i just moved -- kitty is unhappy

[marisals]

I was forced to move out of my apartment two weeks ago due to my landlord dying and the property being sold to a developer. Hannah, my 6 year old kitty, loved the space in the old apartment - a nice window to sit in at night to feel the breeze, lots of nooks to curl up in, a couch she enjoyed sitting on (especially behind my head), and stairs she loved to run up and down in a game of 'chase.' We lived there for two years - she seemed to just blossom there.

It is two weeks today that we moved out. I had to leave behind the couch due to it not fitting up the staircase to the attic apt where i now live. It is quite small here. Hannah spends most of the day sitting under my bed. I will go in and try to coax her out and sometimes she will come out for a few minutes to let me stroke her but then she goes back in and hides. When I go to bed at night she will leave the bedroom and go out into the living room and sit there all night. In the morning she will meow 'goodmorning' like she did in the last place but she is not at all the way she was. She won't cuddle with me or really be around me much at all.

I put her cat furniture by the only window i have in the living room, but the window is very small and she can't sit "tall" on the windowsill. She doesnt seem to be 'taking' to it.

She has been scratching at the carpet here - we did not have carpet in the last place and it is the same color as her scratching furniture so i don't think she understands, or will ever know the difference. I am trying to train her by saying "no" and then praising her when she goes in the right place, but she still is scratching the carpet anyway.

She has been pooping on the floor in the doorway to my bedroom and she has been swatting at me in the living room, and overall has a very unhappy face on her, one i have not seen in a long long time.

I feel bad that she is unhappy. I obviously would have loved to stay in the old place, but i was forced out. What can I do to make her feel more at home in a place that is very different from where we used to live? I am worried she will get ill from being so unhappy.

[Tundra_Queen]

I'm sorry u had to move.

I'm not a kitty expert, but maybe u could buy some Feliway and spray it on things in your partment to make her more relaxed.

I'm sure others will post that are kitty experts and will be able to give u more advice than me.

Debbie

[lUvMyLaB<3]

this is tough. . We just moved too and boy my ff sure had a hard time, but is ok now. I would try and keep ur same routine and behavior. Try to make it smell like home kitty should come around. Does kitty know where the litter box is, is it in a noisy ,scary or strange place? She should start to settle down. Good luck!

[Love4himies]

Moving can be very tough on kitties, that's for sure. It may just take some time for her to get used to her new surroundings.

I wonder if there was a previous pet that she can smell that is making her afraid

Perhaps just sitting with her, putting her favourite treats around you will entice her out, the more she comes out, the faster she will get used to her new surroundings. I would not, though, unless it is an emergency, force her to come out, that would only make it worse .

[marisals]

thank you all... hannah has come out from under the bed twice today, letting me know she's in the living room w/ a "meow" and then she rolls over for me to stroke her belly. Then she runs back into the bedroom and stays under the bed for a few more hours

she's eating fine, and hasn't pooped on the floor again. i think i am just going to let her let me know what she feels safe w/ and when, and give her the time she needs. I miss her though!

[sugarcatmom]

Maybe some play therapy would help her? Find something interactive, like fishing rod or wand style toys, or even just a shoelace with a knot in the end, and gently try to entice her out. Don't grab her if she does come out, but maybe give her some extra tasty treats that she doesn't get at any other time. The Feliway suggestion is a good one. I recently moved with my guy after living in the same house for 15 yrs. I bought a couple Feliway diffusers which I really think helped with Aztec's quick adjustment, despite moving to a place that had cat urine issues from the previous occupants, as well as dealing with strange noises from downstairs tenants.

[Jim Hall]

she sounds like she will be ok give it some time be nice and gentle and kind to her as i am sure you are