Moving house with a cat (need some help)

[Cerid 10]

Hello everyone.

 

We are moving house to about 5 mins away in the car. end of stocksbridge to end of deepcar.

 

We have a 4yr old nuetered mainly out door male cat.

 

We will be in our house about 3 weeks before we go away on holiday for 1 week.

 

Im worried about our cat. my mum inlaw will be popping over at least once a day to feed him etc.

 

But my main concern is would he be settled enough in the area to be outdoors when we are away, will he get lost ect.

 

how long should I keep him indoors until I let him out again, he can get pretty stressed/house abusive while in all the time. He barely uses a litter tray and he loves being outdoors.

 

im sorry if im not making any sense here.

 

Would it be best to put him in a cattery during the week away or risk him in our new home/new surrounds etc on his own.

 

once the door is open he usually darts out the door, so during the time wel be opening doors etc while settling him in Id have to lock him away in a room or put him in a crate

 

Ive never moved before with a cat who loves to be outdoors so Ive got so much going round my head fears that hel escape and get lost, fears that hel be unsafe when we go on holiday (even tho my mum inlaw will pop round and feed him ect.

 

please can anyone help and give me tips/guidance.

 

if we have to put him in a cattery what jabs etc will he need,

[*Peaches* 10]

You'd be best contacting the cattery you intend to use, they vary in their requirements from what I remember asking around but it was a few years ago. As for letting him out I cant help, mine have always been indoorsy types

[pitnjules 10]

It is best to keep a cat in for a few weeks then gradually introduce them to outside in your new home. He will need all his jabs flea treatment and worming before going to a cattery. If he is an outdoor cat, he should be having these anyway. I wouldn't risk it he could well go missing not knowing the area if you let him out before

[bensonhedges 10]

You have a 4 yr old cat and you don't know about what inoculations he should have? Shame on you, you shouldn't be a cat owner. You're leaving him open to catching all sorts of diseases.

[Cerid 10]

Benson hedges - I never said he isn't vaccinated did I? He is upto date with his jabs wormed and fleed. I needed to know of there were any special jabs he needed for being in a cattery. I've never needed to use a cattery before so didn't know if his routine yearly vaccinations were enough or he needed extra once to go into boarding.

He goes to the vets for routine check up's and so far he's also passed his health checks etc, fingers crossed he continues to pass then too. Don't say I shouldn't be a cat owner when you don't have the full info.

 

Thank you peaches and pitnjules , il keep in before and while we're away and introduce him slowly outside. My mum in law will make sure and us too to keep the inside door shut first before we open the door to outside so he doesn't have the chance to escape :-)

Edited June 26, 2016 by Cerid

[midgecat 10]

There's some good general advice about moving house with cats here: http://icatcare.org/advice/keeping-your-cat-happy/moving-house-your-cat

 

I'd be inclined to try to keep him indoors until you're back from your holiday. Would certainly want to keep him in whilst away even if he'd been our a bit before the holiday.

 

If he isn't already microchipped it would be a good idea to get that done before moving. If he IS already chipped remember to change your contact details with the chip company when you move

[Cerid 10]

Thank you midge cat il have a read tonight.

 

Ye he's microchipped and will change as soon as we move :-D

[max 13]

We've moved twice with 2 or 3 outdoor cats in each case. Each time we tried to keep them in but they made such a fuss we had to give in and let them out. Each time the elder of the three hardly left the immediate surroundings, one of the other two kept coming and going to establish his territory and check that we were still there. The third disappeared from early morning to late evening but returned eventually.

 

I think what I'm try to say is that all cats are different.

[Cerid 10]

Thank you max. Wel try our best to keep him in. Wish he was more of an indoor cat but nope hel come for food, a snuggle now and again then wants to be out again. Going to be really hard to get him to use litter tray again too but wel manage some way :-)