When moving into a new home, it is important to remember to prepare your new home for your cat first. It is not a difficult process, but a little bit of forethought will make life easier both for you and your furry friends.
Indoor Cats
For indoor cats you will want to have a safe space for them when you are unloading your moving truck. This room should have food, water, a litter box, and not have people coming in and out with boxes. Release your cat in this room and stay with them for a while. If they have blankets, beds, toys or scratching posts that have their scent on them, these will also help them relax. They may need to stay in this safe room for a day or two while they adjust. When the rest of your house is ready just open the door and let them explore at their own speed.
While the cat is in the safe room make sure the rest of the house is ready. Find a permanent place for their food and water. If you have multiple cats you will want a space that is open, so that they do not feel trapped and start fights around their food. If your cat is not de-clawed have a scratching post ready to save your furniture from a terrible fate. Also make sure that they have a place to hide when they do not want to be social.
If you are remodeling, ensure that your pets are safely sealed off from anywhere that has exposed wiring. If the wiring is live it can be bad if the cat decides to chew on it. Even if it is not live, frayed wiring is a fire hazard once the power is turned on. Keep your cat away from where they can get into a wall or crawlspace where they might get stuck. Cats getting into open cans of paint can also be bad news for your new home.
Outdoor Cats
You will still need to prepare your new home for your cat even if it is an outdoor cat. You will need to start the process while you are still looking for a home to minimize the dangers to your pets. These dangers can include:
- Landscaping with plants that may be toxic to cats
- Proximity to busy streets
- Proximity to wild spaces that might have predators
- Other neighborhood cats or dogs that may be territorial
After that, getting your new home ready for outdoor cats is easy. Make sure you have a safe place to feed them that will not draw other animals such as raccoons. If you live in an area with particularly harsh winters or hot summers, ensure that they have a place to find shelter from the elements. Chances are if you would not want to be outside in those conditions, your pets won’t either.
For more tips on moving with pets check this out.
If you have any other tips for how to prepare your new home for your cat, let us know in the comments below.
