Brenna Without Borders

I was excited to move to a new state.  Ready for a new adventure. Linus on the other hand was not. He does really well with routine. With all the medical issues he had this year (see Saga of the Sick Cat Parts1- 4), change of any kind could cause him anxiety and potentially reblock his urinary tract. That was the last thing I wanted to happened. And this was the part of moving that scared me the most – uprooting his entire life. 

I’m shocked to report that Linus took every new change I presented him with like a champ. This could have been a coincidence, but more likely, it was the multiple precautions I took to help him adjust every step of the way.  

If you are moving with a cat, here are some helpful tips to ensure a smooth transition. 

I bought Linus a brand new carrying case.  After all his vet visits, I knew the old carrier would bring back traumatic experiences and not make him comfortable for our 10-hour drive. What I ended up getting him was actually a dog crate. This carrier was spacious, new, and simple to use.  An added bonus, this crate folds in on its self, making it easy to pack or store. 

I sprayed calming spray all over the carrier and in the car about 30 minutes before we left.   Even if you think that essential oils are a bunch of voodoo – I promise you that this calming spray works for cats. The pheromones released can only be smelled by cats and release the “feel good” chemicals in their brain, the same ones released when they receive a good scratch behind the ears. This is the one I used. 

I packed all of his essentials in the car with me.  His favorite food dishes, his floor blanket, all his toys. I packed as many familiar things as I could because I knew that this new space would be very different. 

I kept him shut in one room when the truck arrived. We unloaded and brought everything into the apartment. Once it was all in, I let him out to sniff around. He went immediately to his cat tower and climbed up.

I stuck to a strict routine. I fed him at the same time, I tried to keep my schedule as consistent as possible for the first few weeks, so he knew that he was safe here. Cats need routine and familiarity. They don’t do well with change (I don’t either, but that is another blog post). The best thing we can do for them is keeping their days as uneventful as possible. Of course, there are always acceptions and times when tough love is needed, but right at the beginning of a move a bit of routine is the most comforting thing to a cat.

I was (and still sometimes am) worried that he was going to reblock.  But he has done amazing.  I do believe that by taking extra precautions, he has adapted to his new home quickly. He is very content and has found his own new routine here.