Cats are certainly not known to like change, and moving to a new residence is a pretty big change. The experience can certainly be stressful for a cat, but luckily, there are steps you can take to make the experience easier on your feline companion.

Leave your cat's favorite furniture in place until the last minute.

Does your cat have a favorite sofa, dresser, or bed he likes to sleep on? Make this one of the last things you pack up and move. This way, even as items are being packed up and carried out around your cat, he will have a familiar, favorite place to seek for comfort. Leave your cat's food, water, and litter box in their normal places until the last minute, too.

Don't wash your cat's bedding until after you move.

It may seem like moving is the perfect time to wash your cat's bed, clean the litter box thoroughly, and launder the cat toys. However, moving these items into your new home unwashed will be comforting to your cat. They'll smell familiar, which will help your cat feel more at ease in the new place. If you want to get your cat a new bed or new bowl for the new home, wait to do this until you've been in the new place for a few weeks.

Have some calming medications on hand.

Some cats travel better than others. But even if your cat usually rides to the vet without worry, he might be a bit anxious on moving day since items are being moved at the same time he's being asked to get into the cat crate. It's best to talk to your vet and get a dose of a calming medication so that if your cat starts to get too nervous or worried prior to the move, you can administer these drugs. You want your cat to feel calm and confident when he arrives at the new place – you don't want him to be cowering in the corner of the cat crate or vomiting due to nervousness.

Introduce your cat to one room at first.

When you arrive in the new home, set up your cat's litter box, food bowl, and bed in a single room. Restrict the cat to this room, with the door closed, while you finish all of the unpacking. Strange people coming in and out of the home, carrying multiple items, can be stressful for your cat, and isolating him to one room keeps him from being exposed to this. You can let your cat out of this room to explore once the movers have left and things have settled down. Contact a business, such as Bell Moving & Storage, for more tips on moving pets.