I plan on buying a house sometime this year. I currently live in a studio apartment that has been the only place I have lived with my two cats for the last two years. When it comes time to move, I want to make it as easy and stress free as I can.
Since I don't know when I'll be moving or what my house will actually look like, I have a generic plan of moving a few familiar items from my apartment (one armchair in particular because it's scratched up and offers a good hiding spot) to one room in the house (with a litter box, food and water) and then moving my cats to that room while I move everything else. Then checking on them often until the moving is done where I'd then shut myself in the room with them for awhile before I actually open the door.
I feel it's going to be harder because I'll be moving from one room to a home with many rooms. I have no place to lock my cats away in my apartment, so it makes the most sense to move them in sooner.
Both cats are fearful of strangers and new situations, Maisie more so, because she is semi-feral. I have a larger kennel that I'd hopefully be able to put them both in so they'd at least be together, if they cooperate with me that is.
Are there other things I should be considering? Should I keep them in the new room for longer than that one day even if that room won't be my bedroom? Should I go more slowly with introducing them to the whole house? I plan on also shutting off areas of the house where they could hide but I wouldn't be able to access them.
Since I don't know when I'll be moving or what my house will actually look like, I have a generic plan of moving a few familiar items from my apartment (one armchair in particular because it's scratched up and offers a good hiding spot) to one room in the house (with a litter box, food and water) and then moving my cats to that room while I move everything else. Then checking on them often until the moving is done where I'd then shut myself in the room with them for awhile before I actually open the door.
I feel it's going to be harder because I'll be moving from one room to a home with many rooms. I have no place to lock my cats away in my apartment, so it makes the most sense to move them in sooner.
Both cats are fearful of strangers and new situations, Maisie more so, because she is semi-feral. I have a larger kennel that I'd hopefully be able to put them both in so they'd at least be together, if they cooperate with me that is.
Are there other things I should be considering? Should I keep them in the new room for longer than that one day even if that room won't be my bedroom? Should I go more slowly with introducing them to the whole house? I plan on also shutting off areas of the house where they could hide but I wouldn't be able to access them.