|
 |
Moving House
with your Cat
|
Cats are creatures of habit and thrive in a consistent and familiar
atmosphere. Moving house can be very stressful for cats once they are
taken out of their comfort zone.
Prepare ahead of time to make moving house with your cat go
as smoothly as possible.
The Journey
If you need to stay overnight at motels
check ahead to find a pet friendly motel. Don't leave your cat in your
vehicle if staying at a motel. Find pet friendly motels in a booklet that
can be purchased from your newsagent or do a search on the Internet.
If you have a very nervous cat and your move entails a long
car journey you may wish to discuss with your vet whether or not it would
be advisable to give your cat a tranquiliser before the journey.
When traveling by car, your cat needs to be contained in a
cat carrier which can be secured by a seatbelt. Make the carrier
comfortable and include a favourite blanket or toy with a familiar smell.
If you are traveling a long distance to
your new home pack a 'Cat Pack' The pack should contain food, food dishes, water dishes
a litter tray and clean litter. You will also need plastic bags and a
scoop for cat litter disposal. Don't forget a spoon or fork if you are
taking canned food and some paper towels and wipes for any accidents. For
nervous cats you might want to take a blanket or towel to cover the
carrier.
|
When to
move the cat If you are moving a
shorter distance to your new home and are making several journeys back and
forth leave your cat until the last trip to bring it over to your new
house. Your cat may be disturbed by the activity of furniture being moved
out, but at least it is in familiar surroundings. Confine it to one room
if possible with a familiar piece of furniture or it's own personal bed if
it has one.
The
new house - Settling in
On your cat's arrival at
the new home try to make sure that the removalists have left and all furniture and packing box
transportation is finished.
|
|
Make sure all doors and windows are
securely closed. Remember to block chimneys too. Let him out of his carrier when it is quiet, not when
there is still lots of activity associated with moving and unpacking going
on. Make sure there are familiar things around him. Your furniture will
have smells he will associate with home. Let him explore by himself and
don't force him to do anything.
 Some cats take to moving without much drama
while others are very stressed and may hide under a bed for days. If your
cat refuses to come out of a room or is hiding under a bed supply him with
a litter tray and food and water in that room. Put a favourite blanket,
toy or piece of furniture in the room to reassure him.
Feliway®
sprays or diffusers can be used to settle your cat.
Feliway® is a product which reproduces
certain pacifying properties of cat facial pheromones. For more
information visit the
Feliway Website
Reassure your cat frequently by giving him plenty of
attention. Lots of love and cuddles go a long way.
Sometimes your cat
won't want to eat. Don't worry, he will eat when he is ready. Always have
food and water available in familiar bowls. If your cat usually sleeps
with you encourage him to do this in your new house. He will feel secure
at night cuddled up with you in a bed he knows and with people he loves.
Don't allow the cat to go outside for
a week or two or until he is very settled in his new environment. When you
feel it is time to go outside it may be advisable to take him out on a
harness, however if your cat is not used to a harness it could contribute
to his stress levels. Supervise him for all outside visits at first and
make sure he knows the way back into the house.
Collars and ID
Your cat may not usually wear a collar but it would be
advisable before your move to get him used to wearing one. When you move
attach an ID disk with a phone number. He should get used to wearing a
collar BEFORE you move as putting a collar on after the move may add to
his stress.
If
your Cat is micro chipped
Don't
forget to notify the Microchip Register of your new address and phone
number. Do this a couple of weeks before you move and let them know your
moving date. Ring the vet who implanted the microchip if you are unsure of
who to contact. Usually you have notify the registration people in writing
so make sure you organise things well in advance of your move.
Interstate and Overseas
If you are moving interstate or overseas and
flying, then you will of course need to check out airline regulations for
information on flights, container regulations freight costs etc.
Thoroughly check quarantine requirements when traveling overseas. You will
also need to check with your vet if any additional vaccinations are
required.
Qantas Traveling with Pets within Australia
Bringing Cats and Dogs
and other Pets into Australia
Importation of Pets,
Other Animals, and Animal Products into the United States
Importation of Domestic Cats into Canada
Bringing Pets into the UK
Good Luck with your move and forget about the old wives
tale of putting butter on your cat's paws.
|
