Planning Can Make Move Easier On Cats

A friend recently called me in search of advice. She was preparing to move into a new house and was concerned about her two “kids,” cats named Tigger and Wart. It was early December, and her goal was to make the move as smooth as possible and avoid turning the holidays into the “howl-a-days.”

I called my friend, veterinary behaviorist Dr. Rolan Tripp, and we applauded her with a “Two Paws Up!” rating for being a loving and concerned pet owner and taking a positive, proactive approach BEFORE the move rather than a reactive approach AFTER the move.

Most people (especially kids and teens) find moving to a new home one of the most stressful events of their lives. Multiply this stress factor by 10 and you can guess what it means to a cat. Leaving old friends and familiar sights/sounds/smells combined with the stress of traveling (cats and cars are natural enemies) is enough to turn a pussycat into a wildcat!

To add insult to injury, being thrust into unfamiliar surroundings, complete with other pet’s odors (yikes!) and hostile four-legged next-door neighbors, is enough to freak out the coolest cat and send him looking for the closest bed to hide under.

With that in mind, here are some tips to make a household move less disruptive for both you and your kitty:

* Before you move, order an ID tag with your new address and phone number — just in case.

* Once you get to your new home, don’t toss the crazed cat out of the carrier to explore new territory. It could be hazardous to your health and your pet’s. Put the carrier into a “safe room” with a scratching post, food, water and (in a different corner) the cat’s familiar litter box. Try to have the layout similar spatially to the old house.

* Initially ignore or just “hang out” with kitty in the safe room. If he hides, offer food treats. If he won’t eat from your hand, toss the kibble to a distance where he will eat. Toss the food gradually closer and finally leave some food in the bowl. Remove it in 10 minutes, or he won’t be motivated to come to you next time.

* As kitty unwinds in the safe room, allow him to explore the rest of the house overnight, then return him back to the safe room for breakfast and the rest of the day.

* Be on the lookout for telltale signs of stress, such as stiff muscle tone, hiding from sight or less subtle yelps for help, such as the curtains being torn from the walls or your bed being used as the litter box.

* To avoid a “cat-aclysm,” keep kitty inside for a week. Take walks using a harness and leash to introduce him to the area. Cats can easily become confused and lost when first let out in a strange neighborhood.

* Let kitty out BEFORE dinner, when he is still hungry, so he will come back soon for food. The good news is that all this much-needed time devoted to kitty will help you avoid the unpleasant task of unpacking a house full of belongings.

* Also, hide tasty food treats around the house. At first, do this in the safe room, then expand to the rest of the house. As kitty searches out the treats, he will bond with the location — and enjoy the mental stimulation and exercise. Besides, how much work can you tackle if you need to spend an hour hiding kibble around the house?

Moving to a new home is a good time to refresh your cat’s training regarding destructive clawing, urine spraying, and litter-box avoidance — all problems that can spring up if your cat is stressed and disoriented. Depending on the safety of your neighborhood and yard (fenced in or unfenced, urban or rural) you may want to convert kitty to an indoor-only pet.

If kitty is not adapting to the new location, ask your veterinarian for “Feliway.” This product is chemically identical to the substance in a cat’s cheek scent gland. This scent has a calming effect and reduces their tendency to mark the new territory with urine spray.

As Celine Dion sings, “I am your lady and you are my cat” (or something like that), and philosopher Hilaire Belloc remarked, “You are my cat and I am your human,” we need to always remember the give and take between cat and cat owner. (They take; you give). You can give them an easy, stress-free transition by providing love and nurturing in this new and strange environment. , your cat is going to be upset at first and may give you a furry cold shoulder. Be sensitive to your cat’s needs and instincts. TOGETHER, you can prevent a cat-astrophe and turn your new house into a purr-fect new home.