Cats are territorial by nature. They are more at ease on familiar ground. And so moving house is naturally expected to interfere with their wellbeing. Hence, your role when moving house is to ensure your feline is safe and is comfortably settled in the new place. Otherwise, they’ll run off to the familiar environment they are used to, your old house.
Important to note is that once provided with a conducive environment. Your cat will settle in due time. Yours is to be patient and allow room for the cat to settle on its own terms. Having said that, let’s now take you through seven strategies that can help you settle your cat smoothly.
To prepare your cat for the new environment, start by preparing a safe room in your current house. Set up a quiet room around a week or two before the move. The room should have all the stuff your cat needs, including essentials like water, food, bed, litter tray and toys.
Once the room is set, slowly introduce the cat into the safe room. This will make your work easier when you move to the new house. They’ll have already gotten used to the concept of a safe room.
Part of preparation before moving house with a cat includes ensuring your cat is vaccinated and the details on the microchip are up-to-date with the address of your new house. On the moving day, feed the cat at least three hours before the moving time. This will allow time for digestion and minimize any chances of travel sickness.
Once you’ve moved to a new environment, your cat will need time to adjust to the new house. As such, just like you set a room for your cat before you moved house, you should do the same in your new house. This gives the cat room to adjust to the new environment.
Shy cats that are less confident are more likely to adjust better in a quiet room. So, you can set up a spare room with everything the cat needs, including the essentials, a hiding spot and a scratching post. Friendly cats that enjoy the presence of people may adjust better if you create a space for them in the sitting room where they can interact with people.
You should leave your worn clothes in the cat’s room. Your scent will make them more relaxed. Additionally, ensure the window and blinds are closed. This is because one, the cat doesn’t escape, and two, the neighbourhood cats don’t come staring at the newbie.
Give your cat time, somewhere between two days and two weeks, and see how it responds to the new environment. A good indicator that the cat is ready is if it approaches you when you get into its room.
Moving house with a cat can be challenging, especially because cats are big on smell. You can help them pick a familiar smell by using a pheromone diffuser. You can use a plug-in device, diffuser or spray pheromone in its room to soothe the cat. This pheromone smell will help relax your cat.
You can also go the DIY way and rub a cotton cloth on the lower part of your cat’s face and then rub the scent on the lower parts of furniture and walls, approximately your cat’s height. This way, your cat will pick its own smell and calm down.
It’s recommended that you use a diffuser 24 hours before moving into your new house. But if that’s not possible, you can install one as soon as you arrive.
Just like routine is important to you, so it is to your cat, especially when you've just moved house. It's recommended that you maintain the usual feeding, playing and sleeping time to give your feline friend a sense of normalcy despite the new environment.
It's important to keep your cat indoors for at least one month after moving house. This will give the cat time to familiarize with the interior environment before going outside. Another reason why this is important is that keeping your cat indoors prevents it from escaping back to the old house. It's even more crucial to keep an eye over your cat if it's used to roaming in the neighbourhood.
Following up with the point above, ensure your house is escape-proof. In the first few days of moving house, your cat will be anxious, being it's a new place. It won't hesitate to dash out if doors or windows are slightly open. To prevent such eventualities, it's important to inform everyone in the household to shut the doors and windows that the cat can easily access at all times.
Moreover, chimneys and cat flaps should be sealed in the first few days until the cat is comfortably settled in. Additionally, check any openings that the cat may use as an escape route and seal them.
When it comes to playing, let your cat lead the way. In the first weeks, give your cat space to roam around the home and familiarize with the sounds, smells and hiding places. Allow them time to settle down and only initiate play when they come to you. This is a strong indicator that they are getting more comfortable and more secure in the new environment.
Are you moving house with a cat and wondering how to ensure the moving process is as smooth as it can get? Wonder no more! 1 Van 1 Man Removals is an expert in everything house removals. We'll not only help you move with your cat but also ensure you are well settled in your place. Contact us for house removal needs.