How to Move with Your Cat
Many people believe that moving homes is among the top 5 most stressful situations that one has to deal with. There is so much going on, from choosing the new place to live in to organization and planning of the move itself. There is a lot to do and normally you will find yourself overwhelmed with so many tasks that you will often times forget about those who have no say in the matter – your pets.
Your kitty will soon be faced with a huge change of environment, possibly climate too. Cats, being no huge fans of change to begin with, will usually experience a great deal of stress during a move. From the chaos of all the packing that will soon take place, to the coming of the Pimlico man and van service, your cat will certainly feel stressed. You should make sure you devote some time and attention to your kitty to help them deal with this change more easily.
Here are few suggestions that can help you and your pet get through the transition without too much trouble:
- Get used to the carrier – relocation from one home to another requires travelling. This means some time in a carriage for your pet. If you haven’t had the chance to travel with your cat and therefore staying in a carriage is new for them, you should start by introducing the item and letting the animal get used to it. Leave the carriage by their bed, put the food bowl inside over the course of few weeks, which is usually enough time.
- Introduce moving boxes and package materials early – your cat will soon begin to discover that items are starting to disappear in a large number of boxes, previously not present in the home. Removal services usually require boxes as they are convenient, but can scare your cat and cause stress. You should start introducing boxes and packing materials few weeks before the moving company arrives so that you cat can become used to them. After all, chances are these boxes will be all they see at the new place for some time before you arrange everything.
- Keep your pet’s routine in place – this is very important, as it means a lot less stress for your furry companion to deal with. Feeding, playing and attention should remain as stable as possible, in order for your cat to know you are still there, not lost in the chaos of activities involving the move.
- Keep your cat closed in a room with the carriage and other equipment – this will prevent incidents, such as your pet dashing out the door as soon as the movers enter the house to perform their duties.
- Gradually introduce your cat to the new home – for starters, keep your pet in one room for the first several days. You want your cat to explore its new world bit by bit. Spend some time with the animal in the room and once you are done with all of the unpacking, give the kitty access to other rooms of the new house. Provide second litter box away from the home-base room and near to the location you want to keep it permanently.
Take your time to understand how to make a long-distance move as comfortable for your cat as possible.
