Moving with a cat

DH and I are moving in a few weeks; I'm looking for any advice on the best way to handle moving our cat? Our other cat recently passed away, so she's out of sorts as it is. She's 7 and had been with him since we brought her home. I'm so concerned about traumatizing her, and very concerned about her not using her liter box as a way to "act-out"! She's not a vengeful cat or anything, just worried about her.

Any advice?

TIA

Re: Moving with a cat

I'm sorry that you recently lost a kitty

When DH and I moved, we really had to play it by ear based on the personality of each cat. We knew that we had to put a couple of cats in carriers. However, a couple of them were fine to just sit next to me in the car while I drove. In one instance, it took us approximately three hours to get one of the cats. We've rescued cats from outdoors, and one of them just really never adjusted to people and is terrified of everything.

This particular cat comes downstairs precisely at 11 p.m. every night (well before we had Dodger in the house). He sits on a kitchen chair, sticks his rear in the air, waits for DH to pet him for a few minutes, and then promptly returns upstairs.

Sorry for the digression lol...anyway...are you able to have a space set up for them before they get there? We had their room set up with their toys, litter boxes, food, beds, etc., and we brought them up there so that they knew they had a safe space from the start.

ETA: I should probably have mentioned that we moved from my parents house to our current home. We had been living in our home for a couple of weeks and getting everything unpacked and settled, while our cats lived with my parents. We were settled when we brought them, so I think that helped. Is something like that at all an option?

Message edited 1/24/2012 9:30:13 AM.

Re: Moving with a cat

When I moved with my cat, I put him in his carrier when the movers were there, but kept him up high on a table so he could see what was going on.
I drove to my new place and Mom kept the carrier on her lap.
Once we got there, I left him in the carrier until the movers were done, then let him out to explore our new home.
I basiscally left him alone until he got settled in, found his litter box and food/water bowls.

The worst part was keeping him confined all that time.

Re: Moving with a cat

Sushi took a very long time to adjust to our move. In hindsight we should have done things differently. If and when we move again, I will put her in carrier before the movers come and bring her to where we are moving and confine her to the bathroom with her litterbox and food. I plan to not let her out until the movers are gone. After that I'll confine her to our bedroom and let her get settled in.

Cats are different than dogs and are typically (varies by breed) very resistant to change.