How to prevent your cat from getting lost when moving to a new home?

Yes, this can potentially happen with indoor / outdoor cats. If they move to a new area and get lost outside, they may try and find their previous home. I typically recommend keeping cats indoors for several months before letting them outside so they familiarize themselves with the new area.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I am so very sorry to hear that he is lost. It is not unusual for a cat to come back home and they are good tracing back their way home. If he has a microchip you can check if he has been found at any of the local shelters. I am hopeful that he will come back. I will keep praying for his return. Good luck!

Hello, & thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Cats, with a bit of work, can be taught to walk on a leash ( harness ). The best would be never to let your cat outdoors as this increases the chances of run ins with cars, dogs & other cats. But once a cat is comfortable in a home, they very rarely leave, unless something happens. Make sure Luna is spayed, & consider placing a microchip in her. That way, if she does slip off, any veterinarian or shelter can scan her & get her back home to you quickly. Hope this helps. Take care.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I would recommend you move in first and get used to the new place before you get the cat. This will help bring everything inside before getting the cat as cats tend to get very stressed when there is a lot of movement or noise in their in new environments. Perhaps wait 1-2 months before you get a cat. Good luck and have a great day!

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 Varsha! What a great question! Moving can be stressful for cats, and if Chuny and Muny are allowed outside, I would keep them indoors for a few weeks after you first move to your new home. This allows them to get used to their new house. Then you can let them out in the garden supervised during the day so they can smell around their new area, but don't allow them to leave the garden or leave them unsupervised. You can do this for a few weeks, and after that, you can let them out unsupervised because they will be familiar with the sights and smells of their new home. I hope this helps!

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...).