Moving House - Advice about Cat

[Eulalia]

I am moving house in 6 days time. Someone just told me that I should keep our cat indoors for 3 weeks to prevent him from trying to get back to our old house. As this will be some 25 miles away I am quite concerned about this.

He is an outdoor cat and hasn't used a litter tray since he was a tiny kitten so I am horrified at the prospect of him being cooped up that length of time. Is this necessary?

Also how should I move him? First or last? ie leave putting him into the van last or take him to the new place first?

Any general advice about moving would be appreciated also.

[Tigger]

Take the cat first, and let puss get used to the new house, also take him outside in the box that you move him in and let him see the layout of the garden etc. You can get larger boxes from the vets that don't keep them as couped up, good luck.

[Eulalia]

Thanks for this Tigger. I doubt if he'll be likely to try going back to our old house as it is so far away. Hopefully he should like the new place better with 0.75 of an acre all to himself!

[Spring]

Eulalia, don't underestimate the skills of cats!! When my husband was small he and his family went away for a week's holiday with his grandparents and took their cat. However, when it was time to go home they couldn't find the cat anywhere and had to leave it as his father was in the Navy and couldn't delay his return home. To cut a long story short, 2 months later his Mum heard a scratching at the back door and there was their dear old cat. It had travelled nearly 100 miles!! It was very skinny, extremely fit and it's fur coat was in fantastic condition.

[Midge]

Eulalia, keeping your cat in for three weeks will drive all of you crazy, and if any one tells you to butter the cats paws to "stop him wandering" just laugh loudly and ignore it - its c*. Tiggers advice is very good. I would keep the cat in for a few days, then let him/her out in the morning, stay around so he can see you and have some titbits ready.

If your cat is anything like uurs he will wander off for a few hours - long enough to stress you out, and then sleep on the bed for the afternoon like he's lived there forever.

Good luck with the move.

[Jewel]

Absolutely right you two - don't eventry to keep a cat in for 3 weeks. I moved my 2 cats by putting their favourite chair, some of my used clothes ( so they could smell me ) and some food/water in the smallest bedroom and moving them into that room first of all. I left them there while I moved everything else in and eventually let them out of the bedroom when things were a bit less crazy that evening. They had a good sniff around the whole house & I kept them indoors for the whole of the next day and by then they felt totally at home. Good idea to let them outside for the first time when they are hungry though. Hope it all goes ok for you!

[Eulalia]

Thought I'd let you know how we got on. We arrived at our house with the cat at 2am Monday 21 May. By 10pm that day he had already got out! He escaped from a kitchen window. He was absolutely brilliant though, no whining or scratching. The first day he just retreated into a corner and appeared to be meditating. Then later on he was obviously needing the toilet. He point blank refused to use the litter tray (he hasn't used one since he was a tiny kitten and he is now nearly 10). We went out of the room and then back in and noticed the window was open. I was quite distraught thinking he'd have run away for ever! My husband went out and found him 20 mins later.

Since then he went out with him for longer periods and then eventually after about 5 days we left him to come and go in and out the window as he pleases. The problem appears to arise more in built up areas where there are sheds, garden walls and lots of competing smells. Here we have a huge flat open garden and it would be very hard for him to get lost.

I can't believe how sensible and cautious he was though, exploring only one area at a time and he has kept well away from the road. I think a lot of it depends upon the type of cat you have. He is very much an outdoor cat and absolutely loves being in the country now.