Moving House with a Cat

Winnie

Hi All, we have basically been looking after a feral cat since its mother left him on our doorstep a year and half ago......he is not feral anymore but still spends alot of time outdoors so knows his area well. Because he spends so much time outside, he also goes outside for the toilet, we have had several failed attempts at trying to train him to use indoor litter tray......We will be moving house in June and dont want to leave him behind. I have two worries, firstly, how would he settle in a new house, new area? Would he try to escape back to old patch? Secondly, if moving, I would like to have him litter trained. Are we best to try again where we live now or wait to try train him in new house?
Any advice on this situation is greatly appreciated. Just so you know bit more about him. Although he spends lots of time outdoors, he still spends many hours asleep on our couch and loves his cuddles from me too so not really feral!

lorebringer

Cats need to be kept indoors for the first 6(ish) weeks after they have been moved to a new area, then gradually let out into the garden over the next few weeks and then a wider area after that. If you do not do this, they will get confused as to where they are and may try to find their way "home" (back to their former house). They need some adjustment time to realise that the new house is their new home.

IMO, you should start litter training before you move because the extra stress of moving may make it much more difficult to do in the new house. There are scent sprays (and such) available to let cats know that the litter tray is the place to go to the toilet, which may or may not help. Keep the litter tray in a quiet place, the bigger the better (and maybe even covered!), make it as deep as possible and keep it clean (without the use of harsh chemicals) and hopefully he will want to use it. You didn't say whether he is neutered or not, but if he is not he might start to spray in the new house so just be aware of this!

Winnie

Thanks for that advice, he has been neutered so no spraying thankfully! I will try again to litter train him while in this house. I think its harder to train him because he always has the option to wait by the door instead to be let out and if i dont sometimes he can panic to get out and starts trying to climb up the blinds!

MsFifers

I think you actually might find it easier to litter train him in the new house. He knows his routines in your current house - hence he'll be convinced if he waits long enough you will eventually let him out to the loo.

In the new place however, he'll be v. nervous and will have to figure everything out from scratch. You can take advantage of this - keep him in one room for the first couple of days, with the litter tray in a corner and he'll figure out what to do.

mymo

Just an idea, not sure how he'd react to it, but my uncle had great success litter training a cat by using a dog crate.
He put the crate beside the rad, nice cosy bed in it and left the litter tray inside, he'd throw a few treats (those whiskers thing with the cheese centre) into the bed and leave the cat to go in. The cat started to sleep in the crate so then he started to shut the door overnight. After one particularly long overnight the cat had used the tray, and when she used the tray a few nights in a row she seemed to get it. She has been using the tray ever since. She's now a happy indoor cat (he'd found her injured and she had a old injury that meant she had to have her leg removed after he'd settled her).
Never feed the cat near the tray, don't leave water in crate either, and at first leave a small bit of dirty litter when you clean it.
You could start trying the crate now and keeping him in overnight, then gradually increase time inside once he uses the litter, then when you move you have a safe secure place to keep him while moving in and no worry of him escaping during the move.

Winnie

Thanks for that Mymo, I was actually thinking of using the big crate that we have here already, we had originally bought it for 3 kittens that we were looking after for awhile, so I may just try that. Cheers.

Selfheal

Hi

One thing you can do to help the cat adjust to the new environment is put a little bit of butter on its paws. He will try to lick off the butter and then start to clean himself, wash face etc. Once they do this in any place, they know thats home! That's the theory anyway, but I've heard it works!

faw1tytowers

I suggest while you are movig house to home the cat to one room... ensuite or somewhere he will be undisturbed. Introduce the litter tray here. Cats are very clean and once he realises this is where he will be for a few days while you are settling he will use it. Other option use a crate. Also he will settle easier by listening to all the outside noises and be comforted by your voices. Obviously when you have time let the cat out to roam the house and have his cuddles but make this his place for a while. As the other person said. Give it about 6 weeks before you start to introduce the outdoors. Little by little. Hope it all goes smoothly for you.