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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

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Original poster

Moving house

6 replies

jayhoo · 10/04/2023 06:03

I'm sure it's been done to death but tips please.

2.5 years old neutered male. Indoor cat, Sociable only on his own terms (as it should be).

I'm thinking of keeping him in my sons room (with son) who is his favourite human amongst us. It'll mess up the rhythm of the move a bit but mainly focussed on his well being.

We aren't moving far, less than a mile, and the new house layout is similar to this one so not so concerned about settling once we're there.

Any advice or tips?

OP posts:

A34 · 10/04/2023 08:43

We moved just before Christmas. We put our 2 cats in a cattery for 2 nights - they were both completely freaked out by the chaos. We picked them up the day after the move and kept them in for 2 weeks. We moved further than you though and I wonder whether you might need to keep them in longer than 2 weeks so that they stand more chance of forgetting where they lived before.

CatOnTheChair · 10/04/2023 08:57

Cat had free reign the day before we moved, with packers packing.
Day of move, we emptied our bedroom first, and then shut her in there with food and litter tray in ensuite. She went ballistic. Sent kids in to sit with her, and she was fine.
She came in the car with us, then carrier in the utility at new house, with limited access (only needed a washing machine in that room).
Let her out in the evening after everyone had gone, but limited to kitchen-dinner. Got access to the rest of the house the following morning. Jumped out of a top floor window at 3am about 2 weeks in then cried in the garden.....
Allowed out when we were around from that point. Free access with catflap from about 1 month in.

SushiSuave · 10/04/2023 09:00

We are moving this week and our very nervous cat will probably hate it (although this is the third move we've done with her). We are going to put her in the spare room at new house with food, bed, scratch post and litter tray. Probably leave her for a couple of hours before opening door and letting her explore the house. She may not want to come out at first which is fine. We will just keep everything at her pace and be sure not to let her outside for a couple of weeks.

Original poster

jayhoo · 10/04/2023 12:11

Thanks, really helpful. So I could take him and his human to the new house which would probably work better than leaving them here while people thump about

OP posts:

Paranoidandroidmarvin · 13/04/2023 14:59

I got a dog cage. So much larger. And he was in there while the boxes were being moved. As I didn’t want him to escape. This worked really well as he just sat and watched.

Nonamenoplacetogo · 15/04/2023 07:22

We moved in feb, emptied bathroom and put cats in there whilst house was emptied. Someone stayed with them and the we brought them over to new house and put them in one room for the night. They started a cautious look around the next day and went out after 2 weeks. Such a worry when you move for the humans and cats- hope it all goes well.

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