The Local Leash
Moving House with a Senior Cat: Surprises and Concerns at Every Step
As unpredictable as cats may be, sometimes they change as they age in ways that amuse and confuse.
My cat Charlie, geriatric now at 16, has always been a notorious bruiser. Nothing fazes him much, and if it does he prefers not to show it. This sharply contrasts our prim and proper 2-year-old ragdoll, Aura, who is sensitive to the core and wears her little fragile heart on her mitted sleeve. So last weekend, when we moved into our new home off state Route 59, I told Aura to watch Charlie for cues on what was going on. "Charlie has moved to new homes with me eight times," I told Aura. "He's a pro. Stick with him and you'll be fine." When we first arrived at the new home, Charlie acted as he has during every other move: carefully inspect every inch of the new territory with great interest and fervor. But then, to my surprise, he went into …
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Matt Fredmonsky
9:37 am on Tuesday, August 30, 2011
I remember when we moved into our new home 3 years ago, both our cats explored briefly and then disappeared — only we couldn't find them. Somehow, they squeezed through a 4-inch space in the molding under our kitchen cabinets and were hiding under the dishwasher! I had to practically dismantle it to pull them out; it was clear they weren't coming out on their own. Thanks for the insight, Leigh, … more ›