Cats are creatures of habit and routine. They like to know that their food, water, bed and other basic supplies are within sight and that their routine will be the same tomorrow as it is today. If you are moving, your cat will likely pick up on the changes taking place and become distressed. What can you do to keep your cat calm during a move?
Hire a Pet Sitter for the Day
If the very sight of the removal van is enough for your beloved moggy to run and hide under the bed, then you should make plans to remove your cat for the day, or until your household goods have been packed and taken away.
Moving household goods is stressful enough as it is without having to deal with your cowering cat hiding under the bed, or worse, packed into a box, and shipped to your next location. You will do yourself and your cat a favour by removing the source of distress altogether by hiring a pet sitter or a trusted friend to take your cat for the day.
Use Familiar Objects to Soothe Fluffy
A security blanket may help soothe your daughter and lull her off to sleep at night, but when it comes to Fluffy, his source of comfort may be his battered and torn toy mouse or an old t-shirt you use to line his cat bed.
During a move, keep in mind that you are removing a large part of your cat’s sense of security, as room after room is packed up and taken away. But by keeping a few small familiar objects to hand, you can reduce your cat’s distress, even after you move into a hotel or other temporary lodgings.
Offer a Consistent Routine
Nothing quite helps soothe a cat more than a consistent routine. In the run up to your move, keep as much as you can the same as usual, including the cat’s daily routine. Keep the food, water bowl, litter tray and cat bed in the same location and try not to alter too much until it is time to start packing up. The run up to a move can be just as distressing for a cat as the actual day of the move.
Moving is stressful for the whole family, including pets. While it is easy to explain to family members what is going on, cats need visible assurances when their world is being turned upside down. Reduce your cat’s distress by hiring a pet sitter, using familiar objects to help soothe the cat and to continue to offer a consistent routine.
More from this contributor:
How to Treat a Distressed Cat.
How to Treat a Needy Cat.
3 Ways to Cope with an Aggressive Cat.