Moving house, any tips?

[ConceptionZilla]

We are moving home in the next week, going to live 100 miles away. We have two 4 year old, very active, neutered male cats. I'm dreading moving them! Does anyone have any tips to make it easier? I was planning to shut them into one room in the new house with most of their stuff at first and slowly let them explore the house and not let them outside for about 6 weeks. Any other tips?!

am about to do the same but not so far away what i did last time we moved was emptied one room in old address first then put the cats in there and shut the door, that way they cant get out while you empty the rest of the house, and at the other end put the cats into an empty room first with food litter tray etc, shut the door firmly then proceed to get your stuff into the rest of the house, you probably wont need to keep them in one room all the time, let them have access to all the windows in the new house so they orientate themselves with the surroundings of the new house, you should keep them in for around three weeks, and if they are microchipped remember to update the chips and even if they have not worn collars its a good idea to get a collar each with an address disk on as when you let them out to start with the neighbours will be able to see they are not strays and be ringing the rescues near you good luck with the move

Some Feliway plug-in diffusers for all the floors of the house can't hurt. And maybe some Zylkene for the week surrounding the move?

I moved not so long ago, and MCat settled in very well. He even managed an escape early one morning, but his little cat face appeared over the wall as soon as I called him and rattled the Dreamies.

We moved last September with a 15 year old and a 4 year old cat . The 15 year old had lived in the last house with us for 14 years and another house with us for a year before that . I asked the vets to have them for a day trip there while we moved and then when I picked them up at 5 , I put them in the bathroom with a litter tray and food , with strict instructions to the removal men not to open the door . I also added a sign on the door . My old cat got very upset and I was so worried about him on the first night that I went to the vets who prescribed feliway plug in and some drops . He slowly came round but was very nervous and hid ( normal cat behaviour ) .. I kept them in for 5 weeks and then only let them out supervised when they were hungry . It's very safe where we have moved to so I was more worried about him getting lost than the road . Anyways fast forward and they both love it here and go out freely and come back safely by 7 pm every night . Please be careful with cats in boxes for a long time . My mum moved last year too and she insisted on keeping the cats in the old house while she moved and consequently they were in the carriers a few hours . One of them sadly died a day after the move because of kidney failure . They said unrelated but she was absolutely fine before the move . Make sure they are hydrated with wet food or water .

Thanks for all the great advice, and the warning over hydration too. shutting them in an empty room before moving is a great idea. I was worried about how I get them ready to be popped in the boxes. I hadn't thought of feliway, must be worth a try. They'll go bonkers being trapped in for weeks and one of them poos on the carpet if we do ever shut him in.

One of our neighbours has tried to Kat nap them by feeding them and locking them in. I haven't told her we are moving but am looking forward to seeing her face when she realises the cats are going far away with my family!

Scent is very important. I'd suggest putting well used cat bedding in the "secure" room beforehand so that the place smells more familiar. I'd even go so far as collecting some of your cats' urine on a sponge and leaving that in the room.

Another thing I remembered is the butter on feet thing . Now I was sceptical but when I read about it, you are supposed
To put it on when they leave the old house so that they lick all the old house off their feet and then absorb the new house smell .

Oh more interesting ideas! Thanks. They wriggle lots so I might let my DH butter them!