How to Make a Cat Feel Comfortable in a New Home?

While moving may be exciting for you and your family, a furry member of the family may be extremely stressed about the event. Cats are naturally territorial and changing their surroundings may bring various challenges. In case you’re wondering how to make a cat feel comfortable in a new home, the following text will guide you through the process.

Use a pheromone diffuser

This handy gadget is plenty useful and it’s recommended by vets. The diffuser easily plugs into an electrical socket and emits a scent that is similar to pheromones cats naturally produce (this is a synthetic version of it). Cats use pheromones to signal ownership and communicate with other felines so once your cat finds the scent in a new space, she may feel like this space is familiar and safe. You should plug the diffuser in a couple of days or at least 24 hours before your cat arrives to your new home.

Gentle approach

When you and your cat arrive at your new home, it’s important you understand the stress and approach the matter patiently. First, place the carrier in a designated spot, whether it’s your cat’s room or an area you selected. Remove the blanket you had over the carrier and then very gently open the carrier so your cat could go out. The most important thing at this moment is that your feline has the freedom to exit when they feel like it, so don’t try forcing anything. Your cat may come out straight away and approach you or explore the room but may also feel a bit scared and hide for a bit. Don’t be too alarmed whatever the scenario because cats are naturally pretty territorial and it may take some time to check out their new surroundings before they come to you. While you’re waiting for your cat to approach you, you spend some time being with them in quiet but you can also carry on with your daily tasks. Keep in mind that not all cats are the same so yours may react completely different than other cats and it’s best if you wait for the cat to approach you at its own time rather than initiating the contact yourself. It may take anywhere from a couple of days to a few weeks for your cat to feel safe and relaxed in your new home so be patient until that happens and don’t panic if she/he looks a bit scared – that’s perfectly normal and will pass once the cat understands the space is safe. However, you can make sure that your feline friend has all things necessary in order to adjust to a new home and starts feeling comfortable. In order to do so, follow the next steps in this text.

Provide comfort items

First, make sure your pet has fresh water and food as well as a litter box. Place the litter box on one side of the designated room and food and water on the opposite side of the room. This safe space can feel more welcoming if your cat has some of the favorite items that will provide comfort – their favorite toys, snacks, scratchers, whatever your cat truly enjoys could help with accepting new space. Later on, when the cat gets used to this area, you can move a water bowl and food to another area of your home and encourage them to expand their comfort zone. While comfort will be provided by some favorite items, you also play an important role in this – spending time with your pet as much as possible until they feel relaxed will make all the difference. However, don’t rush as soon as you hear your cat “cry” since they could learn that crying directly means getting a treat so resist the urge if this happens in the first couple of days. On the other hand, if your cat seems to behave too strangely after a while, you may want to seek help from a professional. Call the vet in case you notice any excessive scratching, vocalization, lethargy, loss of appetite, diarrhea, aggression, or anything else extremely unusual – after all, you know your pet the best and you’ll be able to notice excessive or alarming behaviors.

Create a safe space for exploring

Eventually, your cat will explore every single inch of a house, from bookshelves and sofas to tops of cabinets, kitchen countertops, and every other surface she can reach. While your feline is investigating new spaces and getting used to everything new, you should make sure that space is safe for her to do so. First, go ahead and make sure there are no places your cat can escape and find herself outside or in danger. Secure your windows and other potentially dangerous exits. You will also want to make sure there are no dangerous or sharp objects lying around that could potentially hurt your cat, such as scissors but also remove breakables and similar items that could get damaged by this exploration. And while you’re making the space safe, why not put those moving boxes you have left to good use? Go ahead and leave some cardboard boxes out and your cat will likely be thrilled! Plus, you won’t have to worry about what to do with all those leftover boxes after the move.

By following these simple steps, your cat should feel relaxed and confident to explore your new home before you know it. One last thing you can do after moving with a feline is to limit the number of visitors for the first few days so that she/he wouldn’t experience additional stress. Do be patient and give your best feline friend enough time to get used to their new surroundings. If, by any chance, they don’t seem to relax and they seem in distress even after a while, don’t hesitate to seek advice from your vet.