Folded Ear Cat

　　People who raise often worry whether their cats can quickly adapt to a new home environment. Cats have a homing instinct and often return to their original residence after moving. However, some precautions can be taken to help them accept the new home quickly.

　　When preparing to leave the old home, cats should be locked in a safe room or a box before the moving company personnel arrive. Cats dislike seeing changes or disruptions in the home’s arrangement, and they tend to "run away" during the packing of furniture rather than endure the chaos. Therefore, it is best to lock the cat in one room during packing, which can both prevent it from running away and stop it from crawling into packing boxes to sleep and accidentally being moved with the furniture.

　　Cats should be securely locked inside a special box for transport in the car, as many cats are scared of car rides and may escape. Upon arrival at the new home, the cat should only be released after the movers have left, friends and family have departed, and the home has settled down. At that time, all doors and windows should be closed. If there is no heating stove, the chimney should be capped because frightened cats often hide in chimneys. Next, the cat should be confined in one room and spend some quiet time with it, allowing it to explore. For a few days, this room should be the cat’s exclusive space, with its litter box, food and water bowls, and sleeping blanket all placed there. The cat will explore every corner of the room and rub its body on furniture to mark its territory with scent. There is a superstition that spreading butter on a cat’s paws can help it settle in the new home. If done, the cat will sit licking its paws, taking time to clean itself. However, this measure is not reliable.

　　If your cat is originally accustomed to outdoor activity, it should be kept indoors for at least two weeks after moving, to build a bond with the new home before allowing it outside.

　　Before the move begins, the cat should wear a collar with identification tags listing the new home’s phone number. This provides a chance for reunion if the cat is lost and found by someone.

　　Cats have a strong territorial desire. Your new home's yard may already be considered territory by neighborhood cats. When you first let your cat into the yard, you should stay with it. This practice should continue for several weeks until you are confident your cat has established an attachment to the new home. Your cat will need to assert territorial rights in your yard, possibly after some confrontations with neighbors’ cats, though cats usually resolve such territorial disputes on their own.

　　If your cat is lost, first search the garden shed and under eaves, and ask neighbors to look as well. Posting lost cat notices within the community and informing nearby veterinary clinics or animal welfare organizations may also help.