Most cats are not fans of any kind of change. If they could choose, they would stay at the place that feels familiar to them. However, at some point in all our lives, we choose to move to another home. Making your move stress-free for your furry friend can have various benefits, including reducing the fear of a new space, excessive meowing, hiding, and trying to escape from their new home.
Moving to a new location with your cat or cats involves three basic steps: preparation before the move, the move, and settling into the new home. Here are some tips for moving with multiple cats:
Preparation for the move
The first thing in creating a stress-free move for you feline friends is to prepare everything before the move. The safest way for your cats to travel is in carriers. So, before you actually move, make sure that you get them used to the carriers since they probably already hate it. You should start by leaving the door open and putting inside (for buying comfortable bads for your cats you can visit catcaveco.com), as well as some treats. You could also start feeding them inside the carrier so that they will get used to it faster. This process might take some time, however, you will be able to close the carrier doors without objections from your companions.stra
You should already get the moving boxes out weeks before you actually start packing. This will allow them to get familiar with them, investigate them, and leave their scent on the boxes. You should also get all the records from your cats’ vet since you will need them when you choose a new vet. Also, cats are escape artists, so make sure that you get them microchipped if you have not already.
On the Moving Day
While the boxes are being closed and carried to the moving van, it is best if you keep your cats in their carriers or in a closed space. This will eliminate the possibility of your cat hiding in one of the boxes or escaping through the front door. You can keep them in a closed room with a litter box, food, water, and a scratching post. To be extra safe, you could tell the movers or your friends and family to not open the door during the loading.
When you are ready to leave your home, enter the room, close the door and load your cats into the carrier, do not forget to add some treats in order to get them to enter the carriers on their own. You could also use travel spray for cats that will make them calmer when riding in the car.
In the New House
Before you let out your cats, set up a room for them. The room should be quiet and loaded with food, water, beds, litter boxes, and scratching posts. This space is where your furry friends should spend most of their time for the first few days at the new home. This will make the whole process of adjusting to the new place easier for them, and it will also be easier for them to explore the rooms over a period of time since they will always have a safe place to return to.
Before you decide on allowing your friend out of the room, you should add additional bowls and litter boxes in the places you would like to keep your pets most of the time.
Conclusion
With these tips, you will make the move easier for both you and your cats. Keep in mind that you should take the medical records, find a new vet, and try and keep things normal for them.