How can I help my cat avoid depression and separation anxiety after moving to my first apartment ever?

Question

I just need some advice or kind words!

I am 19 and just moved into my very first apartment! After all the heavy lifting, I brought my cat into the apartment, and I've kept him in my room. I just did this today, but I'm super nervous about him developing kitty depression since back at home he had two kitty friends, and now he has none.

I'm very worried about how this will affect him, especially since the room is much smaller than my room back home was, and there are still boxes and such that I need to unpack.

Could he develop separation anxiety? I put him in my room, gave him some treats and stayed with him for about an hour, but then I had to run an errand, and it ended up taking about an hour and a half, and when I came home and went to my room, he was exceptionally clingy and sweet (more so than usual, lol!).

Sorry this is so long; I'm just a worrywart and want my cat to be happy.

Answer 1

As far as the smaller room is concerned, keep in mind that cats are less interested in square feet of floor than total available square feet on all accessible levels.

Even if the room is smaller, you can make it a better room in direct comparison by arranging your furniture to grant your cat easy access to shelves, cabinets and the like.

There is plenty of wall-mounted cat furniture available like perches, walkways and climbing poles which you can place strategically in combination with your regular furniture to open up multiple additional levels of living space for your cat.

As a rule of thumb, perfection is a layout that allows your cat to traverse across all four walls of the room without ever needing to step on the floor, extra credit if this is possible on more than one level.

---

Once the cat has settled into a routine in the new apartment, he should cope reasonably well with you being away, cats tend to need a bit of time to adapt to a new environment.

Since he does not have feline companions at the new place, you'll have to be prepared to entertain him a bit more yourself, e.g. more frequent play sessions, grooming his fur, maybe try working food puzzles into his daily feeding schedule.

A good perch allowing him to observe the outside through a window is also a good idea in case there isn't a proper windowsill.

I'd monitor his behavior a bit and see how the situation evolves once the dust from moving has settled.

Answer 2

As an addenum to bgse's excellent answer, try to bring familiar scents to your new apartment. If your cat has existing furniture and bedding, shortly after moving is the wrong time to wash or replace it. In a pinch, an unwashed shirt can make for a comfortable topper to cat furniture.

A big part of how cats recognize their territory is scent. So, having things which smell like you, your home, or your cat is a good way to assure your cat that your new apartment is part of his territory.