Not TTC related... Advice on moving with cats..

sidey1

siggy warning**

So we're moving in less than two weeks to a new apartment, we have three cats (don't ask me how that happened, I think DH has cat hoarder potential) we have never moved with any of them. I'm so worried about the logistics of getting them to the new place.. we're hiring movers, and there's really no room we can put them in that won't have furniture getting moved out or into it. For those of you that have moved with pets, did you bring them to the new place before you had everything moved or wait until after all the moving was finished? My goal is of course to keep them as calm as possible, one thought was to board them somewhere for a few hours, but I'm afraid that will get them even more stressed. Any suggestions would be great!

To add insult to injury, we're moving because our landlord is selling our building and told us we'd only get 30 days notice once he sold, well we hurried to find a place and sign a lease only to learn he's now having a change of heart and might not sell at all! This after putting us through 3 open houses.. our plan is to look to buy over the next year and then move at the end of our new lease.. uggg NYC living, I have such a love/hate relationship with it!!

TripMomma

Maybe a large kennel in a bathroom until all the moving is done?

Good luck on the move!

Mrs.McIrish

Ticker warning




I've moved a lot over the years and always put my cat(s) in the bathroom with a litterbox/food/water while the movers were there. I always felt like it was less stressful for them as it was a familiar place and then bringing them to the new place once my furniture was already there bc it would smell familiar.

latershrader

Agreed w/ @Mrs.McIrish, put them in the bathroom until you are finished then take them once everything is in the new place. That's what we did with our cats when we moved. It took them a few days to stop zooming around the new place at all hours, but they settled down after that.

sidey1

Thanks Ladies, DH has it in his head that he read somewhere that it was better to bring them to an empty apartment first but I agree with the suggestions above. They will probably go nuts in the bathroom but hopefully the whole process doesn't take too long!

Sharon&Paul

We recently moved with two cats. I left them behind until everything was moved. Then I crated them and drove them to the new place. Needless to say they did not like the crate or the new house. We had issues with stress and adjustment with them. They just don't like change.

yellowcat10

I always keep them in a separate room with their carriers out so they get used to them.  One of mine gets car sick so I have to withhold food for a bit and give him Dramamine which usually works.  No matter what they will be freaked out,  

bumpuser10258960

I waited until all the furniture was moved so that when my cat got moved, at least the smells of the furniture would be familiar in the new place. What i did was find a safe spot for her on moving day, like an empty closet, moved all the furniture out. Then after the move, I came back for her. My cat is an indoor/outdoor cat so she goes potty outside. I was worried about letting her out in the new house, so I used a litter box for the first few weeks and slowly introduced her to the outside by leaving the sliding glass door open (with the screen closed) and then one day I opened it and she stepped out but stayed close to the house. The rest, is history. Happy cat. 

Tsuga76

Agree with everything already said here.  One additional thought is that Feliway ("synthetic cat facial pheromone") is supposed to help calm cats, and make them feel safer.  I have seen some effects on my cats when I've used it in the past, though didn't think to use it on my last move.

TAT2MAMI

I agree with everyone else as well. The bathroom is best spot with food, water, and their litter box. Once you're in your new place and things have settled down, they'll get to exploring and they'll adjust.

URMySunshine77

It sounds like you got some great advice. I just want to wish you luck on the move! 

kindershlitz

When we moved, due to fresh paint, open doors, our cats went to 'camp', which was our inlaw's. They had stayed there before when we had a flood at our house. Our furniture was in the new place when we brought them back so they had some familiar things. It was hard on them but they adjusted quickly, within days. They were 7 at the time and had not moved before. Good luck! (I could be a cat hoarder too)