Moving house in three weeks with two cats who hate the car. How long did yours take to settle, and when did you let them out?

We complete on the 31st, about 25 minutes' drive from where we are now. Two cats: Dot (9, calm, sleeps through anything) and Rocket (3, the opposite, cries the whole way to the vet and has to be retrieved from the back of the wardrobe). Both go out at the moment, cat flap, garden, fields beyond.

The new place is on a quieter road but I'm terrified of letting them out and one of them making a run for the old house. Also no idea what to do with them on the day while the removal men are in and out.

What worked for you? How long did you keep them in? Did anyone do a cattery?

Moved with Baxter and Willow a few years back. Shut them in the bathroom on the day with a big sign on the door saying DO NOT OPEN CATS, moved them last. That sign was the best thing I did, one of the removal men told me he'd have opened it otherwise.

We did a cattery for Alfie for three nights over the move and I think it was the right call for him, he came home to a new house that was already quiet and set up. Book early though, half term ones fill up and they want vaccination cards.

Jonno72 said:

terrified of letting them out and one of them making a run for the old house

Jonno, the short version: one safe room at each end, a secure carrier on the day, and about three weeks indoors at the new house before the first trip out. That three weeks is the guidance from Cats Protection, and it's a minimum rather than a target, so with Rocket I'd expect to go a bit longer.

The order that works for most cats: set up a safe room in your current house about a week before, with beds, a tray, food, water, and somewhere to hide, so it's already familiar. On the day they're shut in it (with a sign like two_tabbies') or away at a cattery, whichever suits each cat; there's no rule that both have to do the same. At the new house, set up the same room before the carriers come in, and keep them there for a couple of days until they're eating and using the tray, then open up the rest of the house a room at a time with outside doors and the cat flap locked.

Two things people forget. Update both microchips with the new address before you move, not after, because a cat that slips out in a new area doesn't know the way back. And with only 25 minutes between houses, it's worth telling the people moving into your old place, so they can let you know if a cat turns up and not feed them.

First trips out: just before a meal, so they're hungry, a few minutes at a time, calling them back with food. When I moved with three cats, the nervous one lived behind the bathroom radiator for nearly a week and was asleep on the new sofa by week two. The carrier guide might take some of the drama out of Rocket's journey.

This is brilliant, thank you. Microchips updated already (wouldn't have thought of doing it before). Spare room is the safe room from tomorrow. Going to try Dot at home on the day and Rocket at a cattery for two nights, as he'd only spend the whole day yelling at the door.

Seconding rubbing a sock on their cheeks and then on the door frames in the new house. Sounds mad. Seemed to help ours walk about like they owned the place much faster.

We're in. Dot was out of the carrier and asleep on a box within the hour. Rocket came home from the cattery this morning, has been under the bed in the spare room all day but ate his tea in there an hour ago, which I'm counting as a win. Three weeks indoors starts now. Will report back when they get their first look at the new garden.