Kitty kat movnig issues

[learlaw]

Hi everyone. My husband and I will be moving to a new house a few blocks from the apartment where we currently live. We are nervous about one of our two cats, J.C. ("Just Cat"). J.C. is an indoor-outdoor cat, who is typically out all night. He used to belong to our next-door neighbors. They got a divorce and moved away and J.C. kept coming back to his old pad. He was even crossing an extremely busy street to do it. So, after 2 or 3 months of this, we ended up taking him in. He has lots of friends around our current apt and goes to visit several other homes, back yards, etc. We are nervous that he will reject the new home and want to come back, especially since it is only a few blocks away. We are planning on keeping him inside the new house for at least 3 weeks after the move, but that did not help before. Does anyone have other suggestions?

Thanks, Sherry (and J.C., Buster (the other cat) and Jessie (the dog.))

[jenluckenbach]

I am sorry that my only suggestion is to keep him inside permanemtly. He might miss the outdoors at first, but he really doesn"t NEED to go out.

[Lillycat]

i agree w/jen.....and besides, crossing streets is very unhealthy for animals....

[wayne0214]

learlaw, I suggest that when you get him in your new house, that you allow him to explore as cats are wont to do and then feed him something extra-special, whether it is tuna or whatever. Try to retain him in the house for about, as you say, 3 weeks. But he will probably want out before then. I have a few cats in my menagerie that if I do not let them outside at least twice a week, they begin to get bored and fight with the others and otherwise become more destructive than they normally are.

.......wayne

[Cataholic]

I agree with Jen. Keep the cat in the house, it is safer.

[ActionCat007]

What I have done with my cats is put them on a harness and walk them around the house every day, so they will know where the boundaries are. I did this for about a month before I let them go out on their own, but I would keep a hawks eye on them still.

[neko1]

I agree with jen to just keep em inside

[learlaw]

Well, my husband and I have officially moved in to the new house. JC, the wanderer, Buster and our dog Jessie are also there. JC has been too busy hiding to try and run away. However, he seems to be adjusting, although the slowest of the three pets. He comes out when my husband and I are both home and watching TV. He also climbs all over us when we are sleeping. He finally used the litterbox after 2 days -- he was afraid to come downstairs. Hopefully, he will accept being an inside cat.

Thanks for all the advice! Sherry