You know those “Fantastic Journey” types of stories, where pets accidentally left behind on a cross-country move somehow follow their owners of their own accord, and show up at the new home weeks or months later?
Well I have the opposite problem. I just moved three blocks away, and I can’t convince my two cats that yes this is our home now and not the old house. Well, I think I have finally gotten one of them to stick around, but the other one disappears every night and reappears in the alleyway behind the old house.
These are 95% outdoor cats at this point (we set up a shelter and feed them in the corner of the garage), so it’s not like I can just lock them in the new house for a couple of days. (My oldest daughter is allergic to them and has asthma, so they’re no longer allowed to come in the house, except if it’s really, really cold, and we keep them locked in a basement bathroom, which they hate, preferring to be huddled in blankets in the garage.)
I know it sounds cruel but can you keep them locked in the garage at least for a couple weeks? Do they have tags so if they are found they can be returned to your new home?
If you can keep them cooped up for a while they may get it that this is their new home now.
Unfortunately I do use the garage on a daily basis. And keeping them locked in a carrier for days or weeks on end feels very cruel, and besides won’t exactly instill a sense of “home” for them either.
Perhaps I need to lock them in a room in the basement for a weekend?
I have moved a couple of times with cats. Indoor cats are not much of an issue. In/out cat door cats are much more of a challenge. Outdoors cats should pose a unique opportunity Food and attention is your only weapons. The cats will only identify their new home with the amount of food and attention you give them. You need to make extra scratch-scratch time with lots and lots of praise when they do show up. Treats will help as well. It took Big E, one of our cats, about five months to understand that the best food and scratch-scratch is at the new home. I moved the food from the doorway to the closest in door room, then next to the living room, then to the far room to get him to become comfortable with the new space. You will most likely have to deal with territory marking until the cats get adjusted to the new space. Clean it up so they do not continue to identify the place as a toilet. Be patient and play with them and they should come around. Hint – If you lack time for play, tie a piece of string around your foot while doing your chores, most cats can not resist it.
That may work and maybe several weekends in a row letting them roam during the week, or a couple days in a couple days out.
As bat312 said, food is a great tool. Try feeding them extra yummy food and special treats. Cats can not resist fried chicken and cheddar cheese. Maybe offer the special food every morning so they get the point that extra yummy num nums are at this new house and not the old one.
If you do give them special stuff get prepared for them to always expect it. You may have to wean them off it later but you have your cats.