Moving to a new home is a stress for all cats. We as animal owners can reduce stress by offering a de-stressing environment and using soothing pheromones and supplements. It’s wonderful that our little family members have different personalities.
Sometimes it happens that our cats are shy or scared for various reasons. Some animals that have had a tough start in life can be a little insecure when they move into a new family, so you have to be patient! It takes a long time to get those who have been treated badly to trust people again. In the beginning you have to look forward to the small progress ..
Different cats have different stress thresholds and different needs. A cat that moves into a new household with several cats is often at first low in rank. Cats can show stress and insecurity by urinating, scratching, hiding, decreased appetite and playfulness.
Meet the basic needs of the cat
To minimize stress, always make sure that the cat’s basic needs are met;
- Access to food and water – these should be placed so that the cat, if it is shy, can drink and eat in several places in the household. The same applies if you have more cats, you should place bowls so all the cats can eat in peace, even the low-ranking cats.
- Access to hiding places – cats like to lie a little higher and look down at the surroundings. Climbing trees with several ledges are a good solution.
- Access to pee box – all cats must have a box is the rule. Some shy cats like to see their cat friends and even humans as they do their needs. If you do not know what need your cat has, make sure you have a cat box with a roof and one without a roof where the cat can see the surroundings and any threats. The location of the box is also important. You can have one in the toilet, but if you have a shy cat or a low-ranking cat, the cat may be unsure to walk on the drawer that becomes difficult to access in a room. It is better then to place it in a corner where the cat has a clear view in front of him but does not have to keep track behind his back.
Soothing scent pheromones
All mammals communicate with fragrances so-called. Pheromones. The product Feliway has extracted the cat’s soothing facial pheromones. The cat rubs off soothing scent pheromones on objects it wants to mark when it is de-stressed and feels well. These fragrances provide peace of mind to cats who are stressed in certain situations. Cats are individuals and are stressed by various things such as driving a car, moving, supplementing or moving both animals and people in the household.
With Feliway spray, you can spray the transport cage and the car before departure so that the cat gets a calmer drive to his new home. To reduce stress when the cat is exposed to new environments, spray 2-3 pump strokes 15 minutes before the cat starts to stay in the room. In the new home, it is also good that a day before the cat will put a Feliway fragrance emitter in the socket. The fragrance emitter sprays soothing pheromones into the household. I usually recommend my pet owners to wear the dispenser for 1 at least a month after moving or adopting.
The emitter covers a little over 30 square meters, so place the emitter in the area where the cat spends the most time. If you have 2 floors, it is best to buy 2 emitters.
Feliway is not a drug and it is not dangerous to use for long periods. As a returning veterinarian, I have a special interest in the shy, slightly stressed animals. I have recommended many of my cats to use feliway and have seen how they can do wonders for many individuals. However, it is important to have a veterinarian investigate whether the problems may have physical causes.
Many people use feliway for life. Different areas that they can be used for are urine marking, moving, transport, motion sickness, new additions to the family, refurnishing at home, more cat households, holiday stays.
Soothing supplements – Zylkéne
At higher stress, you can combine Feliway with Zylkéne which is a natural sedative supplement.
I usually recommend that you combine these right away when it comes to more severe stress such as the adoption of very shy cats. Zylkéne is a natural sedative based on substances extracted from the cow’s colostrum.
When the cow sucks her young, the calves become calm and relaxing by secreting the well-being hormone oxyticin. You can easily open the capsules and empty the powder into soft food to get it in the kiss. Start giving highly rescued cats the supplement some day before moving to at least a week after arriving at the new home.