DEAR JOAN: I have two 12-year-old indoor cats that have been in our home since they were kittens.
We are moving into a new home in the same city. I want to know how best to transition them to our new place with the least amount of anxiety to them, and I also would appreciate suggestions on how best to help them adjust to their new home.
We have a 7-year-old goldendoodle, too, but I don’t believe relocation will be as anxiety-producing for him. Or am I wrong to think that?
Mariessa Deltorchio
Bay Area
DEAR MARIESSA: Some cats aren’t bothered in the least by a major move, while others go into funks if you move the scratching post to another window. Most cats, like humans, don’t like change.
Before the move, get the cats accustomed to their carriers, leaving the doors open and tossing in a few treats. Also put out some empty boxes before you start packing so they’ll get used to them as well.
On moving day, keep the cats in a secured area. Many cats go missing during a move when everything is so chaotic.
You’ll want to transport them in their carriers and don’t let them out until you are inside the new place. A cat’s instinct when upset is to run and you don’t want your cats running outside.
Despite cats’ well-deserved reputation as free spirits, they like the security of small, enclosed spaces, so to start, keep them in a single room with their beds, feeding dishes, litter boxes, scratching posts and toys. Those all will smell and feel like home to them.
Visit and play with them so they know you’re still around. You can also hide treats around the room so they can explore the area and get used to the new surroundings.
In a few days, let them explore a little more of the house, gradually expanding their view while giving them the option to retreat to their room if they get overwhelmed.
Having you and things they recognize around them should make it an easy adjustment.
Dogs can take some time to adjust to new surroundings, but they tend to accept as home any place you are. Be warned, however, that he might hike his leg in a few places inside the house. He’ll want to mark his territory, but once marked, he’ll be fine.
DEAR JOAN: Recently I was meeting some friends near the Martinez Marina. Before I left home, they called to ask me to bring a portable drill. I asked why and they told me they could hear the chirping of a bird that was caught inside a drinking fountain.
I hurriedly got the drill and threw in some screwdriver bits. I met them behind the ballfields, where I saw the fountain encased in wood. We undid the screws and opened the area up. Lo and behold, a tiny blue bird flew happily out.
The inside of the fountain showed nesting materials, but it was dry. My guess is that there was a slight opening under the fountain that allowed the mama to make her nest and poor junior didn’t know how to get out.
All’s well that ends well.
Marlene Lerner-Bigley
Bay Area
DEAR MARLENE: I suspect you are correct. It sounds as if the bird may have been a Western bluebird. They are cavity nesters, so the inside of the boarded up fountain must have seemed like a palace to them.
Thanks to you and your friends for your ingenuity and quick help in freeing junior from his cage.
Contact Joan Morris at jmorris@bayareanewsgroup.com. Follow her at Twitter.com/AskJoanMorris. Read more of her Animal Life columns at www.mercurynews.com/animal-life.
