Cats and Moving

[babyg]

Hi, everyone,

So I've had my cat since she was 3 months old...now almost 14 years old...and we've been renting the same apartment (practically house) all this time. This place is all she knows. I was thinking of maybe buying a house next year (or sooner if something really catches my eye), but I'm worried how she may react to such a change in environment. To indoor cats, their home is all they know; it's their whole world. My question is for any of you who have moved with your furbabies, how did they react? Did they adjust well? I know stress can raise BGs and cause temperamental issues too. Interested to hear ya'll's stories!

 

[Lisa and Witn (GA)]

When I was younger I moved several times with my cats. What I found that helped was keeping them confined in one room in my old place until everything was moved to the new place. Then I would take my cats over to their new home. Usually for the first day or two, I kept them in one room to give them time to relax. After that I left the door open so they could explore when they were ready to venture out.

 

[Sienne and Gabby (GA)]

I've moved several times and (obviously) brought my cats along. One thing to keep in mind is that unless you are getting rid of all of your furniture, many of the important smells will be there! While the layout may be completely different, there will be familiar items -- including you! I typically set up Feliway diffusers when I move to help alleviate some of the stress but overall, my cats have done fine. My cats were in the same place for at least 10 years and adjusted to a much smaller temporary place and then a year later, we moved when I bought a much, much larger condo. They were a bit skittish with new noises but got used to the changes quickly.