A good friend of mine is planning a move shortly and will be taking her two cats with her. She’s under a lot of stress, and as a result her cats are too. Cats don’t usually do well with change, and moving to a new home is a major shake up to the normal routine. In Cat Vs. Cat: Keeping Peace When You Have More Than One Cat
, author and cat behaviorist Pam Johnson-Bennett offers these tips when introducing your cat to a new home:
When Packing…
As you’re packing, spray Feliway on the corners of the moving boxes. Cats normally love boxes, but a lot of new, strange smelling ones can add even more stress to the situation
Once You Arrive At The New House…
Set up sanctuary rooms in the new home before you officially move in. Determine how well your cats get along in stressful situations, and that will help you determine if you need separate rooms for each cat. If you have several cats, try to match ones in the same room that get along well together.
Keep It Familiar…
Put some familiar furniture in the sanctuary rooms so there’s something familiar to your cat. If cats have “favorite” furniture pieces, try to put at least one favorite in their room.
Keep surroundings as familiar as possible. Try not to buy all new furniture at one time, doing so gradually will give your cat(s) a little more time to adjust to all the changes.
Although it may be difficult until you settle into the new home, try to keep your cat’s schedule as unchanged as possible. Keep feeding times the same and if you have play times, try to keep those intact.
Change Is Good When…
The changes can have a positive effect if there were some cats that didn’t get along in the old home. The new place is neutral territory, so cats that were lower in the hierarchy are now on even ground. If the new home is larger, this also gives each cat more opportunity to stake out their new territory.
Moving can be overwhelming for you and your cat(s), but keeping these tips in mind can help when introducing your cat to a new home much easier and faster.
Written by Karen
