How Long Does It Take a Cat to Adjust to a New Home?

Bringing your new cat home for the first time, or moving house with a cat​, can be both a challenging and an exciting experience, and cats can take between a few days to several months to get used to their new dwelling. Exactly how long it takes for a cat to adjust to a new home varies between individual cats, and will depend on their personality, age, any past experiences, how stressful the move itself was for them, as well as the sights, sounds and scents of the new property.

In this article we’ll look at ways to make the move as stress-free as possible for your pet, with advice on bringing your kitten home, moving an older cat to a new home, how long to keep a cat indoors after moving, and signs your new cat is adjusting to the new place to help settle them safely into their new surroundings.

How To Help Your Cat Adjust to a New Home?

Cats can be extremely sensitive to change, and the look and feel of a strange new place can be overwhelming for them. However, there are ways to help support the transition, to make it less stressful and help them to feel comfortable in their new house. Here are some top tips:

• Plan your cat’s move in advance, making sure you have access to their food, bowls, litter try and bed.
• If they usually use the toilet outdoors, keep them indoors and practice using the litter tray before moving day.
• Set up your cat’s space first, in a stress-free, quiet room which is secure so they can’t escape.
• Let them come out of their cat carrier of their own accord, and in their own time.
• Keep their usual food, bowls, blankets and toys consistent.
• Offer food and water immediately but let them eat and drink when they’re ready.
• Keep familiar items in their space with their usual scent on.
• Offer plenty of affection, reassurance and keep their routine the same.
• Provide mental stimulation with puzzles, toys and games when they’re ready.
• When they’re ready, allow supervised exploring of the new house.
• Keep your cat indoors until they’re fully settled in their new environment.
• When moving house, it may help to book your cat into a boarding cattery during the actual move, to avoid loud noises, new people and stress on the day.
• When moving an older cat to a new home, it may help to rub items with their scent on furniture and carpets to help them feel at home.
• For new kittens coming home, make sure your interactions are positive and allow your kitten to go back to their safe space whenever they want to.
• For anxious cats, a pheromone diffuser may help to ease stress and anxiety.

If you’re wondering how long does it take a cat to adjust to a new home, it can take anywhere from days to weeks, so be patient with them and they will get used to the new setup eventually.

What Are The Signs That Your Cat Is Settling in Well

After moving house with a cat, they’ll eventually start to settle into their new space and appear their old self again. They should start to purr again when you stroke them, explore other parts of the house, or come and cosy up on your lap in a different room. Cats usually only play, eat and groom when they’re comfortable enough to do so, and signs of their normal healthy behaviour are indications that they’re settling in well.

If you’ve recently brought a kitten home for the first time, sure signs your new cat is adjusting include eating and drinking, using their litter tray, and showing relaxed body language. They should start to engage with their new family, chatting to you and cat kneading or purring when they’re happy. If they show you their tummy, start stretching their legs, or start being curious about other areas of the house, you can be assured that they’re bonding with you and feeling settled.

What Are The Signs That Your Cat Is Struggling to Settle

If your cat is unsettled they may be reluctant to eat and drink, may not be using their litter tray correctly, and may stay in hiding following the move. Your pet might show tense body language, including wide eyes and a stooped posture, and they may even show aggressive behaviour such as hissing or scratching. Unsettled cats might also try to escape, so it’s important to keep them in their secure safe space until they’re more settled.

Moving an older cat to a new home can sometimes be challenging, especially if they like their set routine, have more of a nervous personality, or have had previous bad experiences. Kittens tend to adjust more quickly than older cats, but not always - how quickly they settle comes down to each individual cat, as well as the new surroundings.

Try to keep noise to a minimum and remove any stress by giving them time and space to adjust. Provide gentle interaction, a hideaway for them to retreat to, and you could try distraction with their favourite game or toy. Keep doors and windows closed to reduce the risk of escape, and keep a consistent routine with familiar scents around them to help soothe anxiety. Remember that scent is hugely important to cats, so if the new place has unsettling smells from previous pets try using a cat-safe cleaner and placing familiar items around to encourage them to come out and explore.

Moving an Older Cat to a New Home: Challenges and Solutions 

Older cats may be more resistant to change, and may take longer to adjust to a different home. Keeping their routine the same, offering their favourite usual foods, and having familiar items around will all help to support the transition. A frequent challenge can be teaching an older cat to use a litter tray, if they usually go to the toilet outside, but by starting training early and offering plenty of praise and positive reinforcement most will manage the change.

The question of how long to keep a cat indoors after moving will depend on how quickly your pet settles, but you should keep older cats indoors for around two to four weeks to be on the safe side. Look for signs your cat is adjusting before letting them explore the rest of the indoors, and when they seem fully relaxed and know their way around their new surroundings it may be time to offer them some supervised outdoor time.

Letting Cats Out for the First Time After Moving 

After moving house with a cat​, you’ll want to know how long to keep a cat indoors after moving, which should be at least two weeks at minimum. The key is to let your pet fully settle indoors before letting them outside whilst supervised. If you have a kitten, they will need to have had all their injections before being let outdoors, and all cats must be microchipped. A collar and tag is also recommended for identification. Remember that every cat will settle in their own time, so you may need to keep them indoors for several days or weeks longer.

It’s important to give cats a gradual introduction to the outside, to avoid them running off, injuring themselves or getting lost. Stay with them and gradually increase their time outside over days and weeks. Keep them safe by offering spaces to hide outdoors, only letting them out during the daytime, and training them to come back when you call. If they seem overly nervous, try playing a gentle game together, offer them some food outside, or keep them indoors for a while longer and resume the introductions at a later date.

If you’re worried about your cat wandering a little too far on their first solo trip out, a top tip is to let them out before a mealtime and keep their favourite dinner nearby to help tempt them back. Explore the delicious SHEBA® selection and treat them to a taste of home from home. Clever cats know that resistance is futile.

Cats Settling In a New Home - FAQs

What is the 3 3 3 rule for cats moving?

The 3-3-3 rule (also known as the Rule of Three) is a special plan to help your cat settle into their new home over the first three days, three weeks and three months after adoption or moving house. The first phase focuses on ways to support decompression and acclimatisation, followed by the settling in phase, and finally feeling at home. It promotes using space, scents, positive reinforcement and consistency to help settle your pet.

How long will a cat be stressed after moving?

When moving house with a cat​ it’s normal for your pet to show signs of being stressed or anxious by the change, which can last from hours to days or even longer. By keeping a quiet area for them, having familiar items, offering reassurance, giving them a secure space to hide and planning how long to keep a cat indoors after moving can help them feel less stressed.

How long until my cat gets comfortable in my new house?

Whilst some cats seem comfortable after just a few hours in a new home, others can take several weeks or even months to adjust. Signs your new cat is adjusting to your home, or your older cat is comfortable in a new home, is when they show relaxed body language, start to play and explore, and are eating, drinking and grooming as usual.

How long should I keep a cat indoors after moving

Cats should be kept indoors for at least two weeks after moving house to allow them to get used to their new surroundings. If you’re wondering how long does it take a cat to adjust to a new home, it can be anything from days to weeks, depending on their age, personality and past experiences, so be sure to keep them indoors until they appear relaxed and fully settled. This may take up to a month. Once your cat seems settled and ready to explore outside, don’t forget to update your new address and contact details with the microchip company—just in case they wander a bit too far. A breakaway collar with an ID tag and your phone number is also a great idea to help them find their way back to you.