Moving cross-country with "barn" cats

[archieflies]

Oh gosh I haven’t been to COTH in ages, but can’t think of a better resource right now!

We are preparing for a sudden cross-country move (Texas to New York!). I haven’t “moved” since Hubby and I bought the farm when we were babies straight out of college, so I am scrambling and my overwhelmed mind is fixating on the cats! I’ve definitely never moved with a pet. But these cats are family, and my kids are attached, so there’s no way around it. These Texas cats are becoming New Yorkers.

They are two “barn” cats that are lazy bums who mostly live in our house, but go outside whenever they demand it. Our farm is 16 acres, but they mostly stay in the house yard area or maybe 100 ft away to the barn when I’m out there. They’re not roamers-- but they are hiders when they’re nervous.

I don’t know at this point if we’ll be on acreage or in a subdivision, but I do think we’ll likely be in an apartment for 2-3 months since closing on houses in NY apparently takes an act of God. So the cats will be indoors for the foreseeable future. One will be OK with that except when she gets the zoomies at 4 am. One will likely hate life, but she’s a moody hag on her best day anyway.

I think I have plans for making the long drive work for the actual move… roomy crates, pet-friendly hotels, drugs if needed.

I’m mostly worried about the packing and movers coming and all that. The cats are not fans of strange people, or men in general. I’m a bit worried that they’ll run off to the woods and hide. Do i need to lock them in a bathroom? They’ll be so stressed there. Spoiled brats are not used to boundaries.

Anyway, what are the things I need to be thinking about through this process? Tips and suggestions? Ideas for helping a cat transition to a new home? Prayers for not losing my mind?

Thanks,
Bethany

[trubandloki]

Congrats on the move to the land of snow and ice, but bonus, we have less things trying to kill you out in nature (talking wildlife, not random humans).

On the cat subject - Since they live in the house most of the time now, I would set them up with crates in a place that will get the least amount of mover traffic and expect them to be miserable but safe. If you have a room that there is no risk of someone opening and letting them loose, you can do that too. But a crate seem so much safer, less risk of random mover person opening the door and them darting out.
You can get quite large dog crates that are collapsible (for easy moving). Add some shelves and they will be less tortured.
And since you are already going to be talking to your vet about medications to keep them comfortable, you can have that on hand in case they need it during this time too.

This time will also help them with the transition to all indoors.

Edit to add - also be sure to ask your vet if they know of any vet in your new area and about transferring paperwork. Lots of vets are not taking new clients so it is best to have an in if possible.

[Simkie]

For the movers/packing–crate the cats in a large dog crate with a hidey hole and a box, and put them in a room with the door closed. It will be stressful, but it’s the least worst option. They can go in the barn, in the tack room, if that’s more of home?

For the actual move…are you bringing a horse trailer? Crating the cats in the tack room of the trailer was SUCH a good way to move them for us. We used 24" wire crates–small enough to be able to haul into the hotel without removing the cat, but large enough to fit a bed and a (small) litter box. Above all–never, ever, ever have the crate open with a door to the outside open. If the crate is open for ANY reason, the car/trailer/whatever door is CLOSED.

Also, a wee little handheld vacuum is suuuuuper useful while traveling with kitties. The bathroom in the hotel is the safest place to let them loose. You never know what they might be able to crawl into in the actual room.

Once you do get settled…it can be tough for outdoor cats from other areas to understand the risks of being outdoors in a new area. Even with plenty of time to acclimate. Do give some thought as to whether these guys should be outside in their new place. Texas is really different from NY!

[js]

We kept the house cats in one room while packing. Day before the move barn cats and house cats were confined to one room in the house with their pet carriers (not in them). We shipped the horses with a commercial shipper, the cats in their pet carriers rode in the horse compartment of the horse trailer. We put two layers of carpet on the floor of the trailer, I had puppy training pads in the carriers with towels on top, water/food tray in each carrier. Since we moved in late October I had blankets to go on top of the carriers if it got cold. I checked on the cats every time we stopped and offered water and either baby food or squeeze up treats. When we got to our new place all cats were kept in the house. Barn cats became house cats. I never recommend letting cats out on stops unless you are sure they won’t panic and can easily be put back in the carrier.

We did get health certificates for the cats since we were crossing state lines. Didn’t expect to need them but I was more comfortable having them.

[Sandysmom]

No moving tips but the Feliway products have worked great for me in easing stress in my cats. You may consider using the spray to help calm them during and after the move.

[moonlitoaksranch]

I’ll second the health certificates. Get a vet check 30 days before because they may have parasites. Our barn kitty had to be locked up in a crate until we moved to keep him from recontaminating himself. Also, find a vet where you’re moving and what vaccines are given. You might need a new vaccine before turning them loose. When we moved north, there were tick vaccines for the dogs that we couldn’t get until we got here.

[MunchingonHay]

All great tips above me.

I would add:
before you let a cat loose in a motel/hotel check to see if they can climb into anything, like a hole under the sink. I just saw a tiktok where people were travelling with their cat and it got into the wall via hole under the vanity.

PLEASE call and find a vet before you go. I was turned away at 3 clinics when I moved from FL to PA due to them being understaffed.

I have driven up and down i-95 many times with my dogs and cats. (house cats) I just let them loose. I know, I should have them confined.

If I had barn cats, I would have them secured in a crate either in my car or a horse trailer depending on the weather. its hot in Tx now.

This is all of us on our most recent move from Fl to Pa. I laid the seats down, had dog beds and the cat’s litter box (its a rubbermaid tub with a side cut out) as well. Everyone traveled great.

[moonlitoaksranch]

This was our cross country trip. We checked under the hotel room furniture before letting them out. I think one place had weird holes we stuffed with decorative pillows. We also confined them to the bathroom with their litter box and food until they used it. Our cats held it during the drive so they appreciated the hasty access to litter when we stopped.

Another tip is to pre-bag your pet’s dry food so it’s quick and easy to feed them. When we arrived at the hotel each night, we brought in a bag with their bagged food, dishes, and blanket (to put on the bed). Another bag had the empty litter box, white vinegar in a spray bottle, kitchen bags, and paper towels. We carried that in with some fresh litter at every stop. Before leaving in the morning, we dumped the used litter into the kitchen garbage bag, sprayed down the litter box, wiped it with paper towels, added those to the bag, and tied it up so it was easy for us, or the hotel staff to dump (we took it out to the dumpster ourselves). We also carried shavings for the bunnies in the picture and wiped their cage down every morning, too. It made clean up easy. Also, if there’s an accident in the crate, the vinegar and paper towels will save you. Yes, that’s four cat crates and a bunny cage in the picture. We exceeded the limit at hotels, so we boarded one dog and two cats at each stop. Nobody fussed at us over the bunnies in their travel cage.

[candyappy]

@archieflies

Do i need to lock them in a bathroom? They’ll be so stressed there. Spoiled brats are not used to boundaries.

From experience get the big cages and get them in there before the packers/ movers are there. Keep them in a quiet place while things are going on and keep them inside the house from that moment on.

Nothing worse than moving day and you can’t find a cat.

[Cowboy_Girl]

Moved 4 barn cats across the country. Put 2 each in big dog crates. There was room for a small litter box plus food and water. Stayed in the crates whenever the movers or other strange people were around.
They were true barn cats - can pet if they feel like it, eliminate vermin, but not pick up or sit on lap types. They stayed in the horse trailer, in their crates for the duration of the trip - it was winter so not hot. Tough love but better than escaping
At their new place they all stayed in the tack room for a few days. Then let one out at a time - so it would come back to the others and for food. Slowly released the others one at a time over a week. The horses they knew were in their new barn. They adopted their new barn space rapidly and because they know when and were food comes from never do go far.
They are back to normal following me all over the place like a herd of short puppies.

[GraceLikeRain]

@archieflies

I’m mostly worried about the packing and movers coming and all that. The cats are not fans of strange people, or men in general. I’m a bit worried that they’ll run off to the woods and hide. Do i need to lock them in a bathroom? They’ll be so stressed there. Spoiled brats are not used to boundaries.

I’d crate them inside the bathroom. All it takes is one open door to have a panicked cat bolt through the house, fly out a door, and then you’re in the final hours of stress packing and barn cat is MIA for three days.

I’d also keep them crated at all times when traveling. Working in rescue we get daily posts and shares about animals lost during cross country moved. Kids opening car doors unexpectedly, car accidents, hotel door didn’t lock properly, “we barely cracked the window”, etc