Tips for moving house with cats?

[AnotherEmma]

I have two cats both 10 years old (they're siblings from the same litter). Moving house in about 10 days and wondering if anyone has advice please about minimising the stress for them?

I'm seriously considering asking the vet for zylkene to calm them down a bit, WIBU to do that?!

I can also get some plug-ins, not sure if they make much of a difference though (and DH hates the smell).

I know to keep them shut inside to begin with, will have to shut them in separate rooms/areas as sadly they don't get on very well (they did as kittens, not so much as adults).

Male cat has a tendency to territorial spraying, has done it in the house in the past (although not for ages touch wood) so I'm worried about that.

Female cat is anxious already, hides away and has been overgrooming, sadly, so she's not going to be happy...

On the upside new house is bigger and they should have more space to find their favourite spots and hopefully not fight over them (fingers crossed).

On moving day, should I put them in a cattery for a night or two? Or move them first thing and shut them in separate rooms with strict instructions to removal people not to let them escape?!

Any advice much appreciated. TIA!

I’d put them in a cattery and move them in once you’ve settled

Yes put them in a cattery.

I should point out we haven't put them in a cattery for years, they were always stressed out so we ended up just leaving them at home with a neighbour or cat sitter popping in to feed them.

Is there someone you know that can take them for a short time?

My cat also hates catteries, so I empathise.

I would shut them in a room in the new house for a day or two with a litter tray and their food, then start letting them out into the rest of the house for a few days and then if they are outdoor cats let them into the garden for short periods making sure you get them back in well before dark initially. That's what we did and seemed to work OK, I think they really need to be with you in stressful times.

No cattery if they dislike it. I’d shut them in the same room in the new house with separate places to hide and sleep, and felaway plug ins. They do help. Even if they don’t like each other they are used to being together and may join forces to cope. Soothing music can minimise the noise of the move. Visit them often with favourite food and only let them in the rest of the house when they are calm and house is arranged as it will be in future. They’ll be fine but give it time.

Empty a small room the night before... Pop the dcats in there for moving day.
Sign on door not to open...
Grab dcats in the last trip. Keep them to their usual feeding schedule from day 1. Obviously keep them in for a few weeks...

Thanks all for the advice! Some great tips.

Get the a crate each. Put them into the crates before anyone comes to move your furniture. Move them yourselves in your car. Put them into a bathroom with food, water, and a litter box, shut the door firmly, and stick a notice on the door to the effect that the door must not be opened.

Or send them to a cat boarding place the day before and spring them once you're all moved and settled.

My vets have a fabulous calming spray in the cat waiting area. You spray it onto a provided large cloth and cover the cat basket with the cloth.
Never in her life has my cat been so chilled for the rest of the day 😻✌️

I moved recently and got excellent advice here. You can buy Zylkeke over the counter ( I got mine from Amazon). Started this straightaway, so about ten days before moving with a plug in recommended on here. You can also get your vet to prescribe Gabapentin which will calm them considerably on moving day. You do have to take your cats to the vet for it to be prescribed though. My cat is a rescue and gets incredibly stressed going to the vets, so in the end I didn’t do this. I did, however, buy a dog travel crate (a much bigger and softer option than his cat one). This was great. He was kept in one room whilst the rest of the house was emptied (sign on door), then put in his crate and into the car. Kept in main room for a week with feed/litter tray, plug in. Gradually exposed to other rooms etc. Congratulations on your new house!

We put our 2 in a cattery. It's the oonly time we've used one as we generally have pet sitters, but their safety was paramount. It's so stressful anyway, I couldn't cope with the notion of the removal people accidently letting them out of wherever they were shut in.

We locked our cat into a bedroom when we moved house. She wasn't happy & dug the carpet up by the door in an attempt to escape, then we couldn't open the door to let her out - we ended up with a destroyed carpet and a badly scratched door. So either cattery or a room with a tiled floor next time!

Do you know what they use - is it Feliway?
I have a Pet Remedy plug-in and have used it in the past but it hasn't seemed to make a huge difference. Might try Feliway.