Preparing my cat for the move

Moving house is often a great source of stress for you, but it is also a source of stress for your four-legged friend. Your feline loses their bearings and sees their territory changed. They also have to get to know a new environment.

In order to minimise your feline's upheaval, it is important to organise the various stages of your move properly.

Don't rush your cat before the move

Before the move, try to keep your feline's environment as stress-free as possible. Keep their things in their place as long as possible before putting them away or moving them. We also recommend that you don't clean your cat's designer furniture before moving it so that it retains their smell. This will serve as a reference point for your cat in the new home! 

Felines love to play with boxes, so it is advisable to keep them in a closed room throughout your move. Playing with boxes can cause your cat to injure itself or fall on dangerous objects. 

Finally, continue to act as usual and give your cat some time. Your pet can feel your stress and if you ignore it, they will feel at fault and rejected.

5 tips to make moving day go smoothly for your cat

1. Leave your cat in the care of someone else or keep them away from stress 

On the day of the move, we advise you to entrust your cat to someone close to you so that they feel the stress of the move as little as possible. The coming and going can be very stressful for your cat. 

If this is not possible, you can also place your cat in a quiet room with their belongings during the move. 

2. Wait before letting your cat out 

Let your cat wander around their new home once the furniture has been unpacked and their things have been put in place. This will allow your cat to get used to their surroundings quickly.

3. Prepare their new environment before they arrive

Before you let your cat discover their territory, you can create a space in the main room with their favourite natural cat tree or cat bed. This will reassure them that they’re familiar with the objects they’re used to.

4. Reassure them with smells they are used to

To make it easier for your feline to adapt, we advise you to place a few objects with their scent or known scents in the house, such as a blanket that they like or your cushions. 

5. Limit the amount of space they can explore in the first few days

When you first move into your new home, limit your cat's access to different rooms so that they can take their time to discover their surroundings. This will be less stressful for them and they will be able to get used to it more easily.

Make it easier for your feline to adapt after your move 

In the days following the move, start giving your cat access to the different rooms. You should go at your cat's pace and ideally wait until the rooms have been fitted out. For example, you can let your cat get used to one room before giving them access to another. 

It is important not to let your cat go outside as soon as they arrive as they have no bearings and may get lost. In general, it is advisable to wait one or two weeks, but you can see what happens depending on your cat's character and pace. 

Take time to play with them in the different areas of the new house, you must recreate a routine and a territory that they will be able to appropriate and in which they will feel at ease. 

Finally, it is possible that your pet will have problems with cleanliness at first. If so, don't scold them, as this will only cause more stress. Clean up quickly and take them gently to their litter box.

If your cat still seems stressed after several weeks in the new home, you can make an appointment with your vet to seek advice. 

There are also pheromone diffusers, which reproduce a soothing substance passed on by mothers to their kittens. This will soothe your cat and give them a sense of well-being and harmony.