moving to new home
Written by korene
I have two female cats. Ying and Yang. They are 2 1/2 years old. Where I live now they have about two acres to roam. Yang spends more time outdoors than Ying. Yang sleeps outside at nite. Ying sleeps indoors. During the day they both wander around in the yard and sleep in the tree line that surrounds the property. They come to the house to see what I'm doing when I am home and I feed them (cat food-dry) and spend chat time with them.
I am moving to a house where there won't be as much area to roam and there is a somewhat busier road on the front of the property and a railroad track (not used much) toward the back of the property. They will still have a tree line but not as extensive. I tried to think of them when I bought the property. My concern is how to acclimate them to their new home without causing to much stress. I am concerned about Yang because she can sometimes be gone for two days at a time. Will they take up the same habits? I am nervous that they'll go wandering and get lost.
Advice please? Thanks-korene
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Korene, moving with your pets can certainly be stressful for animals and the humans. It is very helpful if you can leave a room that they spend the most time in as normal as possible until moving day so that there is some normalcy in the house. In your situation, I would probably keep the cats in for the last one or two days before you move so they do not get stressed with all the activity and hide out somewhere.
When traveling to the new house, make sure they travel in carriers, it is never a good idea or safe to let cats loose in the car. When they arrive at the new house, have a room set up for them with the food, water and litter and lots of familiar things in it. Taking some time out of packing and unpacking to play with the cats (include a new toy), will help reduce thier anxiety.
I feel it is safest to keep your cats in for at least a month when moving to a new place. When they do venture out, daytime first is best and when you are available to be out with them. It is also safest if they could stay in at night and moving would be a great time to enforce that rule. Cats who stay in at night are less likely to encounter nocturnal predators and neighborhood cats who may fight with them. It sounds like they have had a great place to explore and be cats. I hope you are as lucky with your new house. Another consideration in the new place is dogs who may live near by who chase and or harm cats. In regards to the busy road, some cats just seem to know to steer clear but is impossible to tell which cats are street wise.
Another way to get them use to the new yard and ensure safety is to install an escape proof outdoor cat pen. There may someone in the area who makes them or you may be able to make one yourself. Good luck with your move!
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Thanks Marcie---All good advice....I definitely will spend alot more time with them. Part of the move has already been done amd they reacted with curiosity. They look for some things but I tried to leave their 'stuff' for last. They tend to lay 'on' me more than beside me so I know they feel a change coming.
I will try to keep them inside but they both are wanderers (Yang more than Ying). They don't have a litter box....they actually let me know when they want out. SO----I hope this all works. Again--Thank-you.