How do you get the cat to thrive after the move?

Move with a cat in six steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Shut the cat in a room with a bed, blanket, food, water, scratching post and litter box before the removal van arrives. Pack this room last.

2. 2

   Step 2: Let the cat travel in the carrier, secured in case of braking, and never in the moving van.

3. 3

   Step 3: Set up a room in your new home with the same things before letting the cat out of the carrier.

4. 4

   Step 4: Let the cat explore the rest of the home when the move is complete, one room at a time if it seems stressed.

5. 5

   Step 5: Keep an outdoor cat inside for at least two to three weeks, longer if you have moved nearby.

6. 6

   Step 6: Let the cat out for the first time in the morning, just before food, so that it is hungry and comes back.

Source: International Cat Care: Moving house with your cat, Cats Protection: Moving House With a Cat, Jordbruksverket: Transportera katter. Packing your cat's room last is our advice.

Plan the cat's room when you pack, so its things don't end up in the wrong box. How you organize the packing is in step 3, pack.

Why is the move stressful for the cat?

International Cat Care describes the cat as a territorial animal that forms strong bonds with its home environment. Therefore, a move can be very stressful. Therefore, the cat should be in its own room while the removal company or friends are moving, with the door and window closed so that it does not escape, and with its usual things around it. They help the cat feel safe and behave normally.

Source: International Cat Care: Moving house with your cat.

How should the cat travel to the new home?

In the transport carrier. The Swedish Board of Agriculture requires that the cat is secured in the event of braking, for example in a carrier, and that luggage cannot fall over it. The carrier must be at least 0.5 meters long, 0.3 meters wide and 0.35 meters high. If the trip takes more than six hours, the carrier should have a cat box or similar. Never leave the cat alone in the car if the temperature inside can exceed 25 degrees or drop below minus 5 degrees.

International Cat Care recommends placing the carrier on the floor behind the front seat or securing it on the back seat, covering it with a thin blanket and never letting the cat ride in the moving vehicle. It's a good idea to get the cat used to the carrier in the days before. If you book a removal company, let them know there's a cat in a closed room, so no one opens the door. That's our advice, and the rest of the day is in step 5, moving day.

Source: Jordbruksverket: Transporting cats, International Cat Care: Moving house with your cat.

How do you manage the first days in your new home?

Set up a room with a bed, blanket, food and water bowls, scratching post and litter box, close the door and let the cat out there. When the move is complete, it can explore the rest of the apartment. If it shows signs of stress, let it take one room at a time. International Cat Care also suggests a diffuser with synthetic cat pheromones in the room, plugged in a few hours before the cat arrives, and Cats Protection to spray the carrier with pheromones at least 15 minutes before the cat goes in.

Source: International Cat Care: Moving house with your cat, Cats Protection: Moving House With a Cat.

How long should an outdoor cat stay inside after the move?

At least two to three weeks according to International Cat Care, and at least three weeks according to Cats Protection. During this time, the cat will learn that the house is a safe place and make it smell like itself, which helps it find its way home. Cats Protection writes that cats released too early sometimes disappear and sometimes find their way back to their old home. The first time you let it out: do it in the morning or early afternoon, just before a meal, so you can lure it in with food.

Source: International Cat Care: Moving house with your cat, Cats Protection: Moving House With a Cat.

What do you do if the cat goes back to the old home?

If you've moved nearby, the cat may find its way back. International Cat Care advises you to warn the new owners or tenants, ask them to contact you if they see the cat, and ask them not to feed it. If you've moved within the same area, the cat should stay indoors as long as possible after the move.

Source: International Cat Care: Moving house with your cat.

How do you notice that the cat is stressed?

Cats Protection mentions that the cat hides, scratches furniture, does its business outside the box, eats more or less than usual, or hisses. Djurskyddet Sverige points out that a cat that suddenly urinates indoors in the wrong places may be sick, and that it's a good idea to have a veterinarian examine it. If the cat is healthy, it may be about the cat litter box's hygiene or stress. If you're worried, call the veterinarian.

Source: Cats Protection: Moving House With a Cat, Djurskyddet Sverige: Katt.

Must the cat be registered?

Yes. Since 1 January 2023, cats must be identification-marked and registered with the Jordbruksverket before they are four months old, both indoor and outdoor cats. Cats born before 1 January 2008 are exempt. The registration is done in the Jordbruksverket's e-service and costs 40 kronor per cat. Add a reminder about the cat to Your moving plan.

Source: Jordbruksverket: Mark and register cats, Law (2007:1150) on supervision of dogs and cats (riksdagen.se). 2 and 3 §§ of the law on supervision of dogs and cats.

The law behind it