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By Jackson Galaxy
Moving is stressful enough for us, but even more so for your cat! Cats like routine. They hate change. Dr. Larry Lachman refers to this concept in his book, Cats on The Counter, as "stable-sameness." Cats would prefer that you never so much as rearrange the furniture. Here are some tips to help keep your cat from stressing too much when packing your life up and moving it: 1. If possible, start bringing scents from the new house to your cat up to two weeks before the move. This will help form a positive association in the cat's mind between the 'new' scent and their already existing territory and routine. 2. Take your cat's scent to the new home. This will reduce your cat's anxiety level, and consequently reduce the chances of scent marking via scratching, spraying, etc. 3. The cat moves last! Many cats are lost during moves. Confine her to a familiar room with her litterbox, a bed, and if possible, a scratching post or piece of cat furniture. 4. Move the cat and the "safe room" to the new house. While she is still in her carrier, set up the new safe room. 5. Once you've thoroughly cat-proofed the house (repairing torn window screens, for example) and she's playing and eating well, slowly introduce her to the new home. Products such as "Feliway" (feline pheromones) can help make the new house less scary to your cat. Flower and other essences are also very helpful for helping your cat adjust to big changes such as moving, a new baby, etc. Spirit Essences offers "Changing Times" and "Ultimate Changing Times" formulas to help cats make safe and happy transitions. As we've continually emphasized, going slowly in all phases of moving your cat is the key. Taking the time to help your cat adjust will help her establish her new territory for the rest of her life—or at least until the next move!
For an expanded 4-page report on this topic, including detailed instructions on every step, see "Moving: Making a Smooth Transition with Your Cat" in the Little Big Cat Bookstore! And for more great articles on important feline health and behavior topics, visit the Little Big Cat Free Article Library!
For personal assistance with your cat's health or behavior problems, call Jackson Galaxy at Little Big Cat! Schedule a consultation at 310-376-6616 or find out more at our consulting web page.
© 2002-2009 Jackson Galaxy/Little Big Cat, Inc. All rights reserved.
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