THIS TIME OF YEAR is known for many things: weddings, graduations, kittens, the smell of newly cut grass, brightcolored annuals, and allergies, just to name a few. It is also a common time for moving. As stressful as that is on those of us who have to do it, it is even more traumatic for pets. Especially cats.
    It has become evident that I am going to have to move this summer. And cats, I am afraid, often seem hard-wired to associate leaving home as punishment, a sign they are going to be abandoned. I have no doubt that my cats are going to take this move hard, but being a renter limits my choices. So I have been diligently making slow changes in our apartment that will not trigger a panic attack, and should make moving day less stressful for me. I am slowly packing a box now and then, with no big assault on the big day.
    The first thing I have to determine is how far the move is going to be. Am I going across town or to another state? I do not know yet. But there are many things I can do to lessen the trauma for all of us.
    Even a move across the street could cause problems if the boys happen to get out before they have acclimated to their new home. They would head straight back here, crossing a very busy street and facing carnivorous critters along the way.
    A few years ago, an Australian cat set quite a record for her journey home. Jessie walked 2,000 miles to return to the only home she had known. Given the time frame and terrain, it is believed that she walked the entire width of Australia. Two weeks after her family moved, Jessie disappeared from her new home in Berry Springs, just outside Darwin, and was discovered a year later across the continent at her old house in Ungarra, on the Eyre Peninsula.
    Her owner had flown with Jessie to their new home, and had left her two companions at the old house. A year later, the new owner of the house spotted a cat playing with the two cats that had remained. Her family was immediately contacted with a photo. After her identity was confirmed, they all decided that Jessie had shown a clear preference, and she remains with her two former buddies in her old house.
    It is well known that cats are stubbornly territorial, and can react to threats with rage or depression. So it is always a good idea to think ahead when looking for a new home.
    When I first got my boys, I was able to have many familiar things in place even before they arrived. I got the same type of litter, bought the same food they had been weaned on, and even duplicated the toys they had been taught to play with. Their foster parents were careful not to let them out, so they never had any doubt that the room they lived in was their territory. They have now claimed this apartment as their own, and are going to have a difficult time adjusting.
    But they do have an advantage that many cats do not. They never have had cause to doubt that they are safe here. By never having to deal with abandonment or shelter life, they will have a much easier time adjusting to a new environment no matter where we end up. Whether it is close or far, they will have their possessions. And I will do everything I can to find us a place that is not stressful for them ... or me. In fact, I suspect they may handle the move better than I will!

Kat Brown of Albuquerque is a lifelong animal-lover, especially of cats. She wears many hats, but animal-lover is perhaps the one that has given her the most pleasure. Share your cat stories or comments at katskorner88@gmail.com.