Kitty Corner

Keep your feline fine: Kerrie McKeon, Bideawee's Feline Behavior Coordinator shows you how!



Cats bond with their territory in a way that dogs don't, so moving can be very stressful for them. Here are some tips for making the move safely and sanely with your feline friend:

  • Be sure to leave all your cat's "things," such as scratching posts, cat trees, beds, toys, and of course, food, water, and litter box with her until the last possible moment.
  • It may sound odd, but explaining the move helps, too. Speak to your cat in comforting tones, and treat her to extra playtime, brushing, or petting to help her relax and know that all is well.
  • You may want to invest in some Feliway, a synthetic hormone spray that calms and comforts many cats. You just lightly spray your cats bedding and carrier with it an hour or so before the big move.
  • Be sure to have your cats confined to one "safe room" while the movers are in the house. Put a large, clearly written sign on the door telling the movers to please "KEEP OUT!"
  • Be sure that in the new home, the cats' things are in a similar setting as in your last home.
  • Although you may be tempted to let your cat out of the carrier while in the car, don't do it! She may cry through the whole trip, but she is much safer and happier in the carrier than bouncing around the whole interior of your car - or possibly escaping when the door opens.
  • If it is a long trip, have a clean litter box on the floor in the back of the car, and periodically stop at a rest stop, and allow your cat to come out of the carrier and eat, drink, and use her toilet, all while receiving some much deserved praise and petting!
  • Once everything is moved into your new place, you can decide whether to set up a new "safe room," or to let your cat explore the new surroundings right away. If your cat seems stressed and runs to hide immediately, then a "safe room" might be the best place to start the transition.




    • About Kerrie McKeon, Feline Behavior Coordinator

    Kerrie McKeon grew up in New Haven, CT with two loves: performing and cats. The former love (performing) took "center stage" early on and Kerrie graduated from Penn State with a degree in Theater Arts, then moved to Chicago, where she spent eight years working in theater. Eventually, the East Coast called her back and she came to New York, where the latter love (cats), a love that had never waned, inspired her to make a drastic career change and join the team at Bideawee.

    Kerrie began her career at Bideawee in the Manhattan Adoption Center as an Associate and immediately impressed everyone—two-legged and four-legged alike - with her natural ability to communicate both with the cats and with potential adopters. Kerrie quickly became the star of the Adoption Center, embodying Bideawee's mission of getting to know each one of our animals and each and every one of our adopters so that we can make the best possible match.

    In the past few years, as Feline Behavior Specialist, Kerrie has spearheaded initiatives to better the lives of our feline residents, such as requiring toys in every cage and encouraging the construction of even more cageless living space for the cats. She regularly holds educational workshops for the public and for staff at all three Bideawee locations in order to improve our understanding and our relationships with our feline friends. As a member of Bideawee's Case Management Team, Kerrie also has a direct impact on the cats living with us, constantly making adjustments and improvements to better the lives each and every one of them.



    MORE KITTY CORNER COLUMNS FROM KERRIE:
    How to Get Some Sleep If You Have a Noisy Cat
    Playtime for Seniors! Older Cats Are Frisky Too!
    Ideas for Inexpensive, Homemade Cat Toys


    DO-IT-YOURSELF CAT TOY

    The mystery of where missing socks end up may not ever be solved, but there is finally something you can do with that lonely, remaining sock that has lost its mate to the abyss of the laundry room: turn it into a homemade cat toy! You'll save money and your cat will love you for it.

    Sew Velcro strips into the sock opening so it can be closed up and easily reopened. Next, fill the sock with batting, scrap fabric, or dried catnip, and seal shut. In no time, your kitty will have a new favorite plaything!

    Your cat's playtime can be even more exciting when you attach the sock toy to a length of yarn and pull it along the floor. Thanks to the Velcro, when the catnip loses it potency, refills are easy!



    June is National Adopt a Shelter Cat Month


    Take our "Personality Purr-file" to find the feline of your dreams. Training and behavioral questions will be answered by a Bideawee trainer.... more »