Moving question

[cubby31682]

Hubby and I have a friend who wants to sell us his house. We are very intrested in it. We plan on calling the bank this week, and I plan on getting some of our debt paid off. If everything works out over the next month or so then we should be buying this house. Which leads me to my question.

Cubby has panic attacks. What would be the best way to move him? He will panic when he starts to see some of our things packed. I know this for a fact because we almost moved once, but it was to hard on Cubby so we decided not to. This time we really want to do it. Should I take him to the vet and see if they can put him on medication for that time being until after the move and after we are settled in? We wont even be moving a mile away so I know the drive wont scare him to bad. I also don't want to board him because I know that will be one panic attack after another and I don't want to put him through that. Either way I know I will have to face one of his attacks. :( But he will have a back yard that he will be able to go out in ONLY when supervised. He will have alot more space. And it will be a real house and not an apartment. :D

Any advice would be very appreciated.

Thanks,
Katie and Cubby

[catcrazylady]

If he is that paniced then I would talk to the vet about medication just during the packing/moving stage and maybe briefly during the readjustment period. It can be so hard on them and expecially with a very nervous kitty.
Another suggestion is that when the time comes to move things out you should put him in a room with some of his favorite and familiar things. Take him and those things in the last trip and set him back up in a room in the new house with all the same stuff. Like his favorite bed, blanket, or toys. Let him have time to adjust to the new smells in that room and slowly introduce him to the rest of the new house. You'll know how fast he can handle it.
Isn't it sad when you know that in the end he will have more room and a fresh air but getting there is so hard. I'm sure he will handle it better than you anticipate but I would try the meds temporarily. Better to be safe than sorry and if it makes it easier on Cubby then it's worth it.
I'm sure you will get lots more advice and great suggestions.

I hope it goes well for you and you get your new house!!

[Craftlady]

When we bought our house we brought RB Butterscotch over with us one evening. Bad idea poor guy shook like crazy and ran upstairs and panicked big time. So we scooped him up and back to apartment we went and once he got back everything was fine.

We soon learned the more familiar stuff you have around in the new house the better they feel about whole situation. We kept RB Butterscotch in a bedroom and moved him to new house with the last truck load. He stayed in the carrier out on the porch and watched us move everything into the house. After everything was in the house we opened up his carrier and it actually took a few minutes for him to come out but once he did everything was good in the world according to him because he saw things that were familiar to him in the house.

This worked for us.

[cubby31682]

Thats good advice thank you to both of you.

My thought was maybe taking some of his toys and putting him in the bathroom in the new house while we moved everything in. I would probably stay at the new house with him just to settle him down. He always does better when I'm right there petting him.

But after reading your posts, it would probably be better to have the things he's use to being around moved first then him. I think that would work out great.

[catcrazylady]

This is just my suggestion but I think I would take Cubby last. That way he won't be hearing lots of strange noises and banging around with things being moved in the new house. When he gets there it will already be full of all the old familiar things!http://petoftheday.com/talk/images/our_smilies/biggrin.gif

When we moved (we only had Sammy at that time) we moved him last. He was terrified that the bedroom was empty and I thought for sure he was going to freak out on the thirty minute ride. Instead he was an angel! He was even happy when we got here to the new house. We think that he thought we were leaving him and he was so glad to know that he was going too!
Hubby took Sammy and carried him into every new room in the house and let him sniff all of our old things that were in the room. He then carried him upstairs and showed him around. Sammy adjusted like he had lived here his whole life!
If I had to do it today with some of the cats I have now, I would temporarily and lightly medicate because I have some cats now that freak out so easy! You'll know which is the best way to go with Cubby but I bet he will settle into the new house easier than you think. At least I hope so!http://petoftheday.com/talk/images/our_smilies/wink.gif http://petoftheday.com/talk/images/our_smilies/biggrin.gif

[cubby31682]

I hope he does too. If we start packing and he starts to panic then I will take him into the vet and get some kind of medication for him. :( He will be in the last load of stuff to go to the new house now. Again though all of this house stuff depends on what happens over the next week or so. After we talk to the bank and every thing is good, which it should be, then I need to get a few bills paid off, then we will be set to go. :D

[catcrazylady]

I wish you the very best of luck ! It's stressful buying a house but I think worth it in the end. No matter where you are give Cubby snuggles from me and my crew!!

[cubby31682]

If he'll let me. Over the past week his time is devoted to his cat nip pouch thing. :rolleyes:

[catmandu]

You might want to baord him,before the move,and then bring him ,into the House! I took MR. Scarppy,Princess,and Michael,with me,than had to woprry that noone would take them,out of the spare Bedroom. We hope that Cubby,loves his New Furr Ev er Home!

[kuhio98]

Do you have an absolutely, positively secure room/place for him during the move? I ask because so many people have told me that their cats ran away during a move. Some said they locked them in a back room but when a mover opened the door to pack things up, the kitties took off like a shot. Your old house and your new house are going to be wide open with people coming and going. The only thing I can think of is to either board Cubby or keep him in a carrier. When everything is moved and secure, you can bring Cubby and introduce him to his new home.

Keep us posted!

[cubby31682]

The apartment, the door closes on its own. I plan on locking him in the bathroom and actually locking the door. I can pick the lock in less that 10 seconds. That way no one can let him out. No on else can figure out the lock :D We will be doing all the packing our selves. His brother will have to help us move some of the stuff. I am thinking after we get the bed and bedroom set put in the new place and the couches I might just take him over there. All the rest of the stuff is small enough.

I don't want to lock him in my bedroom that I have now. He loves to hide under the bed but they will have to move that sooner or later.

My in-laws know that I have Cubby and if they let him out then it will be their behinds. If he got out of the apartment I would rather him get out here just because he can't go far. The downstairs doors close on their own as well. And we never prop the doors open to move. So he would be locked in. It would just be a matter of bringing him back into the apartment.

That is why I have the idea of locking the bathroom door. Of course I would leave food, water toys and his litter boxes in there for him.


You might want to baord him,before the move

I would board him if I knew he could handle it. I know he wont be able to. He freaks out over everything. Where every we put him while we move, I will stay at that place just to make sure he is calm and everything else.

Katie

Ps. Thanks for the great advice.

[emily_the_spoiled]

I just went through this process with 5 cats, so I can tell you there are no easy answers. I started packing about a month before hand (I have ALOT of stuff). This gave the cats time to get used to it, play in the boxes, and also on the "new cat gymnasium" (i.e. the stacked boxes). On the day of the move I had almost all the cats in their carriers before the movers arrived. (Although one of the movers did try and pack a couple of the softsided carriers in the clothes boxes ;) ) I went over to the house before the movers arrived and put the cats in the basement (it is a walk out basement) with their litter boxes, food, and water. This way the movers only had to deal with the guys a couple of times as they brought stuff downstairs. It basically worked out okay and all the cats were out of the way.

Good luck with the move!

[Equus217]

I would recommend talking to your vet about meds. They can give you acepromazine....or as I like to call it "a chill pill" it's mild and shouldn't have any side affects. My first kitty RB Garfield traveled all over the world with us when I was young (air force brat here:) ) and that is what we gave him. I hope it helps him....poor little guy.....he needs some kitty prozac!!:D good luck in your new home!!

We are getting ready to move in tow weeks ourselves...I don't think Vegas and Reno will have any problems though...they are still too young to care.:rolleyes:

[rosethecopycat]

I have to deal with the transoprt of various fosters and upcoming, I have a shy cat flying from FL to NY.
I want to sedate her because she becomes rigidly frightened. Another foster I know, says:

Be sure to give them the sedation while they are not aggitated, because if you give it to them while aggitated, they can bacome more aggiagated, having the opposite effect that it is supposed to have.

The pill I would use is called Ace (acepramizine)sp?

Also, I would put a Feliway diffuser in the room you choose to keep Cubby. Then only let him into one room at a time, until he sees the whole house.