeks to get your cat settled in first is crucial.
Put a radio on in the room with soft music on a low volume, encouraging the connection between those sounds and a place of safety, and you can even place some treats around about to add value to the area.
The idea is to ensure your cat wants to spend time there, and feels secure, happy, and away from any perceived danger. You’ll also want to have a similar set up in your new house for at least the first couple of weeks.
During the first 4 weeks after your house move, if your cat is used to having time outside, it’s important to keep it home. Many cats are lost by being let out too soon, so be careful to abide by this rule.
Your cat won’t recognise streets and landmarks and may even gravitate toward your old property if you haven’t moved far away. If this happens, warn the new occupants that they may experience a furry visitor every now and then, and to call you if this happens. Politely ask them not to feed your cat or encourage it to stay.
Finally, you’ll want to make doubly sure that your new home doesn’t have any open windows or doors, or little holes and gaps to get out.
Remember, your cat is bound to be a little confused and doesn’t know that it’s safe. It’ll get better after the first month, when it bonds with the new house and understands that you’ve moved and are there to stay.
When you’re ready to let your cat outside again, start off by letting it out shortly before dinnertime. This will encourage it to come back for a feed, and practice this as a means of recall.
The rule of thumb is to do everything slowly, at your cat’s pace, and with caution. If you keep this in mind throughout the move, you and your cat will be well prepared!
Cats have 200 million sense receptors in their nasal cavities – and for good reason! Their sense of smell helps them detect threats, greet other cats, sniff out toxic food, and identify people and objects. Each cat even has its own unique ‘nose print’, the same way humans have with fingers!!
We can use this knowledge to help our cats feel as little disruption and stress as possible when moving house.
First, invest in a pheromone spray, diffuser or plug-in and put this into their safe zone.
Your vet can recommend one, or any good pet shop will have a range to choose from. If you have the good luck to have access to your new home before moving day, try to plug in a diffuser there too, about 24 hours before you arrive.
Another good tip is to take a cloth and, as gently as possible, wipe around the lower part of your cat’s face, then rub that cloth along the bottoms of doors and other low surfaces in your new home.
Finally, on moving day, don’t clean the litter tray. Instead, use this scent and take it with you as it is. It’ll be a comfort to your cat!
You’re going to have a number of people going back and forth into both your houses on moving day, and that means a lot of noise. You can’t realistically expect people to be quiet, either!
Your cat is going to be alarmed, but remember that radio you plugged in two weeks prior? Have that playing softly to try and shut out the sounds, and make sure your cat is reassured every now and then by seeing a familiar face.
It’s also a good idea if you wait a few days (at least!) before attempting any serious renovation in your new home, or if that’s just not possible, then be aware that noise should be kept to a minimum until your cat is more comfortable.
If you’re travelling a long distance, especially more than a few hours, it’s going to be important to make sure your cat feels safe on the journey. Cats are lovers of routine and familiarity, so being cooped up in a carrier in the car for a long time isn’t going to feel normal to them.
Firstly, feed your cat at least three hours before the trip, to avoid any travel sickness.
Make sure you spray the pheromone scent into the carrier and put in any items that your cat loves. Cats, in a similar way to dogs, love the smell of their owners, so even your scarf or a worn jumper will add some comfort.
Do they have a favourite toy? Throw that inside too, but make sure your cat has plenty of space and isn’t too cramped!
Drape the carrier with a lightweight cloth if it’s transparent, so that it doesn’t get scared of its surroundings, but make sure there is plenty of airflow, and don’t cover it completely!
Lastly, have a travel box prepared for your cat, which should be opened up as soon as you arrive. This should include any medications, food, water, toys, bedding, bowls, vet records, a cat scratcher and first aid kit.
When you arrive at your new home, send someone inside to make sure the new safe zone is all set up with pheromone diffuser/spray, the travel box, the bedding and favourite toys, treats and the radio. It should be a safe place that is out of the way of incoming foot traffic and as far away from noise as possible.
Make sure the room is secure with all windows and doors closed and pop a sign on the door to let removals staff know that they should not enter this room.
It’s important to leave your cat in peace and privacy, while also intermittently checking that it’s okay. If you have the means, assigning someone the role of ‘cat duty’ for the entire day is a brilliant idea.
Have them play with your cat, show them affection, reassure them, and just stay by their side.
It’s a good idea to provide distraction too, so using a puzzle feeder at mealtimes, if your cat takes to them, will keep their minds off all the change, noise, and upheaval. Keep this going, with a strict routine in place for the next four weeks until your cat is properly settled.
Finally, be patient with your cat. Toilet accidents will probably happen over the first few days or weeks, and this is completely normal. Don’t tell them off. Just help them understand where they should go and keep litter trays as clean as possible.
The best thing you can do for your cat overall is to show kindness, love, care, and patience, spending quality time with it until it’s as happy as you are in your new home.
For more information on all things cats, check out our favourite cat sitting service at www.citywhiskers.co.uk. At All About the Move, we take the care of our clients’ pets seriously, and we can make sure they’re thoroughly looked after for the entire day.
For more information on our move management services, head on over to www.allaboutthemove.co.uk and send us a message!