CatMama78
05-12-2004, 06:53 PM
Sigh***My boyfriend and I are moving in exactly a week...just across town, about 15-20 miles North. And I am sooooooooooo worried and stressed about the impact it will have on Oreo and Wilber. Wilber is very much a scaredy cat, and I'm not quite sure why. We adopted him when he was about 4 months old, and he never showed any signs of trauma or past abuse (except for his little chipped ear, which the Oper. Kind. people thought was the result of a cat tussle). He was very loving when we got him, to us as strangers.
Over time he's become so TIMID. Whenever people come over, he sprints off to the cabinet and it's so sad cause he looks so scared, I can see it in his eyes...If you come in with company and he's caught off guard, he runs around bumping into walls until he can make his way to the cabinet. As I've started packing very slowly, it's off to the cabinet. It's probably the result of my over protective, sheltering nature, I REALLY spoil and baby my boys. We don't have company too often, so all he knows is me and my BF, and around us he is Love Bug, pesonified, or catsonified (hmmm). But different situations scare the poor guy. Oreo is not so bad, hesitant yet curious, is how I would describe his reaction to strangers and strange situations, so I'm not AS worried about his reaction.
Interestingly enough, at the vet, they are BOTH very well behaved. Wilber doesn't attempt to hide, he seems to have more of a defeatist attitude at the vet and lets the vet do as she pleases. So maybe his reaction ahs something to do with strangeness in HIS territory.
Anyways, we've chosen to board them at the Pet Hotel the night before we move, since the movers are coming before the pet hotel opens on the day of the move. WE plan to keep them there until the movers are done, so probably a total of 16-24 hours. I just think the trauma of being boarded would be less than the trauma of being lcoked in the bathroom, while strangers are making lots and lots of noise. And running the risk of the movers opening the enclosed cat space and the cats getting lost in the move. I would never board if we were merely going on a vacation, I would have someone look in on them. I checked out several inns and hotels and chose the one that seemed the best, which was PetsMart - so if anyone has left their cat a petsmart hotel, please let me know your experience....Anywho, I'm really stressed about leaving them - it's so silly - I even tear up thiking about leaving them for 16 hours - I just imagine what they will be thinking, "What's going on, Is she leaving us?". I'm so worried about how it will make them feel and the stress it will cause them.
Then I'm worried about when we go to get them and show them their new home.....How will they react? Will it be too much stress for them? They are strictly indoor cats and right now they show no interest in going outside, but I'm paranoid that the new environment might prompt them to escape or run. Trust me, I have al kinds of not nice scenarios and "what ifs" about how they will react to the move. I know I need to keep a positive attitude and not worry so much, cause I'm sure they pick up on my vibes and it affects them.
I know, you all must think I'm NUTS.. reacting this way. It's just I'm a first time "meowmie" and I've never had a moving experience with these guys, topped with the fact that one of them has a serious case of the "scaredies" to strange situations.
Sorry for the long post guys, but I had to vent....Any advise you have, I would appreciate....And if not, thanks for lending an ear, errrrrr eye :)
Over time he's become so TIMID. Whenever people come over, he sprints off to the cabinet and it's so sad cause he looks so scared, I can see it in his eyes...If you come in with company and he's caught off guard, he runs around bumping into walls until he can make his way to the cabinet. As I've started packing very slowly, it's off to the cabinet. It's probably the result of my over protective, sheltering nature, I REALLY spoil and baby my boys. We don't have company too often, so all he knows is me and my BF, and around us he is Love Bug, pesonified, or catsonified (hmmm). But different situations scare the poor guy. Oreo is not so bad, hesitant yet curious, is how I would describe his reaction to strangers and strange situations, so I'm not AS worried about his reaction.
Interestingly enough, at the vet, they are BOTH very well behaved. Wilber doesn't attempt to hide, he seems to have more of a defeatist attitude at the vet and lets the vet do as she pleases. So maybe his reaction ahs something to do with strangeness in HIS territory.
Anyways, we've chosen to board them at the Pet Hotel the night before we move, since the movers are coming before the pet hotel opens on the day of the move. WE plan to keep them there until the movers are done, so probably a total of 16-24 hours. I just think the trauma of being boarded would be less than the trauma of being lcoked in the bathroom, while strangers are making lots and lots of noise. And running the risk of the movers opening the enclosed cat space and the cats getting lost in the move. I would never board if we were merely going on a vacation, I would have someone look in on them. I checked out several inns and hotels and chose the one that seemed the best, which was PetsMart - so if anyone has left their cat a petsmart hotel, please let me know your experience....Anywho, I'm really stressed about leaving them - it's so silly - I even tear up thiking about leaving them for 16 hours - I just imagine what they will be thinking, "What's going on, Is she leaving us?". I'm so worried about how it will make them feel and the stress it will cause them.
Then I'm worried about when we go to get them and show them their new home.....How will they react? Will it be too much stress for them? They are strictly indoor cats and right now they show no interest in going outside, but I'm paranoid that the new environment might prompt them to escape or run. Trust me, I have al kinds of not nice scenarios and "what ifs" about how they will react to the move. I know I need to keep a positive attitude and not worry so much, cause I'm sure they pick up on my vibes and it affects them.
I know, you all must think I'm NUTS.. reacting this way. It's just I'm a first time "meowmie" and I've never had a moving experience with these guys, topped with the fact that one of them has a serious case of the "scaredies" to strange situations.
Sorry for the long post guys, but I had to vent....Any advise you have, I would appreciate....And if not, thanks for lending an ear, errrrrr eye :)