My husband and I are getting ready to move to a new apartment, and I’m wondering how to make it as easy as possible for our cat, Molly. Should I take her to the new place a few time before we move in, to let her get a little familiar with it? Or should I wait until we’ve moved in all the familiar objects like furniture and kitty toys before introducing her to the new pad? Do any of the Teeming Milions have good advice on the subject?
“There are more things you don’t know than there are things that I do know. I despair of the imbalance.” – Dr. Morgenes, The Dragonbone Chair
Having moved a pet or two in my time, I would go with waiting until all the familiar things are in place before introducing kitty to the new home.
It’s really those things and their scent that she associates with “home” anyway, not the rooms themselves (wait and see how freaked out she’ll be when it’s all taken out of the old place), so taking her to the empty apartment will not really do much in the way of getting her used to it anyway, and will probably scare her a fair bit.
Drink up, dear. I made it just for you.
sig by WallyM7
Roger Caras says when he moved his cats, he kept them inside for ten days so they would imprint on the new location. He has an idea that cats navigate by magnetic fields.
So if you let your kitties outside, might want to try Roger’s idea.
lindsay
Thanks, folks, both of those ideas sound like good advice.
“There are more things you don’t know than there are things that I do know. I despair of the imbalance.” – Dr. Morgenes, The Dragonbone Chair
When my girlfriend and I moved to a new apartment with our three cats we were also curious/worried about what their reaction to the new place would be.
One of the cats, Watson, was a dumpster-kittie that we rescued and adopted and who maintains a real wild (but relatively harmless) streak and we thought for sure he would have a difficult time adapting to the new digs, if not bolt back to the old place once he got his chance.
When we got the cats inside the new apartment, all three were visibly frightened but we were still moving stuff in and needed to have the door propped open --SO we kept all three cats in the bathroom while we finished moving. Loki, the Siamese, continued a low growling-type howl he uses when he is very upset.
After getting reasonably settled in, we opened the door and one by one --and keeping very low to the ground-- each cat made his/her way out and explored the new surroundings.
After a day or two, all was well and even letting them outside (Watson can NOT stay in the house for too long else he starts going stir crazy) was no problem and all three adjusted without any incident.
Hope this helps. Good luck!
George Freedley advises putting butter on the cat’s paws, and by the time they are done licking it off, they are calmed down and won’t dash off.
Giving my Siamese butter makes her happy.
lindsay
I think your behavior before the move may be more important to the cat’s emotional state than anything else.
Spend time with her, especially after packing. My gorgeous J. C. ran away because he was so freaked out by the slow disappearance of all of HIS stuff.
Keep her favorite things next to something with your smell on it (sweater, shoe) until the MOMENT of the move.
Don’t do any potentially scary stuff. My cat hates baths and nail-clippings, so I don’t do that immediately before or after a move.
Good luck!
“Guy? Wait,” said the voice. “This isn’t me.”
Nightingale, you should consider kenneling Molly for the actual moving day (assuming she’s stayed in a kennel before; otherwise it would just make it worse). Moving is when cats run away. When I moved in with my husband, I kenneled my cat and when I brought her to her new home, all her furniture was there. It made it a lot easier for her.
If you can’t kennel her, be sure that she’s in a safe place in the old apartment. I’d recommend locking her in a room with her familiar things, but make ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN that the movers don’t open the door. As I said, moving day is a favorite day for a pet to run away, and her absence might go unnoticed in the chaos.
When you bring her to the new place, give her a new catnip toy. My girls deal with traumatic experiences better when they’re stoned 
Good advice on moving pets?
They’re not dead, if they’re still moving, so don’t bury them.