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Advice needed! Complicated house move with cats (moved thread)

13 replies

TMarieClara · 26/06/2023 15:53

OK, I desperately need help working out what the best thing to do for my two 7yo cats is. We are expecting to complete on the sale of our house (in the South East) in 3 weeks, but we can't move into our onward (in the South West) until September. For childcare reasons, we are have decided to rent an airbnb near our current house and move at the end of August, but we can't take our cats with us as the only place we could find isn't pet friendly.

Ultimately, where we're moving is a small annex on a family farm, so our current plan is for our two lovely cats to go on ahead of us and move in with my in-laws. The tricky thing is they have dogs, and I'm worried that will add stress to an already stressful experience. We're thinking they'd initially be contained in one of the bedrooms the dogs rarely go in, and then after a few weeks in, they'd be introduced to the outside, and they can access the bedroom still from a window. When we get there in September they can then move next door with us.

Is this an OK plan? Can anyone think of anything better? I hate the idea of cateries. The other thing we looked into was having our catsitter, who they know well, host them until we move down, but again they'd be shut in and it seems not ideal to add another place into the mix.

Any good experiences moving pets I'd also love to hear them!
PS I previously posted this in the wrong place, so sorry for double up!

OP posts:
Toddlerteaplease · 26/06/2023 21:00

My parents are having a similar issue. They are moving in with my (saint) of a sister until their new house is built. I'm really worried about their cat. My BIL is allergic to cats and they live near a busy road. He's going to live in their utility room, which isn't very comfortable for him. And have a catio outside. I'm not sure he's going to be happy with this.

Toddlerteaplease · 26/06/2023 21:01

He's very happy in a Cattery? They just didn't book one far enough in advance.

Showerroomlove · 26/06/2023 21:18

If it were my cats, I’d send them to the cat sitter so they know someone and will have company. At a push, I’d let them go ahead but definitely not let them out before you move too because they may feel abandoned being shut in one room with dogs running around that I assume they are not used to - they might cut their losses (as they see it) and do a runner.

Caterina99 · 26/06/2023 21:27

We moved from the US to UK and brought our cat. She stayed with my in-laws at first, but as they already have an elderly cat she was contained to one room and stayed there for a month ish, then she moved to our new house, but it was having a lot of work done and we stayed at my parents, and she was again mostly contained to one room with daily visits for another month ish.

I don’t think she was particularly loving life during this time, but she was safe, and within a few days of us moving in she seemed completely back to her normal happy self!

I think the cats will be fine. Your plan seems sensible

TMarieClara · 26/06/2023 22:20

Thanks @Caterina99 – that's what we're hoping, that keeping them safe is the main thing. I think long term, they'll have a great life there, but it's not going to be fun in the process of moving :(

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TMarieClara · 26/06/2023 22:21

Thanks @Showerroomlove sadly they'd still be contained in one room at the catsitters, which isn't ideal either. They love their outdoor lives so I hate the idea of keeping them in one space, especially in the summer. But the move timeline is out of our control, as it's been painful just to get to this point with it

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NaturalStudy · 26/06/2023 22:24

Can you not move them straight into the annex and your in laws visit once/twice a day initially to feed them and then let them out? Then they wouldnt be with the dog and wouldnt need to be moved twice.

TMarieClara · 26/06/2023 22:26

I hadn't heard of a catio before but just had a google. We're keen to get chickens when we're down there so I wondered if we could get a big coop they could also use, but I'm trying to work out if they'll like that or find it even worse. We did some building work at our current house a few years ago and had to keep them in while the foundations were going down, and to be honest they were OK with it, but they were in with us in the house. I think we'll have to invest in a lot of toys and distractions

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Clarich007 · 26/06/2023 22:54

I agree with NaturalStudy.
Would it be possible to just move them once, straight into the annexe.? Seems a good idea.
Good luck whatever you decide on.

newtb · 26/06/2023 23:02

We flew our 12-year old Maine Coon to France from Manchester. Had to be 2 flights as was November, so no flights to Limoges. She got quite distressed and didn't drink, although had a full water bottle. She ended up quite poorly, and it was touch and go for a few days, but she recovered and we only kept her in for 3 or 4 days. She was mousing until nearly 21, so obviously got over it.

Fiddlerdragon · 26/06/2023 23:05

I’d take any of the options other than moving them into another house with dogs

TMarieClara · 27/06/2023 21:24

@Clarich007 Alas, my inlaws rent it out during the summer to holiday makers, otherwise that's absolutely what we'd do. I hate the idea of sending them ahead of us :(

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TMarieClara · 27/06/2023 21:25

@newtb This is what I'm so worried about! Poor thing. Glad it had a happy ending. Sort of hoping that being together will help, and I know my MIL will do her best to give them lots of love.

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