Dear Critter Corner: After moving into my new home, I kept my cat, Pele, in the bedroom for the first night, but she kept meowing, pacing, and scratching at the door so I let her out into the rest of the apartment. Now she keeps darting around or hiding. What should I do?
Although she might have seemed initially stressed with the room and curious about the rest of the apartment, she may have also been showing signs of being generally overwhelmed. Sometimes it can seem like giving in to the curiosity will help calm her nerves, but it may also add to how overwhelmed she already feels.
Try secluding her back in the bedroom and ensure all of her favorite items are in the bedroom with her, including her food, water, litterbox, crate, bed, toys, scratching post or cat tree, etc. If there is a window in the room, try placing her cat tree or a few boxes near the window so that she can perch there and distract herself by looking out the window.
Also, it can be very helpful to place items such as clothes, towels, blankets, etc. that smell like you and her around the room on the floor, the bed, dresser, bathroom, etc. The more of the floor that is covered with your and her scents, the less new it will smell.
Be mindful of how much she eats, drinks, and uses her litterbox within a 24-hour time period. If she’s not eating or drinking as much, be sure to offer her favorite treats or puree, or a canned wet food for special occasions, along with any dry kibble she may eat regularly. Keep her essentials (food, water, litterbox, bed) in the same area each day so she becomes accustomed to where these are.
If possible, play some soft music or white noise to help provide regular calming sounds that will give her a distraction from either the quieter home or a noisier outside environment. If needed, consider closing the blinds halfway if she’s too stimulated by the outside as well. The slower you’re able to take it with introducing her to new spaces the better, and only do so once she’s regularly eating, drinking, and using her litterbox.