Just Moved Home with a Cat – They Need Some Help Settling In

Anyone who has a cat will know there is nothing more soothing than that sound of a contented purr. However, if you’ve just moved home the chances are this is the last thing your kitty has been doing lately! We all know that moving house can be an incredibly stressful experience, and when you throw animals or children into the mix this can make things way more complicated.
 

You see it’s much easier (sorry if that sounds harsh) for you to feel more settled because you know what makes you feel comfortable. It could be putting out a few familiar pictures, adding some of your favourite scatter cushions on your sofa or bed. It could even be as simple as lighting one of your favourite scented candles.

Now, that’s where I want to start – Scent!

Cats and Smells

A great deal of a cat’s life and how comfortable he feels is based on the smells around him (and that doesn’t include the litter tray)! When you first move home, there will be nothing and I mean nothing! In the way of familiar smells (namely their own scent) in the house and it will take a little time for your pet to be confident enough to go about marking their territory. 

Cats have scent glands around their faces and when you see them rubbing various bits of furniture or door frames, they’re actually leaving a little bit of themselves behind. Of course, you may not see this happen right away which is where you can help. 

Try taking a dry, soft cloth and gently rubbing it around your cat’s face. If you get lucky, they might just give it a good old rub anyway. You can then wipe the cloth at cat height on parts of your furniture and entrances to your home. You can also buy various “pheromones” from your local vet if you don’t like the idea of taking a cloth to your cat’s face.

Outdoor Cats

It won’t be long before your furry friend decides he has made enough of a mark on his new home, and wants to extend his territory to the great outdoors. But, (and this is particularly important if you’ve only moved a short distance away from your previous house) you can run the risk of them picking up their own scent from a previous haunt.

It might not be easy, but attempt to keep your pet indoors for at least one week (especially boys because they wander more). When you’re happy to let them take that leap, keep trips into the garden supervised and only for a short time. You can also use food as a way of keeping your cat close for the time being. Little and often helps and if you can, also get them used to the sound of a fork being tapped on a dish or a bag of biscuits being shaken.

In Summary

The above information is based on the fact you have moved home with a pet in your own country. If you would like to find out more information on moving abroad with pets, feel free to take a look at this link: http://www.theroadahead.co.uk/blog/post/2013/04/19/Moving-Your-Pets-to-a-New-Country.aspx

Moving With Your Cat? Here’s What To Do Before The Big Day

Whenever you look on the internet for advice about moving home, you will ALWAYS be told first and foremost this is one of the most stressful things anyone can do. However, if you have cats take a moment to imagine what it must be like for them!

Cats are curious creatures (which is possibly why they’re such popular pets), and if you don’t already know it’s not actually the “material” things in life that make them feel comfortable. In fact, you may have noticed that if something doesn’t smell the way it should your cat will head straight out the cat flap!

So, if you’re about to move home and you have a cat there are a few things you should consider. OK, this will add to your stress levels but then you have a pet because you love animals so making sure their moves goes as smoothly as possible kind of goes with the territory.

When it All Get’s Going

You may have noticed (depending on how seasoned a cat owner you are), that if you move even the smallest piece of furniture in your home to a new place your cat will immediately give it the “once over”. This is because they map out the area in which they live, or as they would probably term it “their territory”. The minute this changes in any way it sparks a sign that all may not be well with the map (so to speak).

What’s the first thing that happens when you start to move home? That’s right, you move stuff! There are items coming out of cupboards your furry friend may not have encountered before. Boxes, packing tape and bubble wrap are all over the place: In short, you’ve REALLY messed up your cats comfortable surroundings. 

Your Cat’s Reaction

This will depend on your cat’s personality. After all, every cat is different and they will all react in their own way. However, there are a few universal signs to look out for. Males especially will probably treat all the upheaval with nothing more than disdain, and just head for the great outdoors for a while.

If you have a young cat, they may not have developed their “homing” signals yet and will just get under your feet, or create a fair few laughs by getting tangled up in the packaging or hiding in boxes and cupboards. Still yet another reaction is the one of impending disaster! Every time you look down at your little furry friend, you’re met with a stare that really doesn’t need verbalising and makes you feel incredibly guilty. 

How to Make It Easier

If you can, make sure you leave their favourite places to sleep untouched. If this isn’t possible, at least move that cushion your cat cannot do without when taking a nap to the new place they’ve decided it’s safe to go.

Toys are also important (even if there are a lot of other things around to play with right now).

The place where your cat normally eats should also be left untouched wherever possible. The trick is to make sure you at least don’t disturb the most important things to your cat before you move which are: Sleep, eat and play. If you have a dog, and want to know more take a look here http://www.theroadahead.co.uk/blog/post/2013/08/23/Tips-on-Moving-With-Dogs.aspx Oh, and don’t forget all that extra fussing!