Moving to a new home with my kitty. HELP!

[christa]

This is my baby -->

http://img77.photobucket.com/albums/v235/christa_law/JosieTOES.jpg

We will be moving in the next few weeks . . . I'm worried about how she'll adjust to a new home. Any suggestions, stories, experiences, advice??? She's strictly an indoor cat, so I'm not worried about her running away and I think she'll love our new home more because of the huge windows and it's much bigger. But I'm not really sure what to expect.

Please . . . we'd appreciate any advice!

[heinz57_79]

Generally, moving can be stressful for anyone, not just your pets! :) I've moved a LOT, and all my animals have adjusted well enough. With my cats, I showed them where the most important stuff was.... ie. the food and litter box. :) It usually takes a couple days or so for them to get used to everything, but your kitty should be right as rain once she adjusts!

[christa]

Do you usually just let them run loose as soon as you get them there or do you introduce them to one room at a time? When we brought her home from the sheltar, we just let her run around downstairs and eventually she ventured up. Should I just do the same thing?

[rg_girlca]

Don't worry Christa, i've moved a few times with my kitties and after a few days of inspecting the new home, they were fine.
During the move though I had a friend of mine watch my kitties so they didn't accidently get out the door, or get stepped on, or hide in anything. If you could do this with yours, it would be better. If not, once one of the rooms is completely empty, you could keep her in it with her litter, some food and her favorite toy, just to be on the safe side so that nothing happens to her.
Good luck with the move and let us know how you and kitty made out.:)

[rg_girlca]

Once everything was moved into the house, my kitties were the last to move over and yes, when I brought them in, I just let them out of the carrier to start inspecting. But, if you are concerned about her getting into things, then confine her to a room until you get more settled in.

I just saw the picture of your kitty and she is absolutely adorable.

[christa]

Definitely a great idea about keeping her in one room. We figured that we'll keep her in "her" room here until everything is in the moving truck. Then we'll take her with us and keep her out from under people's feet . . . I'm sure we'll find somewhere safe for her to stay until the furniture is moved back in.

I'm glad to hear that cats adapt quickly . . . thanks for all the advice!

[christa]

What about this . . . we've got a 2 hour car drive ahead of us with her. Is there anything we can do to keep her from peeing/pooping in the carrier? Any suggestions?

[kimlovescats]

First of all, welcome to Pet Talk ... and your kitty is very pretty!
You've gotten great advice about the moving / introduction.... as far as the car ride, they sell disposable litter boxes at PetSmart and Krogers has them too. Maybe you could put one in the back floor of your car and let her out for a few minutes now and then?

Have a nice move, and we hope to see you back when you are settled in!

:)

[christa]

Oh, I LOVE Pet Talk! I guess I've been more of a lurker for the past few months . . . but it's time I join the conversation! :)

I'll definitely check out the disposable litter boxes. That's a good idea.

[Keth]

Whee! Another lurker :D Welcome Christa

I used a disposable litter box in the back seat for my tortie Spook, when she rode back to Iowa with me once. She handled the 14 hour trip well and had no problems adjusting to using her litter box in the moving vehicle (once she got her "sea legs" under her -- or would that be car legs -- and felt okay to move around) If she normally travels well in the car for short trips (like to the vet), I'm sure Josie won't have any problems handling the longer ride.

When you get to your new place and finally let Josie out to explore, keep a good eye on her for a bit until she's adjusted. Kitties can hide in the smallest places. When we moved into the house, Bimpy squeezed herself into the very narrow space behind the washer and hid there, crying, for several hours before I was able to get her out. She was the only one of my 4 pack who had problems with the move. Da Kitties did have some minor issues with the cathedral ceiling in the living room though. Apparently the large empty room with very very high ceilings felt a bit too much like being outdoors to kitties used to the indoors. It took about a week before they quit slinking around next to the walls and actually started walking through the middle of the room when going from one part of the house to the other.

[CatMama78]

We will be moving in the next few weeks . . . I'm worried about how she'll adjust to a new home. Any suggestions, stories, experiences, advice??? She's strictly an indoor cat, so I'm not worried about her running away and I think she'll love our new home more because of the huge windows and it's much bigger. But I'm not really sure what to expect.

Please . . . we'd appreciate any advice! [/B][/QUOTE]


Oh!!! I just moved last week with 2 one and a half year old kitties. We boarded them the night before and for the day of the move. As a meowmie it upset me to leave my boys at a 'hotel', but I quickly realized it was the best option for them. We let the movers do their thing, unpacked fairly well that day and then went and got them. They were a little mad when we picked them up and looked a little stressed, but they survived (of course I would never do this unless we HAD to, as we did with the move).

Unfortunately I haven't had experience with long car rides and my babies, so I'm not sure I can offer any good advice from that angle.

When we took them to their new home, they were of course pretty weary at first. We had planned to confine them in one room, but it turned out it didn't seem necessary - they were acting a little strange but they didn't freak as I had imagined. Of course we have about 1000 square feet of space in our new place, which isn't a terribly huge space, a bigger place might have been cause for a little boundaries. If I had felt the multiple rooms were to overwhelming at first, I would have confined them.

Oreo kept panting, which worried me, but it only lasted a few hours that night. Oreo hung out on top of the freezer and on top of the microwave the first couple of days. Wilber pretty much stayed under the bed, but they did come out a lot and explore, it's just whenever any new sounds came around, they bolted to their respective 'safe spots'. They were both very curious and very cautious and very jumpy for about five days. In the past couple of days, I've seen a vast improvement. They are still a tiny bit tender so to speak, but for the most part they have adjusted very well and I've seen signs that most things are back to normal. They are eating and drinking and playing and being sweet and nawtee. So all worked out and all is fine, and like you said in the end they will be happier because this place is bigger and has more windows.

I did take a few days off so that I could be with them for a while before I had to leave for 8-10 hours of the day, five days a week.

The way I looked at it after we moved was, I was having a little bit of an adjustment period and I knew what was going on, so I could just imagine how nervous they were :)

I was sooooooooooo worried the week before, but bottom line it all turned out ok - it turned out really good as a matter of fact!

Good Luck and keep us posted! Enjoy your new home too!! Your little baby is precious.

[catmandu]

IT MIGHT BE WOTRTH IT , TO HAVE HER , PUT UP AT A BOARDING PLACE , FOR A DAY , OR TWO , SO YOU ARE NOT WORRYING ABOUT HER , GETTING UNDERFOOT!That would help her , when you bring her , to the new home , to keep her , in one roo , to help her get used to the New Place!

[prechrswife]

Our three cats are experienced movers. We made a 9 hour move with Saphirah. We had a litter box in the car for her, and she was able to go in and out of her carrier. She actually spent most of her time in the carrier. We also took a leash and harness for "pit stops." She never actually used the litter box until we arrived in Atlanta. My sister made the same move with her cat, except she stayed in the carrier the whole way (with the exception of stops on the leash). Again, she didn't use the litter box until the trip was over. Neither one was any worse for wear. We were actually quite surprised both times. If your drive is only 2 hours, she should be fine, unless she gets nervous in the car. (We have one kitty who gets car sick, so we take up the food the night before the move and feed them when we arrive. They aren't happy about it, but it prevents problems later.)

On our moves, we have generally isolated the cats to a bathroom with their litter box, food, and water, and have made it clear to the movers NOT to go in that room. It has worked well for us. We have let them out to explore as soon as the movers cleared out. After a day or two, they will own the new house.

[Cataholic]

You are getting some good advice.

I really want to emphasize keeping the kitty SAFE and SECURE during the move. People will be tired, not paying attention, and kitty could possibly escape. So, if you are not boarding her, then, please make signs that are HUGE "do not open door, kitty inside", and post it on the door she will be staying in.

I would probably have figured out where you want her litterbox to be, and place it there, NOW. (well, when you get there). And, she will have a litterbox in the room-bathroom you are confining her. Then, over a few weeks, you can pick up the one in the room she is confined to, as she will have found the other one.

Remember that your 'new' house will prolly have some hidey hole places you aren't familiar with. In my house, the basement has some places that were VERY unsafe for the herd. I didn't really **think** about them. So, remember to look like a kitty would, and cover up things...

Good luck, and welcome to PT!

[lizzielou742]

I am moving in a couple weeks too, so all this advice has been very helpful to me! Welcome, good luck and let us know how it goes! I bet your kitty will surprise you with how well she adjusts! :)

[catland]

I'd also recommend giving her a practice ride in the car now to see how she does. Some kitties just don't handle car rides at all and need tranquilizers if they get too stressed out and upset.

Be sure to have a carrier for her so that she doesn't accidently get out of the car when you open the door.

Once she's moved in to her new room, you could also put in a t-shirt or other clothing item of yours that has been worn but not washed yet - that way your scent can comfort her.

[christa]

You all are so awesome and have given me so many great ideas! I'll definitely consider them all, especially putting a litterbox in the car! She has had a few rides, nothing longer than 30 minutes at a time. She's never thrown up, so I don't think she gets car sick. She just cries the whole way!

I'm packing up boxes right now . . . she's being so funny! I just love a cat in a box!!!

Thanks again for all the advice!

[Fox-Gal]

I had to move, of course, a few times in my life and I'll willing to bet that the move will be harder on you then the cat.

I never did have any problems with any of my babies. As long as they had their same couch, same bed etc etc they didn't seem to mind the new house. As long as the smells and the people where the same, they where happy. The biggest problem I had was them remembering where the new kitty litter box was. :eek: They cheated and used a house plant once or twice.

Your kitty will be fine, I'm sure, as long as she has you there to make her feel safe. Just find a safe room to put her in during moving in of boxes and stuff, where you know she wont get out. Check on her every once in a while and give her some loveing. Keep her in the carrier if you have to if you feel safer that way, but get her use to it now if thats what your going to do.

I'm not big on the boarding idea, but thats just me. I just know I'd hate to be taken out of one home, put into another place and the again moved into a new home. But like I said thats just me, I see things as if it was me going through it and maybe thats wrong, cats might not see it that way.

[lisalee]

Your baby is very cute!:) I don't have much advice since I might be moving myself in the near future. I also have alot of worry and anxiety how Sash will do. He did fine the last time we moved, but that was 9 years ago and he was only 3 at the time. :confused:
Good Luck!

Lisa & Sash






http://pages.ivillage.com/lisalee992 (Sash's website)