Moving house tips for keeping cat safe

[cushioncovers]

Just that really, we are moving in about two weeks and I'm so worried we will lose our ginger boy if we don't get this right. Any tips on how to make the move as stress free for him as possible would be gratefully received.

Some tips here about what to do before, during & after the move.
www.vets4pets.com/pet-health-advice/cat-advice/moving-house-with-your-cat/

I do know that they are best kept in for 4-6 weeks after moving. I remember moving with a cat as a child & when we first let her out again I took her for a walk around the garden with string tied to a collar so she could have a good sniff and get used to the smell of the place so she could recognise where we lived. She never got lost.
Good luck with the move.

Can he go in a cattery for 48h?. There’s some lovely ones around these days.

I kept our two cats in one of the bedrooms that had already been cleared out when we had moving day so they couldn't go outside in the old house whilst moving stuff into the van. Luckily they had each other and they were just under one at the time so quite adaptable to situations. I just kept checking up on them quite often and giving them a bit of a fuss.

Then when they arrived with me in the new house, again lots of fuss. When we had things moved in, again I kept them in spare bedroom but then I stayed with them for the majority of that time as we had quite a bit of help moving. One of the cats was scared to come downstairs in the first few days so I gave him lots of love but let him take his time to come downstairs himself.

I kept them indoors for the length of time suggested by cats protection etc.

I went out with them when they first went out properly, into the garden.

Also people have suggested butter on paws so they can trace the smell too?

I think they're meant to stay indoors for a month.

I'm hopefully moving in a couple of weeks and I'm going to put my two cats in a cattery. I'm going to put them in the day before moving day then pick them up the day after I've moved in once everything has calmed down a little bit and hopefully it won't be too stressful for them.
I think it's recommended that they are then kept inside for at least two weeks so they get used to their new location.

We kept our in the bathroom the day of the move- big sign on the door for the movers to keep it and why, verbally spoke to the team to let them know.

We then set up the litter box and food in the new bathroom and they went in there for the duration.

Feliway plug-ins all over the house for a while and lots of litter boxes.

Let them explorer a space at a time and when they aren't jumpy about the new house let them out before feeding them.

@TwoOpenOneClosed at least 3 but I’ve been told 4-6.
DM made the mistake of thinking just 2 weeks. She was heartbroken when her boy vanished.

www.cats.org.uk/media/1052/eg03_moving_house_jun14.pdf

I put our cats in a cattery for a couple of days and kept them in for 2 weeks.

Ours were in for three weeks. We took them out for walks in cat harness (were already used to it). They were fine.

Thanks for all your advice. I think the Cattery is a good idea for a couple of days do we can move in with fours and windows open. I've bought a cat harness to use for him to have a wander around the new garden. But our practice run of putting it on him haven't gone well, he won't even keep a collar on. he's an outdoor cat and will hate being kept in but I know it's got to be done. Going to keep him in for four weeks.

Honestly when I moved my outdoor males (both neutered) were impossible to keep in. I think they lasted a week! They didn't roam far and still don't. I know your supposed to keep them in until they get used to the surroundings but they sneaked out when I was hanging my washing out . Has your new place got a garden?

I was worried sick when mine managed to escape but they came back no problem at all.

I also had a female who went missing and sadly we never found her . I would defo try and keep him in as-long as possible but if he's anything like my 2 it will be hard! Is it quite rural where your moving to?

Yes we are moving to the outskirts of a very small town so gardens all around and allotments just over the road. I'm dreading having to keep him inside ☹️ he's gonna to hate it but I know I've gotta do it.

Don't forget to update his microchip details, so if he does go missing and is found you can be contacted.

Thanks all. Enquired about putting him in a Cattery for two nights but apparently they are shut to most people and only take bookings from key workers ( which I am) but it means he'd be the only cat in the Cattery. Not sure if that's a good thing or not🤷🏻‍♀️

Probably a good thing, mine would hate being in with other cats nearby, which is why they tend to have cat sitters.