When should I start packing for a trip to avoid stressing my cats?

Moving can be a stressful time for both cats and people. Some cats begin to experience stress when the first box is packed. Try to keep this time as normal as possible for your cat by continuing a normal daily routine and avoid packing your cat’s bed, cat tree, and toys until the last minute. Calming pheromone products, such as the Comfort Zone® Calming Diffuser or Comfort Zone® Spray and Scratch Control Spray, may minimize some of this stress. When moving day arrives, be sure that your cat is safely secured in a cat carrier before the door opens and boxes start leaving. We recommend plugging in the Comfort Zone® Calming Diffuser into your old home during packing, as well as in your new home during unpacking and the settling period. If possible, try to move your cat as early in the day as possible and confine them to a bathroom in your new home with their normal bed, litter box, bowls, and toys. This will keep your cat from escaping during the move and may pose less stress if they see less of the action. If your cat is prone to high stress, resulting in self-trauma with overgrooming or inappropriate eliminations, it may be best to discuss short-term anti-anxiety medication with your veterinarian.

I would recommend traveling with the cats in a car, each in a separate carrier for safety. If you are concerned that the trip may be stressful for them, you can talk to your veterinarian about prescribing anti-anxiety medication to help with this. You could also consider using a pheromone spray such as Feliway, along with a natural calming supplement like Zylkene or Composure to help them relax if needed.

Great question! Make sure to keep Tazi's bedding and familiar object with her, Don't wash them beforehand, that way the old scent is still on them and that will reassure her. Leave the carrier out now, in the open where she can see it and get in it if so inclined. Then it won't be such a shock when it come time to put her in it. Get calming pheromone based diffusers and put them throughout the current house and in the new on as well as soon as you can. In the new house, make sure she has plenty of places to hide, perch, get up off the floor and look out the window. Scatter her toys throughout the house so there are familiar things nearby. If she hides somewhere when you finally move, let her. Put food, water and litter where she can get to it and let her explore on her own. It may take some time, but your cat will get used to her new home. I hope this helps!

Cats generally don't do well either way, but taking them out of their environment is typically more stressful to cats. I would suggest keeping her there in the house and let your friend take care of her needs while you're away. You can also look into a supplement called Zylkene which is a natural way to treat anxiety in pets. It is available online and in some veterinarian clinics. It is a capsule tht can either be given by mouth or potentially sprinkled on your pets food daily. If you are interested in this approach, I would recommend trying it first at home with Bitsy while you are still there to ensure she still stays interested in her food, especially if you decide to sprinkle it on top. A good tip here is to mix it in with the food to hide it well. If you are using dry kibble then adding a small amount of water will help to mix in the contents. Other options for stress management can be discussed with your veterinarian, but most require giving the medication by mouth and I'm not sure how comfortable your friend would be with this approach. I hope that this information proves helpful. Best of luck with your pet Bitsy moving forward. Take care!

I have clients who move abroad all the time and take their pets. Depending on where you move, the requirements can be extensive. Make sure you start investigating what needs to be done many months prior to the move and you should be fine. Cats usually travel well if they are well-adjusted to the carrier and you have plenty of time to work on that.

I think the bigger question for me is whether being away from you for a few days would be a bigger stress than the change in environment. if so, then I would take her with you. If not, then leave her in her current environment so she doesn't stress out and ask your housemates to take care of her if you think they wouldn't mind. I hope this helps!

I am glad your kitty is bonding so well with you. I would think, however, that a flight and trip in a strange place would be more stressful than staying home without you. You may consider having your pet sitter come over a few times to meet your kitty before your trip. You can also use a Feliway diffuser https://www.feliway.com/us#redirected and a calming supplement like Zylkene http://www.vetoquinolusa.com/content/zylkene or Composure to try to decrease stress while you are away.