Dear Sinéad and Siouxsie:
Do you have any suggestions about how my husband and I can help our three indoor/outdoor (AKA free-to-roam via the cat flap when it is not locked) kitties make the adjustment to living indoors in an apartment in a new town?

Because we are moving, we have to rent an apartment for a while until we can find a new house for them. We are fearful that they will be at each other's throats because of being all cooped up. Two of them have been apartment kitties before (one accepted it; the other always wanted to get outside) and one has only known freedom. They all three have different personalities and really do not get along like littermates often do.

We are even considering having one of them (the apartment-friendly one who is more of a solo-person cat) stay with their Grandma for a while. She lives alone and is unfortunately a smoker, so we're worried about secondhand smoke, too. We're also worried that she will be upset with us about this when we are finally able to retrieve her (if she seems to want to go back with us) when we have a new home for her.

Any ideas? Help!
-- Mother of three very different kitties

Sinéad: Well, Mother, you've got quite a conundrum there. But there are some things you need to take into consideration before you decide on which kitties are going where.

Siouxsie: First of all, moving is very stressful for cats. We know; we've moved a few times in our lives. It will be less stressful overall if, at the end of the move, the cats are in a place with familiar people and smells.

Sinéad: Second, these three cats are going to have to sort out their territory issues in their new home. This is something that is natural for cats to do, and some aggression and noise will happen while the territory sorting takes place.

Siouxsie: Finally, you need to be aware that cats are very sensitive to environmental pollutants such as cigarette smoke or nasty "air freshener" type products. A cat under stress may just end up with an upper respiratory infection when the stress (which harms the immune system) combines with these environmental pollutants.

Sinéad: With these three factors taken into consideration, we really think the best idea is to bring all three cats with you to your new home. That way, they will all be able to deal with their territory issues, and their stress, although present, will be minimized by the presence of familiar people, furniture, and smells.

Siouxsie: You can expect some growling and hissing and wrestling as the cats settle into their new home, but that should taper off after a few weeks.

Sinéad: We can give you some tips on how to make your move easier for you and the cats, too. First of all, you need to talk to all three cats and let them know what's going on. They sense the stress in your life right now, and they're getting stressed by the feeling that something is going on. So communicate. Give them extra love and kindness. Let them know that everything will be OK, but there are going to be some changes coming.

Siouxsie: Before the cats move into your new home, set up a room for them with their litter box, their beds, some of their favorite toys and blankets, and some things that smell like you and your husband (unwashed laundry or bed sheets are my personal favorite). Put a water dish and some food in a corner opposite from the litter box.

Sinéad: Make sure this room has a door that closes securely. That way, if you are still moving furniture, the cats will have a room where they can be out of their carriers and be out of the way of the movers until the furniture is in place and the doors are closed.

Siouxsie: Once the furniture is in place, let the cats out to roam and explore in the house. Make sure they have places at a variety of "altitudes" that they can check out and enjoy. My favorite place in the house, aside from Mama's lap, is on top of the cabinets. That way I can look down and be the queen of all I survey!

Sinéad: And my favorite place to be is on or under Mama's bed. I'm the kind of kitty that likes to have a "den," or so Mama says.

Siouxsie: Make sure you don't feed the cats for a few hours before you travel with them. That way, you can avoid unfortunate throwing-up incidents in the carriers.

Sinéad: I never thought you'd suggest fasting, Siouxsie. Hee hee hee! Anyway...another thing you can do to help your kitties through their anxiety is to rub a drop or two of Bach Rescue Remedy into the fur on top of each of their heads. This is a flower essence that's good for cats and people, and it helps us deal with emotional and physical trauma. Mama gives us Rescue Remedy when we have to go on long trips, and we find it quite helpful.

Siouxsie: You should be able to find Rescue Remedy at most health food stores, along with lots of other Bach Flower Essences.

Sinéad: And remember to give all the kitties lots of love when you move to your new home. It'll take a while for them to adjust to their new environment, too. A little catnip party when everyone's settled in will probably calm everyone's nerves.

Siouxsie: Speaking of catnip--if your cats are going to have to live indoors only for any length of time, you might want to provide them some cat grass to munch on. Cats that go outdoors chew on grass from time to time, because plant material helps keep our kitty digestive systems in good order.

Sinéad: We recommend a long, low, and heavy type of planter situated on the floor or on a very wide shelf, so that if the cats chew and pull on the grass, they won't send the entire planter flying and grass everywhere.

Siouxsie: Even if you end up living in a place where you feel safe letting the cats out, we suggest that you keep them indoors only for at least a week after you move. This will give their special feline navigation system time to reorient to their new location so they don't get lost when they go roaming around outdoors.

Sinéad: When your cats do start going outside again, we hope that you will provide them with collars (breakaway style, of course) and tags with your current phone number, so that if your cats do get lost in their new home town, someone can call you and let you know where they are. If collars are not an option, perhaps you can have them microchipped or tattooed as a form of identification. Many humane societies and vet clinics have microchip readers now, so a lost cat can be returned to its owner.

Siouxsie: If your cats already are microchipped or tattooed, make sure that the database where their chip or tattoo numbers are logged has your current address and phone number so you can be contacted if your cat goes missing and is found by someone else.

Sinéad: We hope this advice helps, you, Mother. And you can let your cats know that being indoor-only cats really isn't so bad. Siouxsie and I have been indoor cats all our lives (with the exception of a few escapes), and I have to say that I personally prefer it indoors.

Siouxsie: That's just because you're a chicken.

Sinéad: Am not!

Siouxsie: Are too!

Sinéad: Mama!

JaneA: I guess that's it for this week's column...Siouxsie, stop beating up your sister!

Got a question? Need some advice? E-mail Sinéad and Siouxsie at advice@paws-and-effect.com. None of the advice in this column is meant to be a substitute for regular veterinary care.