Moving with cats can take a little forethought, whether you are relocating to an apartment across town, or one that is hundreds of miles away. Most moves involve taking the cat to its new home in a car, which can be quite a hassle for everyone involved — including the cat. If you try to make the trip as easy as possible it will pay off by making the cat comfortable, which will mean one less thing you’ll have to worry about on moving day.
So exactly how do you help prepare them for the ride? First, realize that getting a cat comfortable with car travel can take time and patience. The cat carrier is probably the ideal method of transport for this journey. Try leaving a few treats and a favorite toy in the carrier and just let the cat come and go as they please at first. Slowly build up to where the door can be closed, and then work on going out to the car.
When all of this is going well, it’s time to start taking some short trips so the cat can get used to being in a moving vehicle. After a while it should come to accept the routine without a fuss and settle in comfortably for the ride. Moving with cats doesn’t have to be an ordeal if a little work is put into making the car trip a more regular occurrence.
