Hi all,

I posted about this yesterday evening but I can't seem to find it now. So apologies if it shows up twice!

Anyway, my partner and I are moving home with out cat and dog. I am just looking for advice on how to make the move as stress free as possible for our little girl. I have got advice in Dog chat already, but I know that moves are more stressful on cats.

She is mainly an indoor cat but we do allow her outside, where we live at the moment is mid terrace, big back garden and behind our back garden is another row of gardens so she is never around traffic or anything. We are moving to the country, massive garden surrounded by fields, we are not going to be living on a busy road but is is easier for her to get to the road in the new house. It there any thing I can do to stop her going near the road? I won't use shock collars or electric barriers, i don't even know if they make them for cats but it is not an option!

With regards to the move itself, the plan so far is to put her bed in each room on different nights so she knows each room is safe, she will have the freedom of the house as she does already and I won't be letting her out for a few weeks and when I do she will be supervised. I have read a few bits on-line but i was sort of looking for advice from experience!

Thanks in advance!

As for keeping your cat away from the road ? lol dont let it out or get a garden enclosure.

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Pets are Gods way of apologising for our families x

Hi, welcome and wow the new pad for all sounds beautiful and lush, certainly is onto new pastures green- am a little envious in a nice way as this has been our dream for the last year so we too are on the look out to move out of the city into the country.

Your cat sounds like ours in that she is indoor however she has access to outdoor as we live in a complex. I remember when we moved here, she spent one week under our bed and whilst some cats cope with moving, she was one who didn't do so well- she wailed like a baby for about a week.

I'm not sure whether it might be better rather than to move her bed around each night, just to keep it in one place where she's close to you, feels safe as you've said and also can access to other parts of the house easily and at her leisure.

Re-assurance springs to mind in particular with the first week or so, have you moved with her before and if so, what was she like and if not, oh well firs time for everything

Once she's settled and feels comfortable in the house, I think she let you know when she's ready to venture outdoors and if you will be supervising her anyway, maybe introduce her little by little- you'll know and from reading between the lines, have a sense you know your cat if that makes sense, if so, just go with your gut feeling, sometimes that is the best counsel and your experience counts too, be confident with what you carry as well. Also try to involve her in the unpacking of boxes, keeping her calm, speaking to her. A diffuser plug might help. We use pet remedy and you can get Bach flower one for pets as well or similar to help with the car journey.

Do your cat and dog get on as this could help a great deal, in that if she sees her four legged friend in new surroundings, would be familiar scent to her..

If she's used to remaining indoors, maybe she doesn't have the inkling to wander far- that's my experience with our girl.

Hope this helps, I'm sure others might give some tips as well, there's a great bunch of talented and experienced animal lovers here.

I hope the move goes well for two and four legged companions, if you can send a picture of your new pad and gorgeous surroundings

Thanks for the advice.

With regards to what you said Waterlily, I think she would go mental if we put her in an in closure, the back garden is completely fenced off as the previous tenants had 3 dogs. Our cat is used so jumping walls so I actually don't know how she would cope with a wire fence, I suppose I'll have to wait and see! I'm hoping she won't climb them! Now that it is winter I'm thinking she won't want to be outside anyway!

To walkingcarpets, thank you for taking the time to write such a detailed response! She (Pixie) gets on great with our dog (Arlo) so and I was thinking earlier that this would be a great comfort to her! The new house is actually small enough, it's a little thatched cottage (we live in Ireland) so she will never be too far from us and it's not a massive area for her to get used to. Our current house is a 2 story so the new house probably has the same amount of space, just all on one level. To be honest with the rain here at the moment I can't see her wondering outside too often. We usually leave a window open for her to do her own thing, but when its raining she can usually be found in Arlo's bed! She never does wonder far when she is outside, just into neighbours gardens!

This is our first time moving with them, we got them both when they were around 3 months, a week apart in August of last year. We have had her around us while packing some of the stuff, but since we are moving out gradually we might have most of the stuff unpacked by the time we bring her out. In the main living area and my partners office and studio. He works from home so he will be with her during the day time.

It may be weird but we have been telling both of them about their new house. They both know something is going on! Pixie is being extra cute and Arlo is being extra whiney!

Thanks again! x

Good luck with the move. I think I would keep Pixie safe indoors for a few weeks until she knows this is her new home and is settled down

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Black with white around his private area



Black Tortoiseshell




R.I.P Patch my well behaved boy dog
R.I.P. Abby and Rebel my beautifull litter sister cats

You're very welcome, Pixie & Arlo sound like a perfect pair of creature comforts to have around

Seems like the move is shaping up and no its not weird to be telling them both about the new house. I'm sure they both can sense a change and good to 'interact' with them as you guys are doing.

When you get to the cottage, as and when, would love to see some pics of Pixie, Arlo and the new home

Take care

Oh of course! There will be plenty of pics! Here are some pics of them prom Arlo's First Birthday! Taken in May of this year!

Thanks again!

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