Any suggestions on how to move house with an anxious cat?

[Guest]

Hi, this is not particularly related to anything but is the biggest platform I have on fb.

Was just wondering if anyone had any suggestions on how to move house with an anxious cat? The only time she’s been in a carrier/ crate is when she was transported over here from abroad 5 years ago. ( that including travelling on a plane and then coming up north from down south in it)

Can I not sedate her somehow?

Been making a cosy (bottom half of the) crate accessible to her with a blanket in already ( and a little catnip sprayed on it) which she will lay in, but not got the top half on yet. Even if I manage to close it say if I fed her in there, at her usual breakfast time. She would then be freaking out for the next few hours until we moved! She spends a lot of time outside usually.

The time is creeping up to the moving date and I’m at a bit of a loss with how to go about this to be honest? So, if anyone has any advice, suggestions, it’d be much appreciated.

[Karen]

Do they do cat lead things for seatbelts like they do with dogs? Just a thought that it may be better for her.

One of my cats used to love going out in the car.

[Katy]

You can buy calming spray. It's like the plug in but it's a spray. I spray it into the cat carrier before I put my cat in (I also spray the cat :lol: ,) there are also calming treats you can buy. Those together should help xx

[Kim]

Just make sure when you get to where your going you keep her in for at least 3 weeks so she don't try wandering back.

[Nicholla]

One of my cats prefers a dog crate so he can move around loads - goes mental in a cat basket and can literally break out of all of them. Totally chilled in a dog crate.

[Nuala]

I have 11 cats and moved three years ago. I locked them into one room. Then stuck them into cat carriers. They were in for about three hours. They weren’t happy but the survived fine. I fed them extra food when I let them out.

[Stefanie]

Could you pop her in a cattery for the night then pic her up and move her as fast as possible?

It might still stress her. But at least you know she will be safe?

[Carrie]

What sort of carrier do you have? My boys hate carriers too. We have like a bag for a small dog and it opens at the top. Sometimes top loading them is easier. Cat calming spray is good too. If not maybe have a word with your vet they might be able to give you something to calm her a little bit?

[Tasha]

I always shut mine in the bathroom for the actual move day at the old house with a 'keep out' sign on the door so they didn't get let out, all food and beds and litter tray (in the bath) so they had all they needed, then move them to the new house as the very last thing to leave and again, shut them in the new bathroom for the night, so they didn't get let out the front door with any last moving bits, handy if you 2 loos! Gives them room to move about as they have a whole room rather than just a cat box. Or maybe see if a family member/cattery can look after them for 24-48 hours so everything is done and you can just move them straight in. Giving them just 1 new room tho, to create a safe space is great, you just leave the door open and they come out at their own pace then.

[Rachel]

I moved our old lad just before that awful hot weather hit in summer and it was hotting up then..he hates car travel in his carrier so I put a blue cooling mat in the bottom for him and was surprised when for once he didn't meow his head off all the way there and settled in well after 2 days, didn't seem too traumatised x I know it's cold now so maybe some kind of cool mat with a warm one on top to keep the temperature ok.

[Louise]

When we have moved I have put mine into the Cattery for a few days so that they don’t get stressed. It also gets them used to not getting out so it makes keeping them in easier when they get to the new house as they are not really looking to get out. They are just glad to be back in our company.