Introducing kitty to a new house

[StratusRose]

My husband and I finally settled on our house yesterday! :extrahappy: I am worried about my cat. She has been staying with my brother since a week before the wedding so when we move in I’ll be taking her back. She’s a good cat, but when she gets upset she urinates on things. When I moved into my apartment last year, she urinated in my living room chair. Luckily, it was pleather so it wiped off okay. Is there was proper way to introduce a cat to a new home without freaking it out too much? My husband said if she pees on anything, then I have to get rid of her. (I think he was just trying to make a point.) Any ideas??

 

[cmt]

My husband and I finally settled on our house yesterday! :extrahappy: I am worried about my cat. She has been staying with my brother since a week before the wedding so when we move in I’ll be taking her back. She’s a good cat, but when she gets upset she urinates on things. When I moved into my apartment last year, she urinated in my living room chair. Luckily, it was pleather so it wiped off okay. Is there was proper way to introduce a cat to a new home without freaking it out too much? My husband said if she pees on anything, then I have to get rid of her. (I think he was just trying to make a point.) Any ideas??

She may feel threatened by changes to her environment. You can help speed up the change of enviroment process by spreading some of the cat’s scent yourself. Take a soft cotton cloth and rub it gently around the cat’s face (where scent glands are present which produce the cat’s individual scent). The secretion collected contains pheromones that provide a message of familiarity and security directly to the cat’s brain. Rub the cloth against furniture or walls at cat height and repeat this several times a day. The cat may be less likely to urinate if it is aware that its own scent is there already. Your veterinarian can also supply a product which contains synthetic pheromones (Feliway, Ceva Animal Health) which act in the same way.

 

[sanctareparata]

I think you do it slowly, room at a time, with the securities of her favorite toy, bed or kennel there with them so they can hide if they need to. I’d probably start with her in the bathroom (because of the pee problem). Start with the door closed so she only has that small space to investigate and doesn’t feel threatened, and once she’s comfy in there open the door and let her come out to explore as she desires (without forcing her or carrying her into another room).

 

[His_Ruby]

Congrats to you two!!! :bounce: Many blessings and happiness in your new home!

I had a cat when I was living at my mom’s before I was married but I have no advice to offer here, really. I just hope female cat urine doesn’t smell as bad as male cat urine… or is it worse? Mine used to pee all over everything and I had to get rid of sooo many clothes once when he got into my room.

I did a quick Google search and found this article… it’s long but toward the middle-end has some really good advice about introducing the cat to the new home. sniksnak.com/cathealth/moving.html

 

[Eliza10]

Yikes. A cat who urinates. There used to be nothing to get out that smell, but now they have cleaner with enzymes, at your pet store or department. It really gets rid of the smell. Except for the cat, who knows his scent, and may tend to go back and rescent that spot.

 

[whatevergirl]

My husband and I finally settled on our house yesterday! :extrahappy: I am worried about my cat. She has been staying with my brother since a week before the wedding so when we move in I’ll be taking her back. She’s a good cat, but when she gets upset she urinates on things. When I moved into my apartment last year, she urinated in my living room chair. Luckily, it was pleather so it wiped off okay. Is there was proper way to introduce a cat to a new home without freaking it out too much? My husband said if she pees on anything, then I have to get rid of her. (I think he was just trying to make a point.) Any ideas??

CONGRATS TO YOU ON YOUR NEW HOME!!! That’s so exciting. I too have a cat, and we are moving as I’m sure you have read…and I have concerns too. My cat doesn’t urinate when anxious…but, I have read that they can ‘spray?’ I ran out of time, but I had on my ‘to do’ list that I wanted to get our cat neutered. And we didn’t. Do you know if cats, when in new surroundings…spray??? Gosh I hope he doesn’t do that…

 

[sarita]

I highly recommend the feliway pheromone diffuser. It looks like one of the plug in scented oil air fresheners but doesn’t smell. It’s really helped my extremely nervous kitty since we moved last year.

 

[Convert_in_99]

WOW! Your barely a month married and you guys have a house? You’ll be doing great! :yup: I wish you the best. Congrats! :clapping:

I don’t know a thing about cats…I am a dog person. Just wanted to tell you congrats on the house.

 

[whatevergirl]

I highly recommend the feliway pheromone diffuser. It looks like one of the plug in scented oil air fresheners but doesn’t smell. It’s really helped my extremely nervous kitty since we moved last year.

where can i buy this, sarita?? thanks by the way–my husband will be less anxious over this then. (along with the cat) lol

He’s concerned with the cat potentially spraying…and also…I have never had a cat that sprayed…is it noticeable, like urine??