HIYA!! SAVANNAH HERE!!!
Now these are my tips based on my experience of having been moved three times in less than five years. I know lots of you have your own tips that make moving cats successful so let me know in comments what’cha think of mine AND what else do you wanna add? Oh, and of course this is about moving cats who are “indoor only”.
Tips for moving two cats to a new home
- Before you even consider making an offer, make sure the prospective home will be cat friendly for your indoor cats. Dad P tracked where the sun would come up and set over any home they considered to insure he could determine if we had enough sun for ample sun puddles.
- Making offers on a home and then waiting to learn if we got it was so stressful on Mom L and Dad P. But, they made sure to not raise their voices in front of the cats.
- Even while packing keep places where you have routinely played with the cats moving box free. Keep your bedroom, living room and at least one other space free from strange boxes. Never leave boxes surrounding any litter box.
- Stop and play with the cats whenever they approach you and ask for your attention. This helps reassure us cats that we are still keeping some routine in our lives.
- Keep meal time on time and stress free.
- Pack like a demon during the day but keep evening free for relaxing with the cats and play time.
- If the home you are leaving is going to be rented again or sold, do not allow prospective buyers, real estate agents or the landlord to convince you that “oh your cats will be safe, we won’t let them out so you can go ahead and leave.” HAH! One of you remain with the cats at all times.
- Plan ahead for what you will do with the cats on move day. Prepare their safe space in advance, not the day of the move.
- Move day, make sure movers do not arrive before the cats’ breakfast time. Normal start to their day. Then gently but swiftly move them to their prepared safe space where they will remain while movers are in the house. Be sure to tape a Mover Warning Sign on the door of the room which is your cats’ safe space. Here is Mom L’s standard warning sign and she literally walks all movers involved to that door and reads the warning to them. She keeps direct eye contact so they know she is not kidding but she also uses a friendly voice. Works every time.
10. Ask movers to put your bedroom furniture on the truck last so it will be the first to come off. As soon as the master bedroom furniture is off the truck make sure it is placed exactly where you want it in your master bedroom. Make the bed then get a cat tree or two in the room, food and water dishes, treats, litter box etc. Hopefully you have already brought over your clothes so the closet is filled with things that smell like you.
Be sure the cats have safe spaces in the bedroom, like cat beds in the closet, etc. Finally, go back to the old home and collect the cats and bring them to the already completed bedroom which is filled with familiar things and smells. The movers will continue to unpack the remainder of the home but the cats will be chilling in a space they are already somewhat familiar with.
Well, those are my tips for how to move two cats successfully. That’s what Mom L and Dad P have done every time we have moved and it works like a charm. And this time we didn’t even need to stay in our “safe space” bedroom for twenty four hours—before we have stayed for a couple of days. By the second morning I was making a lot of complaints about being left in the bedroom.
Dad P and Mom L said enough is enough and after they had all the furniture in place so the rooms looked a bit familiar, they opened the door for us to begin exploring.
Guess who was first out that door?
Yep! Just like our last move I went first and The Kid Sage stuck close to my tail.
Lots of my “first day in new home” photos will be blurred. Mom L and Dad P only had their smart phones and well—I was hustling right along to see my new forever and ever home! You can see me moving pretty quick in this short video.
I’ll share some really fun and funny insights into our special moving day on my next Monday blog. TKS and I have had some pretty special moments during this time of adjustment and you won’t wanna miss out hearing all about some of them.
Thanks for dropping by to visit.
PAW PATS, SAVANNAH
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