# Moving House with two cats



## dianchi (24 March 2014)

Ok,

I have two cats, they tolerate each other, unless they are hungry then they squabble.

We are moving house next week, I know that my younger (11months) grey cat- Max will take it in his stride and be into everything and up for exploring.

My older cat (Mia) has only just returned (in the last year) to going outside and before that she was a indoor cat, by choice as she was a rescue and we let her decide if she wanted to be out or in.

My question is, when we move are we best to confine each to its own room whilst we move in? Or Leave in cat carriers? Or, even though they aren't the best of friends in together in one room?

I know they need to be in for a couple of weeks to learn their new house before we let them out- not a problem.

Mostly worried about actual moving day.


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## asmp (24 March 2014)

Having moved numerous times with our cat, including to Germany and back, I found it was easiest to put the cat in a cattery for a night or two while we were moving so it was one less thing to worry about.  Then, when all the stuff was moved in and the new house was filled with familiar smelling belongings, introduce the cat.


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## dianchi (24 March 2014)

asmp said:



			Having moved numerous times with our cat, including to Germany and back, I found it was easiest to put the cat in a cattery for a night or two while we were moving so it was one less thing to worry about.  Then, when all the stuff was moved in and the new house was filled with familiar smelling belongings, introduce the cat.
		
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Unfortunately not an option this time.


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## Fransurrey (24 March 2014)

With my two I left them until the last journey and just let them out into the new house, while I unpacked clothes. This meant I was always in one room. They both found their favourite spots quickly enough and there was no squabbling.


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## dianchi (24 March 2014)

Fransurrey said:



			With my two I left them until the last journey and just let them out into the new house, while I unpacked clothes. This meant I was always in one room. They both found their favourite spots quickly enough and there was no squabbling.
		
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How did you keep them at your old house? Shut in rooms there?


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## NikkiF (24 March 2014)

Many years ago I moved house with 9 cats. Luckily they all got on, the night before the removal men were due I made sure 1 room was empty, put a large notice on the door and shut them in with litter trays and food. Once the removal men were done, loaded the cats into cages and piled them into the car! Had to stack them, threatened the cats on top not to wee on the ones below!

When we finally arrived at new house after a nightmare journey, again put cats into one room where they stayed overnight as removal men not due til next day, again with big notice on door, my one fear was removal men accidentally opening door! . I slept in there with them so we kept each other warm 

I let them out into the rest of the house after removal men had gone, kept them in for 2 weeks, then let them into garden before breakfast so they were peckish and came back in fairly quickly.

All worked quite well, the main thing is having one room set aside for them while removal men are toing and froing!!


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## pippixox (24 March 2014)

i would shut them in a room the day before removal as sods law they will disappear otherwise as sense something going on... my mum did that when we were going to pick up our cat (she did not want it any more so i adopted it from her)
if you have a room in your new place you can easily leave shut while you move furniture into all the other rooms, i would just shut them in there together,with a choice of beds and just leave them be while you are busy in the rest of the house. sure they can find their own space if not too pally. then let them into the rest of the house once the dust is settled and you don't need to keep opening the front door.
we got the cat from my mum, who had lived in one house all her life, and drove her 60 miles. kept her in 1 week (think 2 is recommended), she then started to get a bit crazy being kept in, so let her out- nearly 2 years later and getting a dog in october she is still here!


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## TheresaW (24 March 2014)

When we moved house, we had 4 cats.  Although they all went out when they wanted  we had a litter tray indoors, so kept them in the couple of days before we moved.  One room was emptied out, and they stayed in there until everything was loaded, then they were boxed up and put in the car.  When we got to the house, they went straight into spare room and were let out in there with food and litter tray etc, and door was kept closed until everyone was gone and we had the house to ourselves again.

All settled really quickly, and we let them into the garden after about 2 weeks.


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## lauracwd2 (25 March 2014)

I did my two in a similar way but the other way round from what the suggestions here. I moved the cats first and shut them in an empty room at the new house with blankets, food and litter tray. Note on the door and door tied shut from the outside in case the cats scratched the doors open. Then we moved all the stuff and let the cats out to explore the house the next day. I did it that way round because they are quite timid and I knew they would be stressed if they heard us moving furniture around at the old house.


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## dianchi (28 March 2014)

lauracwd2 said:



			I did my two in a similar way but the other way round from what the suggestions here. I moved the cats first and shut them in an empty room at the new house with blankets, food and litter tray. Note on the door and door tied shut from the outside in case the cats scratched the doors open. Then we moved all the stuff and let the cats out to explore the house the next day. I did it that way round because they are quite timid and I knew they would be stressed if they heard us moving furniture around at the old house.
		
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Thanks I think this might be the most sensible idea!


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## Fransurrey (29 March 2014)

dianchi said:



			How did you keep them at your old house? Shut in rooms there?
		
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 No, just loose in the house. We were just careful to note where they were. I was only moving down the road, though, so no big deal if they went out. You could shut them in a room I suppose, with their beds or your duvet (used).


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