Tips/ Suggestions to Help a Cat Move House

[Squeak]

Has anyone got any tips for helping a cat move house? We're rehoming a friends cat (very delighted and excited as he's a really lovely cat) and I want to make it as easy and stress free for him as possible. He knows us and we'll keep his routine and food as similar as possible but it's a completely new house and area to him and the neighbours cats are used to having free roaming of our garden.

From what I've read online it sounds like we need to keep him in for two weeks and then let him out just before a meal to encourage him to not stay out too long and come back for the food.

Has anyone got any tips from when they've moved house with their cat? Is the above what you did? Did it work or is there something else we should be doing?

 

[HappyHollyDays]

Let him into the garden hungry but supervised for as long as it takes. He won’t have a clue where he is so if you just open the door and let him out your likely never to see him again.

 

[Blanche]

Update the microchip details as soon as you get him home. If he unfortunately slips out you have more chance of getting him back. Also start putting his dirty litter in the garden so if he slips out his smell will already be in the garden and he may find his way back. It will also let the other cats know there’s a new cat in town! Keep him in for a while but when he starts trying to get out start with the no food, supervised trips outside. Otherwise he may take things into his own paws and escape.

 

[Sparky Lily]

We left the door open while we were out in the garden when we felt the cat had settled in the house. She could watch us from the doorway before venturing out, and could bolt back in quickly if she wanted to. Pretty much the same pattern as when we let kittens out for the first time. Food was the incentive to come back in.

 

[Squeak]

That sounds really sensible to make sure he's supervised to start with in the garden, we'll pick an afternoon/ evening when we're outside and then build it up from there. Luckily he's fairly happy in the house but he's used to being able to go out and roam too so it will be nice for him when he can finally go out.

Update the microchip details as soon as you get him home. If he unfortunately slips out you have more chance of getting him back. Also start putting his dirty litter in the garden so if he slips out his smell will already be in the garden and he may find his way back. It will also let the other cats know there’s a new cat in town! Keep him in for a while but when he starts trying to get out start with the no food, supervised trips outside. Otherwise he may take things into his own paws and escape.

Thank you so much, will definitely do that with his dirty litter. I might need to get inventive so the dog doesn't try and eat it or roll in it or something equally disgusting but that makes a lot of sense and would be good to let the other cats know there's another cat about too.

He's been at his current house his whole life so it will be a big change for him and we'd all be so heartbroken if he disappeared.

 

[Blanche]

If you just put the wee litter out you will be fine, dispose of the poo in the bin.

 

[Squeak]

If you just put the wee litter out you will be fine, dispose of the poo in the bin.

Ahhh thank you!! That will be much easier than worrying about the dog with poo.