Moving a cat

bounty_hunter

Hi, I have a question regarding bringing my cat with me to a new house.
I'm a student and am planning to move from a rural area into the town where I'm at college, which of course means that this won't be a permanent arrangement and the cat will have to be moved again in a few years.

Brief background info: the cat is predominantly an outdoor cat and sleeps outside more often than not, though has no problem with being inside. She was brought up with another cat, which I still have (I'm not even considering moving this cat as she is quite content where she is and is too wild to adapt easily to life in a town), but the two cats don't get on at all (so from what I can see it wouldn't be a problem to separate them).

My main reason for wanting to bring her with me is that she has recently been the victim of various attacks (I posted a thread about whiskers being cut), both from humans and from local cats, and she has suddenly become extremely unsettled and nervous. I'd like to take her away from the problem, as changing the circumstances where she is now (such as having her live inside) isn't an option.

Basically, I'm wondering if it would be cruel, or if it would even be realistic, to attempt to take her with me when I move. Bearing in mind her background, and the fact that she'll have to be moved again in a few years.


Note: the other cat will of course be well looked after by my family, it's not a case of "leaving one behind".

Goffie

Hi bounty hunter
I had a cat for 10 years - she jumped in the window of my flat one day and refused to leave and I couldn't find her previous owners. Think she was badly treated anyway.
Well I moved several times until I bought my house and the cat adapted each time. She didn't like it at first but I used the same strategy each time. When I moved in I took her into one room with some of her toys, blanket and litter tray and made sure she stayed there for a day or two. Then I brought her around the house and moved the litter tray to its permanent position and began feeding her in the kitchen.
I kept her inside for about a week and then brought her out to the back garden and stayed with her for each visit. It took a while but soon she was familiar with it and I got a cat door fitted (electronic) when I bought my house so she came and went as she pleased.
She had a very happy life and ruled the roost till ishe got cancer, tho she was quite elderly then anyway.
I think your cat would adapt if you give it plenty of love and attention. By the sounds of it you'd be doing her/him a big favour and she'd have your sole attention!
I used to pay someone to come in and feed my cat twice a day when I went away cos I didn't think she'd like kennels.
Best of luck!
Goffie

bounty_hunter

Thanks very much for that

Something else just occured to me though. Being an outdoor cat, she's not house trained I don't know how I could get round that easily.

Goffie

Well, I'm no expert and maybe someone else can help out here but IMO I'd wait till I got to the new place, put her in the room with the litter tray and she'll probably cotton on pretty quick that that's what it's for.

Cats are innately clean creatures and will like the feel of the litter.

I had a great tray that had a big hooded cover over it with a hole for the cat to go thru - it gave her 'privacy' and cut down on smell.
I do remember the joys of cleaning it tho...:)
You could put some paper down in the room for 'accidents', but cats are clever, adaptable animals.
She might howl for a bit at first and you'll have to go in and play with her and reassure her she's not abandoned!
My cat loved being inside and out but I never let her out after 11pm - too many nasty people out there.
A little trick I had with her was to rattle the house keys outside the door when she was out and when she came to me I gave her a treat. Soon she came anytime she heard the keys - very handy late at night!

bounty_hunter

Aye, it could work. Thanks for your help

I'd like to keep my cats inside at night, especially after what's been happening recently, but unfortunately the other people in the house don't agree with it.

rose of jericho

Yeah totally agree with Goffie. I have been in the same situation with one particular cat and she moved with us numerous times you just need to keep the cat in for a while until it gets used to its surroundings and feels safe. As for the litter training if you give him/her a litter tray it will work it out quick enough. Cats are such clean creatures it's not going to want to soil it's own space just keep it far enough away from it's food as they don't like that.

good luck

luckat

Goffie's right.

Two points:

1) If the litter tray doesn't work, try it with other kinds of litter.

2) Is someone going to mind the other cat for you? People have the idea that cats can survive easily by themselves; this is not so. I've had several cats that I acquired when they were starving. In each case neighbours said "Oh, the owner moved away and left the cat behind."

bounty_hunter

luckat wrote:

2) Is someone going to mind the other cat for you? People have the idea that cats can survive easily by themselves; this is not so. I've had several cats that I acquired when they were starving. In each case neighbours said "Oh, the owner moved away and left the cat behind."

I pointed this out quite clearly in my first post, on the off chance that somebody might think I was planning on abandoning my poor cat. Makes me sad

luckat

Sorry, didn't read the last line of your first post. Good luck with the move.

Caked Karen

my cat of 14 years was an outdoor cat and only came into the house bout a year ago when she started getting old. i know she was old but it only started to take tole last year.

well she wasnt too keen on the litter trat so we put some peat in. just use clay from your turf and she used it not a bother. we then tried her with the little after a whilen and she took to the litter then. so should be fine!