Your Cat's Change In Accommodation

Often a change in living needs results in a change of accommodation. This can upset the balance in the home as your pet gets used to their new surroundings . Cats main problems are toileting issues so there are tricks to help prevent problems .

Give plenty of drinking water, best filtered , aged or distilled. Dont wash water bowls in dishwasher as powder leaves a strong flavour behind. Just wash in hot water . Cats enjoy pot plant water; green with algae and brown with dirt because it tastes best. Have multiple water bowls inside and out. This ensures your cat drinks plenty as some apartments do get very warm in sunny situations.

Have multiple litter boxes best large, placed strategically in the open at first then gradually hidden out of site . Some cats will use the hooded type . Some cats prefer absorbant litter some dont care . Many different types include recycled paper pellets, Pine sawdust pellets, Clumping sand, Dried clay, plastic pellets; recommended in that order.

To go with this a premium food will guarantee against diarrhea but importantly reduce the fecal  load produced. Quality food will also help prevent cystitis (bladder problems). This is most important with the stress at the time of moving into a smaller restricted area.

Two cats in a small apartment is plenty , three will be a crowd and be more at risk for major stress problems.

Keep your cat inside for the first 2 weeks, and then let out only during daylight hours when you are there to supervise.

Rubbing butter on paws is an OWT (old wives tale) all it does is make a mess and keeps a cat busy for the next hour or more. Petting your cat and ensuring it is happy with good attention and food is the best way of ensuring settling.

Provide large (tall) cat scratch poles or climbing frames to amuse your cat, so any marking can occur here rather than on the new lounge suite, table leg or carpet.

Often a cattery/kennel stay while packing , shifting and unpacking is the best, as it will reduce the stress in both the owner and pet and re-train to litter tray use.

Night time is when local cats are more active so more territorial fighting can occur and cats will also take risks with roads and cars, and even resident or walked dogs. Be careful with balconies as some cats will jump or fall off balustrades .

Ensure a tag with a phone number is on the collar in case your cat gets lost or escapes. Microchipping is a very good idea as it works as an internal “name tag” for the cats that lose collars easily.

Some breeds of cats that suit inside living include; Ragdoll, Persian, Exotic, Burmese, Maine Coon, Scottish Fold, British short hair, Siamese. Generally cats are adaptable , a new kitten is the best option as they can grow into the smaller accommodation.

Problems can be dealt with by destressing your pet with an armoury of not just drugs. Bach flowers , homepathic drops, pheromones (Feliway,  pet remedy), cat nip herbs are all used today in conjunction with “prozac” or diazepam like drugs.

If your cat wont settle, a health check may be needed as there are several conditions that occur in older aged cats ( usually more than ten years of age ) that need treating and can worsen stress. Thyroid (hyper) , High blood pressure and kidney disease can cause multiple health issues.