Moving with indoor cats

[nullentropy]

Not sure if this is the right forum, but figured I'd post anyway. My SO and I are moving to a new apartment a few blocks away, and of course we're taking our two cats (Smokey Bear and Daisy) with us. They've been strictly indoor since the day we got them, and our current apartment is the only territory they know've known for the last 2.5 years. In addition to that, they're terrified of the outside and even when we've tried to take them with a harness or in our arms, they have no interest. The one good thing is that they've been to the vet before, so I know I can get them into carriers. My question is this: how do I help them move into the new apartment with the least amount of stress? It's a small apartment, so we can't just lock them in one room (the only option would be the bathroom, and that would be unfair for an extended period of time). Here are some thoughts I've had so far:

1. Bring their tree, toys, ottoman/bed to the apartment first so they have familiar territory
2. Leave some of the dirty litter in the litter box so they have a familiar smell
3. take a sheet with their smell on it and wipe walls so that it smells like them

Any other ideas? These are my first cats, so I'm not sure the best course of action.

 

[betsygee]

I haven't had to move house in 20 years so I don't have a lot of experience in that area. Your idea of moving their toys and furniture first is a good idea. The only other thing I thought of is plugging in a Feliway diffuser or two in the new place as a calming agent.

Hopefully someone comes along with more recent experience to offer some suggestions.

 

[zenciljim]

Following this one..

 

[donutte]

I think what you are doing sounds great! We didn't have that opportunity when we moved, as the people living here moved out the morning of the day we moved here. They were expected to leave the day before, and  don't remember now what happened. Anyway, my kitties were ok with just bringing them here and keeping them in the bathroom until all the stuff was moved in. Well, not "ok" but by the next day they were adjusted.

 

[molly92]

It's probably going to be weird for them, but that all their stuff and your stuff is there and smells familiar will be a big help I'd imagine. I'd maybe suggest just getting unpacked and settled as quickly as possible, and trying to arrange their things in a similar layout to the way they were at your old place. Then if you want to move them, move them bit by bit and not all at once. When I moved with my cat, she was definitely a little stressed but mostly curious, but then a few weeks later I decided to move the furniture around and she was completely thrown! She was so confused and upset and I felt terrible. I'm guessing she learned where everything was and what everything smelled like and then suddenly all of the smells were in different places than she remembered and it messed with her mind. But after a day or two she readjusted just fine.

Oh, and cats do pick up on your anxiety, so if you seem worried about something they'll be more likely to think that there's something to worry about. They won't realize that you're worried about them! So if you act comfortable and normal in the new apartment, the idea is they'll trust this strange new place more easily than if they walk into this new place that is clearly making their owner upset!

 

[catlover100]

Even if your bathroom is small they may feel comfortable in there for short periods of time or alternate putting one in there and letting one roam around a bit. One of my cats had to spend 6 nights at the Vets because of a urinary blockage and he seemed nervous when I brought him home so I left his cat carrier open and he liked lying in there some. So you could always try and see if they would like that or if you could close one in there. I think cats enjoy enclosed spaces.

When I moved to my apartment from a quiet house 2 years ago two of my cats spent time in the cabinets under the sinks so your cats will find a place where they will feel comfortable but it sounds like you are doing things to prepare them. They will adjust fine. It just takes a little time and some attention on your part which I am sure you will do.

 

[barbgee]

Whatever you do, make SURE your cats are secured in a room or space that they CANNOT escape from during moving!

A few months ago, neighbors were moving out of their apartment.  They left their cat behind in a closed bedroom, as the last "thing" to move, but didn't lock the door or put up a sign.  The building owner went in, not knowing they were not yet done moving, and opened the bedroom door and kitty RAN OUT the door and outside!

It was a harrowing 2 weeks before they could finally recover that cat!

In my experience, before the movers arrive, I would move my bedroom stuff out into the other rooms, and collect the cats, litter box(es) and food/water, and put them all in that room, and close the door while the movers were doing their thing.  The cats already knew something was happening, as I had been packing for weeks in advance.  After the movers left, the cats got put in their carriers (by me, in the bedroom), and I moved their litter boxes pretty much intact, just wrapped in plastic trash bags, along with the cats, myself. 

Left them in the carriers til I could set up litter and feeding locations, under their watchful eyes.  Once I knew I had the new place under my own control, no more people coming in and out, I let them out of their carriers, near the food and litter stations, and just let them explore.  And yes, leave their carriers out and open, in some semi-quiet space so they can retreat there, until they get the layout of the new house. 

Good luck with your move!

So, secure them in a room, move them last, "unpack" them first!

 

[nullentropy]

Thank you everyone for your replies! I do plan on keeping them in the bathroom during the move which will be dark and (relatively) quiet. Daisy also loves hiding in cabinets so I think she'll feel secure in there, while Smokey loves lying in sinks. I don't plan on getting a feliway, just because they're kind of expensive and I'm not sure how effective it would be.

 

[nullentropy]

Hello!

So far the move has been mostly successful... with one problem. Our old apartment had crappy fake wood floors, and we were able to have two litter boxes in the hall closet. However, our new apartment has carpet except in the bathroom and kitchen. There's a small linen closet in the bathroom, and only one litter box (the smaller of the two) fit in there. The cats are not happy about sharing the 1 box, and Smokey has peed on the bathroom rug twice, and I just caught him peeing down the sink (which in retrospect is quite clever, and not a bad idea on his part.) I came up with the idea of putting an uncovered box under the bathroom sink, and hopefully that will curb the problem. Has anyone had success in getting 2 cats to share 1 box? Help is appreciated!

Thanks!

 

[margd]

My two cats share the same box but they are brother and sister so have been doing so from the time they were kittens.  It is also a very large box, but even so, I have to stay on top of keeping it clean.  You might have more problems since Smokey and Daisy have never had to share a box before.  However, it sounds like you might have found a place for the second box under the sink?  I think that would be preferable to trying to get them to share a box, even if you were to get a very large one.   However, you could always try, using a large box, scooping frequently and using Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract Litter, which does work to attract cats to the litter box.  If this works, then you can gradually decrease the proportion of the Cat Attract Litter until you are back to using regular litter. 

I think it is quite clever, as you say, that Smokey chose the sink.  Maybe he is a candidate for toilet training? 

 

 

[barbgee]

I have carpeting in the upstairs cat's room, and I have to put one of the boxes in that room.  I buy a big entryway "utility" mat, and put the box on it.  I curve one edge of the mat to go "up" the wall so that if she kicks litter out of the box, it lands on the mat and avoids going into the crack between the wall, baseboard and carpeting.

The mat is something like 3' x 5', or maybe it is 4' x 6' (I'll have to go measure).  They are cheap, the kind you find at a big box hardware store, and are usually around 10 dollars.  They have a rubberized backing, and a striped nap.  They vacuum up well, and keep her from (mostly) tracking litter to the rest of the carpet.  Take a look at them, maybe you could find one that would fit.  They're way cheaper than the specialty "Litter Mats" I see at the pet stores..

If I had to limit the litter box to an uncarpeted room, I'd have the litterbox in a clothes closet, or in the room I sleep in!  It's bad enough the litter is still dusty, even though it's labeled "dust free", and leaves a fine dust on things in her room...