How can I move my 13-year-old cat to a new home with minimal stress?

Moving can be a stressful time for both cats and people. Some cats begin to experience stress when the first box is packed. Try to keep this time as normal as possible for your cat by continuing a normal daily routine and avoid packing your cat’s bed, cat tree, and toys until the last minute. Calming pheromone products, such as the Comfort Zone® Calming Diffuser or Comfort Zone® Spray and Scratch Control Spray, may minimize some of this stress. When moving day arrives, be sure that your cat is safely secured in a cat carrier before the door opens and boxes start leaving. We recommend plugging in the Comfort Zone® Calming Diffuser into your old home during packing, as well as in your new home during unpacking and the settling period. If possible, try to move your cat as early in the day as possible and confine them to a bathroom in your new home with their normal bed, litter box, bowls, and toys. This will keep your cat from escaping during the move and may pose less stress if they see less of the action. If your cat is prone to high stress, resulting in self-trauma with overgrooming or inappropriate eliminations, it may be best to discuss short-term anti-anxiety medication with your veterinarian.

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! I would ask your Veterinarian for an oral sedative for you to give 2 hours before travel. I would use the Feliway spray in his carriage. Once you arrive at your new home, he should be kept in a room by himself away from the other animals for a week then use a baby gate at the door for the him to see and greet the other cat and dog. Do that for a week, then remove the gate. be sure he has access to this room to run away if he needs to. This room can be your bedroom. Use the Feliway diffuser in this room. If there is aggression between the cats use the Feliway Multicat I wish you the best! https://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=37241 https://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=37240 https://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=37242

I would recommend traveling with the cats in a car, each in a separate carrier for safety. If you are concerned that the trip may be stressful for them, you can talk to your veterinarian about prescribing anti-anxiety medication to help with this. You could also consider using a pheromone spray such as Feliway, along with a natural calming supplement like Zylkene or Composure to help them relax if needed.

Try to replicate their home environment: same food, waterm litter boxes, etc. Feline pheromones, like Feliway, may be useful for anxiety. But really, just gett them into the new home and seeing what happens. You can always message us with any issues that arise so we can troubleshoot!

Cars are quite stressful for many cats, so Dash isn't alone in this issue! However, as you mentioned, stress can definitely lead to shedding of viruses that trigger URIs. Calming pheromones, like Feliway, can be helpful when sprayed or wiped in carriers. Since Dash's stress-related situation sounds more severe, I also recommend asking your veterinarian about prescribing some medication (such as trazodone and gabapentin) for this trip. Doses can vary a bit with individual cats, so it's always important to conduct a trial run ahead of time to see if the dose seems sufficient. If the first dose doesn't alleviate enough stress, your vet may need to increase it a bit for your longer drive. Best of luck with your move!

The move may be slightly stressful and unsettling for Emmy to begin with. With time and your support she will be able to adapt to her new surroundings. I would suggest some of the following tactics to help her as she adjusts. Feliway diffuser Increased interaction from you inclaying games like fetch or laser tag chase Bringing her articles with her such as her cat bed, or post If Emmy continues to display signs of stress, such as hiding behaviours or potty accidents, consult your veterinarian af discuss the possibility of the short term use of stress alleviating medications. Best of luck with the move and please feel free to ask any further questions you may have here on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! We are happy to help.

Once you get to the new house, it is recommended to restrict her to one room for 2-3 days and it is also recommended to not let her outside the house for two weeks. keep the cat carrier open in the new house as it will be a comfort zone for her during the first 24 hours. try bringing as much from her stuff as you can to the new house (water and food bowls, scratching polls...).