Conference misery::feline_v1

    I've never done this, but I think UK vets will do it.
    
    All my cats leave home as soon as they hear the words "cat basket"
    - if we want to take them anywhere, we have to seal all the exits
    first!
    
    Helen.

    By the way, I put my cats in the cattery when for a couple of days
    when moving house.  It's a lot easier to move out and in without
    having to worry about frightened cats disappearing all over the
    place - they hate chaos.  And then when they come back from the
    cattery we can concentrate on settling them in.

    
    I cannot put Sam in the cattery as he never had any injections and
    they want certificates and besides the one time I put Dillan in
    a cattery he sulked uncontrollably for 2 weeks after....never again
    
    I can get round that problem by shutting them in one of the bedrooms,
    away from the chaos, with litter tray and food and keep visiting them
    to calm them down (or getting them to calm me down) but it's getting
    them there in the first place.  Dillan will be fine, I just have
    to open the car door and he will jump in but Sammie........
    
    I think I'll ring my vet.
    
    Sharon
    

    Hi--
    
    Ask your vet for a tranquilizer called ACE (think the full name
    is Ace-Promozone).  Depending on the size of your cat, give him
    a pill about 20 minutes before you are ready to put him in the carrier.
    My Billie weighs about 9 lbs., and when I have to travel with her,
    I give her about a half pill, and she's fine.  She sleeps right
    through, and the half pill doesn't make her completely groggy when
    we arrive.  
    
    Be advised, though, that when your cat comes out of the carrier,
    he will not feel like himself because of the tranquilizer.  Billie
    always hisses because she can't understand why her legs don't move
    right or why she staggers.  Just let them sleep it off in a room
    with litter.  Let them come out of it before you feed or water them;
    again, ask the vet to be sure.
    
    Good luck,
    
    Jane
    

    re: .4 and acepromazone
    
    I only used it once, but it is long-lasting, and took a couple
    of hours to take full effect.  If you decide to use it, ask
    the vet how much advance time is suggested.  My experience was
    2-4 hours for full effect; didn't wear off entirely until the
    next day.  Great fun:  gave a still-terrified cat a bath, and
    about 2 hours later, she was finally getting relaxed! ;-(
    
    Valium can also be used on cats...similar effect.
    
    good luck,
    		Pennie   

    I just moved recently, and was terrified of putting Nikki in his
    carrier prior to the move.  Just the sight of it makes him head
    for the hills.  Actually, it's not getting him into the carrier
    that is difficult, but CATCHING him to get him in!  Here is what
    I did and it was still no picnic.
    
    I had the carrier set up in the living room on its side so that
    the opening was facing the ceiling (this trick thanks to a fellow
    noter).  Now I don't know what kind of basket you have in the U.K.,
    but mine is like a long box with a spring-loaded front.  Standing
    it on its side makes it a lot easier to put kitty in because kitty
    goes in back feet first and doesn't have enough time to get his
    footing to run out before you close the door.  Next, I shut the
    door to every room in the house so that Nikki couldn't escape me.
    He wasn't stupid-he knew what was up and I chased him all around
    the apartment until finally, my fiance and I had to corner him in
    order for me to pick him up and put him in the carrier.  I always
    feel so guilty after an episode like this; I was told if you act
    nervous they sense it and it only makes the situation worse.
    
    In my case, administering a tranquelizer would be ten times more
    difficult than the above.  If getting your kitty into the basket
    is what's hard, try standing the basket on its side with the opening
    facing the ceiling.  If it's the ride that makes him nervous, then
    perhaps a tranquelizer is the best method to use.
    
    Whatever you choose, best of luck!
    
    /Roberta
    

    The concept I use is similar to Roberta's but I put the
    carrier in the bathroom, and then entice the cat into the
    bathroom with tunafish or something like that.  This way,
    Crybaby has nowhere to run away.  
    
    Donna

    Thanks, Donna, for the bathroom suggestion.  I was wondering what
    to do next time since now we have three floors.
    
    :-)
    
    /Roberta
    

    Sharon
    
    I had to tranquilise my cat once when we had to take him on a long
    journey.  I got the pill from my vet (can't remember what it was
    called).  I gave the pill to Lizzie about 20 minutes before we left
    and it worked almost immediately.  Lizzie was not knocked out 
    completely, but he was incapable of standing or fighting and was
    just very relaxed.  He really did look rather pathetic and I felt
    very protective of him.  I didn't bother to put him in his basket
    although we had it in the car in case.  My husband was driving,
    so I had Lizzie on my lap for the whole six hours of travelling
    and he was no trouble.  
    
    He started to come round from the tranquilliser at the end of the
    journey and was almost recovered when we arrived at our 
    destination.  He was in a bad mood when he came around, but not
    nearly such a bad mood as he would have been without the 
    tranquilliser.  He really hates car travel.   
    
    I would do it again, but only for a long journey, or perhaps 
    for the upheaval of a house move, although I would more likely 
    leave him at my mother's house during the actual moving.  
    
    If you do tranquillise, be prepared for how pathetic your cat
    will look.
    
    Good luck
    
    April 

                                            
    Thanks for the advise everyone.  I phoned the vets just now and
    they said that although they do not recommend giving sedatives to
    cats I could call round that morning and pick some up if I really
    needed to. 
    
    The only thing they did say that has concerned me is that cats under
    sedation are extra sensative to loud noises...any form of loud noise
    scares the hell out of Sammie anyway!!!!
    
    Did anyone else experience this as well as a pathetic looking cat??
    
    Sharon T (UK)
    

    Does anyone have any tips for getting a cat settled into new
    surroundings once they have moved?
    
    We are thinking of moving but I hate the thought of Georgie having
    nowhere to go once he gets to a new home.  At the moment he has
    quite a large territory and I'm afraid he might stray as this is
    how we came to get him in the first place!
    
    I've also heard you should keep a cat indoors for a couple of
    weeks so that he acclimatize before letting him out.  I don't
    think Georgie could put up with this!
    
    Any advice would be appreciated.
    
    Thanks,
    
    Karen
    

>    I've also heard you should keep a cat indoors for a couple of
>    weeks so that he acclimatize before letting him out.  I don't
>    think Georgie could put up with this!
    
If you DON'T keep him in for 3 or 4 weeks, you stand a good chance
Georgie will get lost from the new house....you really don't have
a choice.  You have to let the cat know where "home" is - and it
takes cats awhile to aclimate to new surroundings....they are not
creatures who take change well.  You might try spending some time
with the cat, daily, to play with a toy or something so the time
indoors won't be too boring....but keep Georgie in or you'll 
end up worrying what's happened to him.    

    
    When ever I have moved, I would keep the kitty in for a week.  Then,
    when the kitty goes out for the first time, I would go out _with_
    her and spend some time petting and playing with her near the door,
    and then in the yard.  Since the warmer weather is here, you might
    want to try to make an afternoon of it when the kitty does eventually
    go out.
    
    Marion
    

    I agree with the previous reply.
    
    We just recently moved and had to keep Chauncey in for a week. 
    He didn't like it, but I made him tough it out!  He literally sat
    by the windows all week and was underfoot every time we walked toward
    the general direction of the door.  A real pain he was.  At one
    point he managed to escape and I ran after him, picked him up, and
    he growled and hissed at me the whole way in the door.  All this
    from a cat who doesn't have a mean streak in him (unless he feels
    confined; "Mom, you're invading *MY* space")!
    
    After a week, I let him out and stayed outside with him.  He was
    one happy kitty; did his exploring/sniffing routine, but stayed
    very close to home.  Both my cats never stray farther than the next
    row of townhouses.
    
    It won't be fun, but do keep your cat inside the first week.  After
    that, it can be business as usual.
    
    /Roberta
    

    Just to avoid some of the anguish that could go along with an
    accidental escape, consider getting the cat used to wearing a collar,
    and when you move, make sure it has an ID tag with your *new* phone
    number (you can get one of these engraved while-you-wait at places
    like Sears).
    
    Deb

    I agree with Deb.
    
    I put a collar on Chauncey mainly because of his nosiness.  He is
    forever poking around places he shouldn't be and if he ever became
    entrapped or lost somewhere, I now have peace of mind knowing he
    wears identification tags.  Surprisingly, he took to the collar
    well.  I think he knows how sporty he looks in red...the one female
    cat in the neighborhood thinks he is hot stuff!  Although Chauncey
    is forever chasing her out of his yard...
    
    /Roberta
    

    Thanks to everyone who replied to my question on moving.  Guess
    Georgie will have to get used to staying in for a while and we will
    have to get some ear-plugs!  You see, when he insists on going out
    he howls until the door is opened for him!  Not a pretty sound I
    can tell you!
    
    And, just one more question, if you don't mind.  When a cat moves home does
    he generally feel wary and stay near home until he gets used to
    things or is he likely to go off exploring for long periods.  I
    know there's no black or white answer, but I was wondering what
    people have experienced with their cats?
    
    Thanks and regards,
    
    Karen
                                

    I don't think Georgie will stray too far from home.  When Chauncey
    first went out, he went to the next row of townhouses and to the
    units in back of ours and occassionally crossed the street, but
    that was it.  He had fun exploring; however, he never strayed far
    from my sight.  Now, my neighbor's (and good friend) two cats always
    come to visit, and they all play right in our little yard, so I always
    know where Chauncey is!
    
    Is Georgie neutered?  If so, neutered cats hardly ever stray far
    from home.
    
    Hope this helps.
    
    /Roberta
    

    Hi Roberta!
    
    Yes he is.  But he likes to go off for hours at a time...Now that
    the warm weather's here he'll stay out all day and all night and
    just pop home for a few hours in the evening when we get home from
    work.  We live quite near a copse and he likes to go hunting in
    there I think.  He also has a little "den" amongst some bushes etc
    in a neighbour's garden where he will sleep for hours at a time.
    
    If we move to this new place he won't have the woods to explore
    in.  We think that will make a difference and he may stay home more.
    Also, we hope to fit a catflap to the new house.  Do you think this
    will make a difference?
    
    Karen

    I think it depends on the cat.  Last time we moved house, I let
    Hector out (accompanied, and wearing a collar and identity tag)
    the day he moved in.  He was fine.  And Hector came to us as a stray
    cat.
    
    I have taken cats on holiday, let them out, and not had any problems.
    
    But  ... it depends on the cat.  I would not do this with Oliver
    (nervous type) for instance - he spends a few days indoors (probably
    under the wardrobe, or in our bed, being Ollie.  Though even he
    is getting less neurotic as he gets older).
    
    Helen.

    Having just gone through this, most of the advice is right-on. 
    I would recommennd the stepwise approach, insuring that your friend
    gets to recognize home.
                                             
    Be prepared for some turf battles, as your guy will be the new guy
    on the block.
    
    George

    Thanks once again for your help.  Other pussies have managed to
    relocate so why not Georgie?  I feel a lot happier now that I have
    some idea of what we should do to get him settled in.
    
    And as for the battles.  We went through all of that when Georgie
    first came to live with us.  One fight was so bad he ended up having
    an operation!!  So I hope we chose an area where there aren't many
    cats!!  Or that they're females as he gets on well with a little
    female down the road.
    
    Karen

    I just thought I would share one of my experiences.  I had a cat
    many years ago (my first one!) who was an indoor only spayed female.
    I didn't know that you should keep cats in when you moved, but it
    really didn't apply to me since she was an indoor only cat.  I moved
    from one apartment (kicked out because of Chrissy, the cat!) to
    another one all the way across town.
    
    Shortly after moving, our new house was broken into.  They took
    everything that wasn't nailed down and didn't bother to shut the
    front door behind them.  Needless to say, Chrissy was nowhere to
    be found.  She was missing for several weeks before I got a call
    from my old neighbors saying that she had been waiting on the front
    porch of our old apartment for several days, obviously upset that
    the new tenants wouldn't let her back in.  She was very skinny and
    looked awful, but she was healthy still.
    
    This happened one more time during the time we lived in the new
    place.  It was one of those instances were you open the door with
    your hands full and the cat dashes out between your legs.  This
    time she also went to the old apartment, but this time I was prepared.
    I called my old neighbor and asked her to be on the lookout for
    Chrissy.
    
    If my old landlords had known how much Chrissy loved the old place,
    maybe they wouldn't have been so hasty in kicking the two of us
    out! 8^)
    
    Jo

    re:23
    
    Jo, "way accross town" - how many miles do your baby travel?
    That's amazing!
    
    E.T.

    About ten miles!  The weird part is that she was NOT and outdoor
    cat, nor had she ever been!  I got her as a kitten and had to keep
    her inside in order to hide her from the landlord.
    
    She was very smart tho.  I kept her litter box under the bathroom
    sink in the cabinet in case the landlord ever dropped by.  It didn't
    take much to train her how to open the cabinet door to go in and
    use the box.
    
    Jo

    Unreal!  Boy, I wish some of my guys were that bright - one to two
    of them look like they should be wearing yellow slickers and 
    carrying lunch boxes - not sure if they would come in out of
    the rain!!