Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
The litter tray

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

Original poster

Moving home

6 replies

legolegoeverywhereandnotadroptodrink · 16/06/2025 19:06

Hi

We’re moving in a few days. Any tips for ensuring the cat is ok?

we are going about 1-1.5 miles away. My plan is to

leave kitty outside all day whilst we move everything out (she wont want to go near removal people

leave her at old house but pop back around 5pm/6pm. Entice with food. Hope i can catch her and put into cat box

will i need to keep her inside at new house? How long for? She will probably try to eacape

OP posts:
Keepthecat · 16/06/2025 19:25

I think you should try and keep her her in for at least 4 weeks and maybe up to 6. And obviously if you can keep the same bed/blanket, litter tray, use the same brand of litter and food, that will help too. Good luck.

Theoldwrinkley · 16/06/2025 20:46

I don't think cat should be out and about during removal. Choose a room that can be emptied easily (we used the bathroom) and shut cat in with food, water, litter tray. Cat is last thing to leave old house and first thing in to new house. Shut cat in new bathroom with food, water, litter tray until all other removals done. Then gradually let out to explore house, but def not outside for 4-6 weeks. Fairly probable cat will return to old house when allowed freedom to roam, so repeat procedure for shutting cat in for another couple of weeks.

Original poster
legolegoeverywhereandnotadroptodrink · 16/06/2025 20:46

Six weeks? Seems excessive. Is that you speaking from experience?

OP posts:
Original poster
legolegoeverywhereandnotadroptodrink · 16/06/2025 20:48

Theoldwrinkley · 16/06/2025 20:46

I don't think cat should be out and about during removal. Choose a room that can be emptied easily (we used the bathroom) and shut cat in with food, water, litter tray. Cat is last thing to leave old house and first thing in to new house. Shut cat in new bathroom with food, water, litter tray until all other removals done. Then gradually let out to explore house, but def not outside for 4-6 weeks. Fairly probable cat will return to old house when allowed freedom to roam, so repeat procedure for shutting cat in for another couple of weeks.

Thanks. I don’t think that’s feasible but will give it some thought

OP posts:
Theoldwrinkley · 16/06/2025 20:53

legolegoeverywhereandnotadroptodrink · 16/06/2025 20:46

Six weeks? Seems excessive. Is that you speaking from experience?

Yes. From experience. Our cat really needed time to settle. We moved about the same distance as you and cat went back to old house (over very busy roads) twice. Now settled, but it took a year before I could relax that cat knew 'new' home.

Tollington · 16/06/2025 21:23

We moved house in February. Our boy stayed upstairs in one of the bedrooms for five days solid. Then one night really late he ventured downstairs for a few strokes and then went back upstairs.

Over the next few days he started coming downstairs more and then stayed downstairs. He started exploring the back garden slowly and then got used to it

Now, we struggle to get him to come inside!

I would say let your cat decide what it wants to do. It will show you when it’s ready. Our’s did anyway

New posts on this thread. Refresh page