Moving house is a stressful time for most people, but it is also stressful to our feline companions. If you have a cat and are going to be moving house, what is the best way to go about doing this, that will limit the amount of stress to you and your cat?
Planning is important – Cats are territorial creatures by nature and moving them to a new territory can cause problems. Make sure you move is all planned well such as using help from removal companies Essex such as https://www.peglerremovals.co.uk/ When you first move, keep your cat confined to one room and put all of their familiar items in there with them. Anything with your scent and their scent on will help, as will food and bedding from your old home. It is particularly important that the cat stays in this room as people are coming in and out of the house moving things around. If necessary, make a sign for the door of the room to say not to be opened.
Help the Cat to Settle – Once you are in, let the cat out of the room to have a look around the rest of the house. Don’t pressure it onto coming out immediately, just let it take its time. Remember, all of the cats’ previous territory has gone so it is probably feeling frightened right now. Stay in the house with your cat as you are doing this, as it will be reassured by your familiar presence.
Keep a Routine – Cats like a routine to feel secure, so stick to regular feeding times, and give your cat the time it needs to explore and become comfortable in its new territory. If your cat is used to going outdoors, the time will come when it will want to get back outside. It is best to leave this about a month. If you are near to your old house, maybe contact the new owners to let you know if your cat does try to return there. If you put some of your cats’ litter around the new garden, this scent will give your cat confidence in its new territory and it is less likely to try to return to its old area.