Never had a cat before and just moved? How do I prepare for a new cat?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Cats are finicky creatures. Cats tend to only like the cats they know. Even though your cat seems to like the ones she lives with doesn't mean she will like a new cat. Cats are territorial and like their own personal space. I would first allow your cat to get used to your new house with your boyfriend. See how is goes over several months. She will be stressed for a while just because of the move. Then see how she is once she is settled. If you want to get another cat for company consider it in a few months. Good luck!

Hi there, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I would decide based on how bonded Cinder is with the other cats, and what would cause the least amount of stress for her. If she is not particularly bonded with the other two cats, then it could be best to move her first and let her scope out the new house while it's still quiet. However, if she is bonded with one or both of the other cats then it's best to move them at the same time so she doesn't suffer additional stress from being separated. I also recommend using Feliway Classic diffusers in the new house for the first several months (you may need several diffusers to permeate the whole house, depending on the layout) to help decrease the cat's stress. Finally, I would add that if you still have a lot of general moving to do (if your boyfriend is moving in first and so there will be several weeks to months of boxes and "stuff" getting moved around) then I'd wait to move the cats. Changing the layout of the house causes additional stress, so it's best to have the new house as put together as possible before adding the cats. Hope this helps!

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

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I am sorry to hear that major health problems have set you back. Hoping all is well now! As for Baby, a change in environment can be quite big for a cat and may take several months for a cat to acclimatize to a new environment. I would recommend using the Feliway products to help calm him down in the new environment and these can be found online or at your local PetCo. Provide plenty of litter boxes in multiple locations in the new house as well. Some cats will urinate and defecate outside of the box in a new environment so providing multiple areas may help prevent this. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Personally, I would wait on the new cat until your older cat has gotten used to the house. A move is a very stressful event, and adding a new cat to the mix may be even MORE stressful for Jazzy, which could lead to behavioral or health issues. Once used to the new house, you can then try introducing a new cat. Having some things such as extra litter, food, water, bedding and places to hide as well as pheromone diffusers that diffuse calming pheromones can help ease the transition once you do add a new cat.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I would set all her belongings in to the room you are staying in. Give her a day to adjust to that room. Then open the door and allow her to come out of the room if she wants. If she is a shy cat she may never leave the room if you are only there for a few days. I would hope that after 1-2 days she will venture out. By keeping all her things in one room she will know that is her safe place to run back to if scared. Cats are hard and it depends on her overall personality.I would just be patient and don't force her to do more than she wants. I wish you the best of luck!

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...).