Cats are genetically possessive animals who might stress out while moving to another place. Do you want to make your cat feel comfortable in your new home? Although being a tough job, you can definitely achieve your goals as a pet lover. Shifting has always been a challenging period, either it’s for you or your feline friend.
Your cat might act strangely towards the new spaces, different smells, and the inadequate intimacy of your new place. You should make up your mind to bear your cat’s mood swings as there’s a lot to explore for them. Keep your furry partner very comfortable. We have listed a few tips that will help you move your pet into a new home.
How Would You Know If Your Cat is Disturbed While Moving to a New Home?
Nobody knows your cat better than you do. While shifting to another area, notice your pet’s activities to see if it shows strange behavior or not. It’s quite impossible for your cat to not react during the entire process, but you can at least make an effort for its comfort, no? If you observe any of the following signs in your furry friend, know that he’s nervous.
- Excess vocalizing
- More into grooming
- Inordinate scratching
- More salivating
- Experiencing diarrhea
- Not interacting much
- Loss of appetite
- Feeling lethargy
- Aggressive nature
So after you encounter such symptoms in your cat, he is obviously not liking your new home. Below is the step by step guide, helping you make your cat feel protected in your new place.
Some Helpful Tips for Your Feline Friend
Make Your Cat Habitual of the Pet Carrier
The very first step before you start shifting to a new home is to make up your pet’s mind for traveling. For this purpose, bring a cat carrier and permit your furry friend to get used to it. You can initially throw a treat inside, so your partner will like going in the vehicle.
After a few days, place the food bowl near the small crate so every time your cat is hungry, he will step towards it. This way, within a week or two, your cat will be comfortable enough to go into the cat carrier, and you can take him with you to another home.
Pick a Primary Base in Your New Home
Cats are very particular when it comes to new things. Another pro tip is to select a corner in your home and place your cat’s carrier there. Allow your cat to observe and experience new stuff. It will help him feel comfortable quicker than usual. The corner can be anything – from a small office to a bedroom. Keep in mind that animals ordinarily feel comfy in small spaces, assuming that they are out of danger.
Hence, they come out, and your cat will probably do the same. It all depends on your pet if it takes more time to adjust to a new place or less. It can either be a few hours or maybe a couple of weeks. You just have to stay patient and wait till it fully expresses itself.
Extend Their Living Space
You can shift your cat’s food and water bowl to another area, keeping the litter box at the same place. Give them proper training to use litter boxes at their new home and after you feel that your cat is all set to roam around in your new home, let them explore every corner of it. It will help them look at different things in your territory. Just make sure there is no such thing settled that is the cause of your cat’s anxiety. Adding cardboards everywhere in the play area will entertain them as cats love scratching.
Take a Step Back if You Notice Your Cat’s Unusual Activities
If you feel that your feline friend isn’t happy with exploring your place, immediately take a step back. There is no harm in continuing the old tactics to make your pet feel relaxed. If it is stressing out, limit its activities to the primary base. Still, if the condition worsens, contact an experienced vet.
How Long Will a Cat Take to Feel Comfortable After Shifting?
Cats are very moody creatures, wanting to live in their own style. Different cat breeds have variations in their temperaments. If your cat gets mood swings, he will typically consume more time to settle. Most cats easily acclimate to a new environment. You are lucky if you got one! While others might even demand months to prepare themselves for another place. The best of all that you can do is, have patience and allow your cat to deal in his way.