Dear Miss Behavin’:
I’m planning on moving to a new apartment and was wondering how to get my cat Princess settled into her new home.
Change can be quite unsettling for a cat, even if it’s good change in the long run. Cats can be creatures of habit, preferring their daily routine and schedule that they can rely on and predict. For them, what’s predictable has a level of comfort to it, and above all, safety. For an indoor cat, knowing that breakfast is at 8am and dinner is at 7pm leaves out any unknown variables that can cause stress, and that a stray cat may have to contend with. So it will be really important in your new apartment to maintain this level of predictability for your cat.
For a smooth transition, setup a comfortable room or space that can be your cat’s safe zone. This will be where the cat will stay for the first few days or so as they adjust to the new home. Be sure to have all of your cat’s comfort items located in this area: their bed, food, water, blankets, toys, and litterbox. If your cat has a favorite cat tree this can be a great addition to its new space as well. Try to set up the room before you allow the cat access to the room. This will help ensure that the new space already smells like your cat and is more familiar to them. If you plan on using your bedroom, try to setup your bedroom furniture already or at least items that smell like you that will bring your cat comfort and help them to de-stress.
Of most importance, it will be key to ensure that your cat knows where its litterbox is and is using it consistently. Over the next few days, provide your cat with plenty of TLC and monitor that they are eating and drinking water regularly. This will help determine if they should be using the litterbox and if they’ve been using it consistently. If all seems well with your cat with little to no hiccups, then slowly begin to let your cat explore the rest of the apartment. Remember that there will be plenty of new nooks and crannies for your cat to discover, so keep her safe by letting her explore when supervised until you feel comfortable she knows her way around and back safely.