How long did it take for your pets to adjust?

So we left a quiet and peaceful cabin in the woods and are now in noisy and crowded Bristol.

The flight over was the most turbulent I've ever been on.  I can't imagine what their kitty brains were thinking there in the dark.  I can't imagine that they slept through the entire flight either, with all the bumping and shaking.

Now my cats are scared of everything!  It a major adjust for me too, trying to deal with all the outside noises.  I tried to show them the cat door but they resisted.  I imagine that they are already overwhelmed with new information.

Here we sit, for the first time EVER, all three curled up within reach of me.  Nobody wants to explore.  And they are sleeping more than I've ever seen.  When I get to bed, I can't move for cats wedged up on me.

While I'm happy to have them with me, I worry about their emotional state.  For the first time, I feel selfish for putting them through the stress.  I figure it will pass with time, but wonder how much time it's taken other kitties to adjust.

How long since the flight? It does take time, especially for cats.

It won't take long.  They will chill out soon.  Lots of spoiling and fussing and they will soon be settled.  They are clinging on to you as you are something solid they know where as everything else is strange at the moment ( you are mummy )

As for the sleeping..I should imagine they are catching up.  I know if I have been stressed and then I start to feel calmer again..I become sleepy.  Its probably kind of a "come down" after the stress they have had.  Its stressful to us to fly..animals are no different.  You are certainly not cruel to bring them over  

They and YOU! will be ok  

Give it time...

We moved house last weekend...and my guys have JUST NOW forgiven me.  Seriously - they kept me up ALL NIGHT LONG Saturday and Sunday nights, wanting constant snuggles and reassurance - and we only moved a few miles down the road!  This is their third move - the first one was the international one, and they seemed to adapt really quickly, but I think that was largely because we had a six-hour drive back up north from Gatwick that we spent together in a tiny car, with plenty of mommy time (DH drove most of the way while I cuddled kitties).

All this to say...they'll settle down in a few days, honestly.  Right now everything is new except for you - which means they're gonna stick to you like glue until they get used to everything else.   

If you think they're too stressed/anxious, try a bit of Rescue Remedy in their water (also called Bach's five flower mix).  I bought a feliway diffuser, too, it seemed to help a lot for my old cat.  The first you can get at herb/health shops, the second at pet shops or the vet clinic.  Maybe pick up some new and exciting toys and some 'nip, as well.. and have a kitty party.

Everybody eating and pooping OK?  That's a biggie.

Thanks folks 

We arrived at Gatwick on Thursday (Sept 25) at 8am and in Bristol around 1 pm.  It's been less than 48 hours (can't think to count!  Jet lag + cold =  )

Good point about monitoring the ins and outs.  Lots of #1 (copious amounts in fact), not so much #2.  I'll keep my eyes on it.  Can't help but!  The minus side of having a wee tiny space is knowing immediately when someone has made a deposit in the litter box. 

For now, I'll enjoy the snuggles and expect that soon they will be their independant little selves. 

Totally non-scientific answer, but they're probably tired.  If the flight was really turbulent, they probably didn't sleep. 

The Boston-London flight will be the first flight for my cats, but we've moved long distances almost annually for their entire lives.  It usually takes about 48 hours for them to totally adjust.  Sometimes, like when visiting my parents, there hasn't been any adjustment, but sometimes it just takes longer for them to settle in. 

They're through the worst of it, hopefully they'll relax soon.

My mother always used to put butter on (all four) cat's paws when arriving at a new place.

My mother always used to put butter on (all four) cat's paws when arriving at a new place.

What on earth does this accomplish, other than oily grease spots on everything in sight? 

Hee hee!  I was wondering the same myself!   

We we arrived the first thing that happened was one cat got plopped in the bath (he had peed in his crate) and the other one made a beeline for the litter box (she held it for 13 hours). That evening when we went to sleep one of my cats slept right up against me for 15 hours. After that, they were fine. They didn't really have any adjustment issues. I'm sure they'll be fine once they realize you're not going anywhere!

They will be fine, they really will! If mine was -- and he is a sensitive little soul! -- yours will be too.

My cat is a shy and retiring type, sensitive, clingy and very attached to me, so I had worried that the entire thing, with the separation, all the strangers, the long flight, everything, was going to permanently scar his psyche! He was freaked out from start to finish, but after a day or two being settled into his new home, he was bouncing right back to his normal self. He was extra affectionate with me, he did snuggle even more, but also started enjoying exploring his new digs, after a day or two. It helped to have brought his old familiar toys, bed, and other things. And even though he is a shy type, he very quickly became fascinated by the new flat and all the different things here to explore. Within 24 hours he was playing and running about as if he owned the place.

Don't worry if it takes a few days -- besides thinking "What the hell was that?" about the journey in general, they are quite literally jet lagged too, just like humans! I'm pretty sure my nervous nelly of a cat probably did not sleep the entire ten hour flight, and yours may not have either. Right after collecting him he looked so freaked by the entire experience that I was seriously worried -- but if he made the recovery very quickly back to his happy little self, I know that yours will too, don't worry. I really feel that even though this kind of journey is a lot for them to cope with while it's happening, it is not a lasting trauma once they see their human again at the other end, and he is exhibiting such relaxed happiness that I have never regretted putting him through that one day of freak-out.

What on earth does this accomplish, other than oily grease spots on everything in sight? 

Up to just now I believed the thinking was that the cat, being a clean creature fond of dairy products, will immediately lie down and lick all the butter off, thus firstly having its spirits improved by a happy little gourmet episode, and secondly calming down and becoming used to the new surroundings. It certainly worked when we took the heavily pregnant ("in kittle" as my Derbyshire born father called it) Millie for a weeks stay in Margate. She held off delivering the 4 kittens until the day after we returned to London, contriving to do it at lunchtime on the Sunday before the August bank holiday, just as we were tucking in to our roast lamb.

I just now Googled "butter cats paws" and found a whole bunch of stuff including the theory that when they lick off the butter, they remove traces of the old territory (their comfort zone or 'home') which makes them less likely to try to stray to refind their comfort zone.

So I don't know why it is done really, but it was a fun thing to do and believe me, Millie did not make any greasy marks in the rented house, the butter was all licked off before she went exploring.

How utterly bizarre!  I can only imagine Toby's outrage should I ever attempt to butter his paws...

Regarding this butter-paw thing, when I was a child and we got a new kitten, my mum would put butter on their paws the first time they were allowed out into the garden (dont shout at me, I grew up in England where cats tend to be outdoor creatures!) She claimed that they would leave buttery footprints and be able to trace their way back should they get lost! Absolutely ridiculous!

On a related note though, Swami managed to get tree sap on his paws once and the only way I could help him get it off was to cover his feet in butter - the sap became soluble in the oil and then we could wipe it off (and he liked the buttery taste that remained!) It wasn't easy though, pinning down a sap-covered 15lb cat and trying to get butter in between his toes and not just all over the carpet!!!