Relocation for a family is a stressful and busy time, and if you are moving with a cat or cats, the time of relocation will be even more stressful for you and your cats.
Here are some tips for moving with your cats to make the relocation time easier for all involved.
If you don't already have cat carriers for your cats, purchase some far enough ahead of the relocation time for your cats to get used to them, or at least procure some large cardboard boxes prior to your relocation and get your cats used to spending time in the cat carriers or cardboard boxes. Placing a personal clothing article in with your cats helps the cats not feel abandoned.
When moving day arrives and you are busy with the hustle and bustle of relocation, put your cats in their cat carriers and put them in a room with the door shut. This will make the noise of moving less traumatic for the cats.
If possible on moving day, move the cats last, after the furniture and other household items have been moved. Bring all the cats at the same time and place the cats (still in their cat carriers) in an out-of-the-way room in the home you have relocated too. Place the cats food, water and liter box in that room also. Open the door of the cat carriers and let them roam and mark their new territory.
You will need to keep the cats in this room for a couple of days until they get used to the relocation, then open the door of the room and let the cats start exploring their new home in their own time. Keep the door of their room open, so if the cats get spooked, they will have their safe place to run back too.
Another tip that works is buttering your cats paws. After relocation, place a towel in a bathtub, shower stall or other small enclosed area and butter your cats paws with soft butter. Completely saturate your cats paws with the butter all the way to the dew claws and between the cats toes. Your cats will lick all the butter off and accomplish 2 things while doing so- it keeps the cats occupied with grooming themselves and les stressed, and in theory it cleanses the cats paws of all smells from the former location so the cats can start fresh after relocation.
Relocation time is stressful for all involved, including your cats.