Moving to another house

[Aafia Ijaz]

So i’ll be moving to a new house with my family. The house has 4 floors to be precise (basement, ground, first and the loft).
my room would be at the first floor. My parents had already asked me to keep the cats upstairs but idk how that is possible. They wouldn’t allow them on other floors because they ruin the furniture and one of my cats just poops everywhere even though i’ve done everything to fix this behaviour of hers.
I haven’t moved with cats before and both my cats have been living in this house since 2020. My older cat is almost 4 and the younger one is almost 3. Please give me tips as to how I can move them to the house.
Also note, that i’d be the only one who has to train and I also have to go to work so idk how I can manage that. My mother would not take the responsibility to look after them as shes old and she has to take care of the new house because this is our first ever house and we were living on rent before that and my parents have given everything to make this house. I do have siblings but they work as well. So idk what I have to do now

 

[Furballsmom]

Hello

to keep the cats upstairs

Do you mean on the first floor? I'm assuming there are stairs and it could be challenging to block off the stairs so the cats can't go downstairs, but still have a means of entrance/exit for people.

Maybe something like the door blocks pictured in this article? (scroll down a little to find the section #2 Visual Desensitization).
How To Successfully Introduce Cats [The Ultimate Guide] - TheCatSite

because they ruin the furniture and one of my cats just poops everywhere

Cats can live just fine in a couple of rooms, if that is the only option you have available. Do you have shelving you can put up so they can climb, and/or cat trees? Empty boxes that you can put on the floor to make cat caves?

About the kitty with poop issues, have you tried a diet change? Different litter? She's been seen by a veterinarian?

Do they ruin furniture by scratching? If you'll be getting new furniture in your area, you could try something like this;
Amazon.com

How To Move With Your Cat To A New Home In A Safe Way - TheCatSite

This tip is from mamanyt1953
To make the move easier on your kitty, here's a trick you might want to try. Take an old sheet and drape it across a piece of furniture that your cats like to lounge on. Let it accumulate a good amount of hair. When you are doing your final packing, take the sheet, cut it into squares about 18"-24" per side, fold carefully (hair side in), and place in a zip lock bag. Keep this with your "Need Immediately" essentials. When you arrive at your new home, place one square in each new room. Your cat will find his very own scent ready and waiting for him, giving him a sense of belonging in this new territory!

 

[Aafia Ijaz]

Do you have shelving you can put up so they can climb, and/or cat trees?

Unfortunately, i do not have cat trees. My cats like to run and play and I am afraid I can’t keep them in a room or on one floor.

About the kitty with poop issues, have you tried a diet change? Different litter? She's been seen by a veterinarian?

Oh the diet is not an issue. I have also changed litters. Its just that she won’t poop in the litter if it smells even slightly or if she sees something in the litter even though i clean the litter twice. She has been like this ever since she was a kitten. Was seen by the vet but they couldn’t give an answer. I don’t know how to resolve that.

Do they ruin furniture by scratching? If you'll be getting new furniture in your area, you could try something like this;

Yes, they scratch furnitures and my older cat has a habit of scratching the doors as well and that just makes my mom real mad. We’re not planning to get a new furniture anytime soon though. Just gonna get the sofas washed.
I’ll try that tip from the article. However, i am just worried how i’d get them used to the new environment as I can’t keep them confined in a room. I can only work from home for 15 days and I have to get them used to the new home in those 15 days

 

[Alldara]

There's no reason not to start by keeping them in a room. Most cats like to run and play and even a bed and a bit of floor can be more than enough to get them going.

You're not going to be able to keep them on one floor of the home without some sort of screen door. You might need to see if your mum is willing to have a conversation about realistic expectations and cats. When my roommate and I separated a house, we used a lovely door that had glass panels to let light through etc.

There's loads of ways to make inexpensive, DIY ways to make a floor of the home exciting for your cats. Like mentioned above, even some boxes you can make a cat house!