Moving to a new house with a cat
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Topic: Moving to a new house with a cat
Posted By: GuestGuest
Subject: Moving to a new house with a cat
Date Posted: 11 October 2010 at 12:38pm
We have just moved house and we are keeping our cat inside at the moment because I'm worried he is going to run away. Does anyone have any good tips about how to make sure he comes back when we do eventually let him out? And how long should we keep him inside? Thx 
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Replies:
Posted By: Shezamumof3
Date Posted: 11 October 2010 at 12:43pm
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Hey,
I was told by the SPCA when we got our cat from there(she was 1 year old), to keep her inside for 2 weeks, and then let her out. We didnt end up waiting 2 weeks, be kept her in for at least a week. Aparently it helps them realise that thi is home so they come back etc |
Posted By: _H_
Date Posted: 11 October 2010 at 12:46pm
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I think it depends on the cat, one of mine we only left inside for 3 days the other 2 it was a week. there is heaps of different things that people say to try but i think the best thing is leaving them inside for 1-2weeks ------------- http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: snugglebug
Date Posted: 11 October 2010 at 12:52pm
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I have moved a bit, and I have always left my cats in for about a week. You can tell if they are ready to get out if they are hanging out by the doors or windows and trying to race out when you go out. Take that as a sign that they want to. I had one cat get out of a window after 2 days and she was fine.
The SPCA and vets do say 2 weeks but I think that is too long usually. How I manage it is I let the cat out for short bursts at a time, going out with them and walking around the yard etc they don't usually run away cos they are so busy sniffing etc then after a few times of doing that I leave a sliding door open somewhere so they can go in and out and their own leisure and then just keep checking on them. They usually don't bolt, they go a little bit further then come back to the door again, then they go a little bit further and eventually you feel confident they will come back each time. They mark their own scent on things so that they know how to get back. So I say play it by ear and when he seems ready, give it a go in short bursts and see what happens from there. ------------- Me 28, DH 29 DS born 20 Nov 2010 (4 years old) #2 due October 7 http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: Shezamumof3
Date Posted: 11 October 2010 at 1:02pm
When we moved house last year I let the cat out the day after we got there as she pissed on the bench twice  I was so angry I threw her out lol, and then she didnt come back for over 24 hours and I was freaking out! Then I was lying in bed at about midnight and heard this meowing at the front door and there she was! I was so happy! lol
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Posted By: CrazyCass
Date Posted: 11 October 2010 at 3:47pm
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OMG I'm sorry Shaza but i'm laughing!
1-2 weeks is about average, and visiting the outside world with them is a good idea. We've been where we are for 3.5years & we lock our cats inside at night. every now and then we get woken up because they need to loo (i'm mean and dont have a dirt box inside), but they are locked in from 8pm to 6.30am every night. they know so even if we forget to lock their door they are inside anyways. a special treat when they do come back inside is good - I've got those wiskers temptations - my cats do back flips for them (and they last ages!) ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: susieq
Date Posted: 11 October 2010 at 5:58pm
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and put butter on their paws for the first few days as well ------------- susie |
Posted By: snooze
Date Posted: 11 October 2010 at 6:26pm
We did 3 days for both cats when we moved. One stayed all the time, the other ran away, came back for a few days and then ran away again for good. I was gutted  I went looking on roads, back at our old house but nothing. I am hoping a nice person has adopted her.------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: happymum21
Date Posted: 11 October 2010 at 9:02pm
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It depends on your cat I think. I usually keep mine in for a day or two or until they are ready and waiting at the door. I will often put them outside in their cage first to get used to smells if I don't think they are quite ready. But if you have a dirtbox while they inside, I would always put it outside when they went outside first so they could smell their smell
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Posted By: MyLilSquishy
Date Posted: 12 October 2010 at 9:01am
snap! was about to come in and say that lol. |
susieq wrote:Posted By: GuestGuest
Date Posted: 12 October 2010 at 9:59am
Thanks guys. Snooze that sucks that one of your cats ran away! That's what I'm worried about 
Does that butter thing really work? I thought it was just an old wives tale. |
Posted By: fattartsrock
Date Posted: 12 October 2010 at 1:31pm
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It IS an old wives tail (lol), the only thing that your cat will leave (other tahn your property should it get out) is flamin' greasy footprints everywhere.
I asked my vet ages ago. He just told me the old inside for two weeks etc thing. ------------- The Honest Un PC Parent of 2, usually stuck in the naughty corner! :P |
Posted By: Mucky_Tiger
Date Posted: 12 October 2010 at 4:51pm
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we always do 2 weeks inside and take their old litter and surround your property with it, ie in all the corners.
it helps them to know that that is their area to come home too |
Posted By: jazzy
Date Posted: 12 October 2010 at 5:01pm
| ha ha I remember mum doing the butter & cat thing so I have always done it. We moved a few times with our cat & twice in the country. It was impossible to keep him inside so I just showed him were his food is & he never got lost. Our cat is a real out doors cat. |
Posted By: Kalimirella
Date Posted: 12 October 2010 at 5:55pm
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Hmm i say depends on your cat, i had a cat i had a really good bond with and would come when called (within reason lol) so when we moved i let him out straight away, he knew where I was and wherever i was, was home. He never had any problems with moving (and we moved often when he was young). My other cat needs to stay in for 2-3 days just to figure out where home is but again he knows me and I'm food (lol cupboard love). For a new cat who doesn't know you yet go with the recommended 1-2 weeks I say. ------------- Kiara is 3 and Teagan is 2, now we're expecting our long awaited 3rd! http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: escadachic
Date Posted: 12 October 2010 at 10:03pm
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I wish my cat was as well behaved as most of yours!
He let himself out the day we moved in...he opens windows you see! Eventually he turned up at old house, which is only the street across from current one, but he took a few days to turn up there and then we managed to keep him inside for nearly a week and then he managed to let himself out again and turned up at old house a few days later. As for our girl cat, she got outside the first time and came back and keeps coming back home, though she visits the old neighbour most days. We let him out side for a sniff after nearly 2 wks and he was looking like he was about to bolt again! And then he keeps getting desperate to bolt outside, so who knows when he'll stop doing this!...naughty boy! -------------   
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Posted By: lil_lease
Date Posted: 13 October 2010 at 12:06am
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When I first got my cat she stayed inside until she learned how to use the cat flap (about 2 months)
We moved just after she turned a year old and we kept her inside for a week or 2 but kept her locked inside at night. Only lived there for 3 weeks then moved to where we are now. Kept her inside for 3 or 4 days and kept her locked inside at night with a litter box in the bathroom for about a month, now she's in and out as she pleases and usually meets us at the front door when we get home (comes trotting up the driveway lol) ------------- Antony, gone but never forgotten 2-4-2010 
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Posted By: muminthesun
Date Posted: 14 October 2010 at 9:58am
In my experience with cats, if you feed them, they will come  . thats also true of every other cat in the neighborhood
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Posted By: escadachic
Date Posted: 14 October 2010 at 4:09pm
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I let my cat out for a wonder around last night and he seemed happy to just explore the backyard. I was outside the whole time. He even rolled around, so I thought, well that's good, he's relaxed and putting his scent on the new place and then after some exploring of the yard for about 15 mins, he just disappeared....
So yet again, I've had to go to old place and track that naughty cat down!  -------------
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