Cats love sharing your home with you – for them, it’s somewhere familiar and comforting where they can feel safe, secure and relaxed.
When you’re moving house with your cat, it’s bound to be disrupting, stressful and disorientating, for both of you! However, there are things you can do to help your cat keep calm during and after the move to help them feel comfortable in their new surroundings.
In the build up to the big move, your home will start to feel unsettled for your feline friend; packing boxes, strangers wandering in and out, new scents and the emptying of once-familiar rooms can all add to their anxiety. If your cat is used to staying with some familiar friends of yours or in a cattery, it may be a good idea to have them stay there for a short break to spare them the stress. If you decide on a cattery, book well in advance and make sure all their vaccinations are up to date. Read our article on cat sitting and catteries for more helpful tips and advice.
If you’d prefer to keep your cat with you during the move, set aside a quiet room in your old house and leave it untouched until the very last minute. Get them accustomed to that room about a week before you move by placing their bed, litter tray, toys, food and water bowls in there. It will soon feel like their home within a home, and allow them a haven away from the hustle and bustle in the rest of the house!
"Once you’ve moved home with your cat you need to give them at least a week to get used to their new surroundings before you let them go outdoors."
Leaving your old home
If you’re using a removal company, let them know in advance that as well as your furniture, you’re also moving a cat to a new house. They’ll need to know which room has been designated for your cat so they don’t disturb them in their quiet den.
Just before the removal team arrives, give your cat a reassuring cuddle or soothing stroke and place them gently into their travel basket with a supply of fresh water. If you’re concerned that your cat will get stressed it can be a good idea to spray their basket with a calming pheromone (available from your vet or larger pet stores), or cover it with a cloth to keep it dark and calm. You can then leave them in their basket in their “safe” room while you make your final rounds.
Remember, if your cat wears a collar, you’ll need to swap their identity tag on the day you move for one with your new address and phone number and don’t forget too that you need to supply your new details to their microchip registration company. The last thing you need on moving day is an escaped cat with out of date ID! The last piece of admin to take care of is registering your cat with a new vet, if you’re moving to a new area.
Arriving at your new home
The secret to moving a cat to a new house is familiarity, so start to make your new surroundings more recognisable for your cat as soon as you can after you arrive. Similarly to how you prepared a “safe haven” in your old house, fill one room in your new home with your cat’s bed, litter tray, toys and a bowl of fresh water.
When you’re soothing them with strokes, gently rub a soft cloth on their face and neck. This will pick up their natural pheromones, which you can then wipe onto new surfaces in the house at cat height to help your cat feel more secure. You can also add a worn cosy jumper of yours or an old towel to their bedding to surround them with more reassuring scents.
Purina Editorial Team
