A reader who has done kitty rescue/fostering gave me some good tips on getting Boots here and getting him used to the new place. Soon (I hope) Vince will be coming here and he’ll bring Boots. Vince won’t be staying long but Boots will be here for good.
Last night I felt like an expectant mother! I ordered a new litter box, kitty litter from Chewy, a mat to go under the litter box, and a few toys.
I think we’ll keep Boots in the sewing room at first. There will still be a ton of boxes but there’s also the love seat in there so I can sit and knit with him. That’s what I did with him in the sewing room in Texas. Hopefully, he’ll adjust and adapt after a week or so and as soon as he’s starting to seem like he feels at home, he can have the run of the house.
One good thing is that when we go outside, we go through the laundry room, then through the walk out door in the garage. Vince and I will be careful to close the laundry room door behind us before opening the door to the garage and that way, we can be sure Boots hasn’t slipped into the laundry room and then out the door.
It’s going to be a crazy few weeks when he first gets here but I’ll be so glad to have him back with me.
Sara Fridley says
I’m sure your friend has already mentioned this, but don’t be too surprised if Boots spends the first few days hiding among things that smell familiar. Then gradually he’ll probably start to explore more. Our kitty spent the first week or so in our closet (our clothes smelled like home) or in our bed where he must have felt safe. He would slip out to eat or use the litter box but come right back to those safe spots. And gradually he felt brave enough to explore – and then became the king of the house again.
Julie says
How are you planning for the ride? We are moving 10 hours away as well. Not sure how we are going to get the 13 year old cat to our new home. She freaks out in the car meowing incessantly.
thequiltingprofessor says
Oh Judy, I had to bust a gut laughing at this sentence: “Vince won’t be staying long, but Boots will be here for good. ” I understand what you mean, it’s just funny !!!
Paula Nordt says
Judy, you are not going to believe this story. Last November a feral tom began visiting my back porch for scraps. We were able to trap him and the county neutered him and gave him a rabies shot. After several months, he decided to trust us enough to come inside. A few more months, he fell in love with me and wanted to do nothing but sit in my lap. So In May, I decided it was time for a checkup and the rest of his vaccinations. On the way to the vets, my cloth carrier broke. I was able to get him into the vet’s office. (Should have just turned around and gone home!) While transferring him from my carrier to another one, someone opened the outside door to the office, Sammy got scared and ran out. I was devastated. I spent three solid days searching for him, put up posters, everything… It’s now October, almost six months later, I was about to take all the posters down after several heartbreaking false Sammy sightings. Last Wednesday I got one more call. This one was for real! It WAS Sammy! He is back home and still loves sitting in my lap. We are beyond thrilled!
Judy Laquidara says
What a great story. Thanks for sharing it. So glad you two were reunited.
JustGail says
I left a few thoughts on moving Boots on the “keeping warm” post. A few things I’d do if moving a cat again, in addition to the other tips given.
Paula – great news on the return of Sammy!
Liz says
I see pictures of cats in boxes, padded tower spots, etc. So, could you set up a cozy hiding spot in the sewing room where Boots can look out the window. If Boots has been sleeping in a particular spot with a quilt or box, make sure that Vince brings it along for the first spot.
Good luck…
Judy H says
That’s interesting, because I’ve always found that a familiar litter box helps mine adjust to changes faster. After they’re settled I change it if I want to, but I keep their familiar box at first.
Nelle Coursey says
I am willing to bet that Boots will be just as happy to see you and see all his fabric he has been missing in his room. Once he smells the familiar smells he will adjust.
Judy Laquidara says
All the fabric is still in boxes, along with a million boxes from the house, which isn’t a familiar smell to him. We’ll do the best we can!
Trina says
We had a cat who would run out the door as soon as we opened it. We solved that by putting a collar with a bell on it on our cat Freckles. That helped us when she would try her escape. A story about Freckles. We thought she got out. My husband looked for her outside. And my daughter and I looked for her inside. Our daughter who has better hearing heard Freckles’ bell. That cat found her way into one of the kitchen drawers and taking a nap.
Judy Laquidara says
Oh, I can imagine the panic when you thought you had lost her. We’ll have to be super careful about Boots not going out. If we can remember to stick him in the sewing room before we use the front door or close the laundry room door behind us if we’re going out the garage door, we should be ok. I need to get some extra spray bottles. If I keep those by the door and mist him when he tries to go out, he stops for a few months and then we have to do it again.
Trina says
We had another cat Abby. She loved to travel which was a good thing with us being with the military. As soon as she saw her travel kennel she was ready to go. She would lay on the top of her kennel and watch the traffic. Didn’t bother her. Of the three cats she was the easiest to work with. The one we have now Maggie would run the other way if I open the back door. If she hears someone knock on the front door she hides between our two chairs.
Judy Laquidara says
I didn’t know cats would do that. How funny!
Dottie Newkirk says
We took our 2 cats from WV to Texas (back and forth) for roughly 7 years before finally making the final move. Neither one liked traveling – meowing/pooping/peeing/puking for roughly the 1st hour of travel. We put them in a crate, not a travel container) with a small litter box, small dish of water, small dish of food. 2 days of travel each way with some cleanups along the way. Before one of the cats had to have meds twice a day, we left them in WV and had a neighbor watch them on our trips.
They really didn’t have much of an adjustment period from one house to the other, but first day at either house, was run, hide under the bed until they knew everything was ok.
Wishing y’all the best – Boots will love his new house.