Moving to a studio with a cat: a practical checklist

1. Prepare a closed room for moving day

Before your cat arrives, choose a room with a door you can close. A suitable bathroom can work if you remove hazards and make room for separated essentials.

Set out familiar bedding, a hiding box, litter, food, water and something to scratch. Keep cleaning products, medicines and loose cords out of reach. Close the toilet lid.

Tell everyone helping with the move which room holds your cat. Put a reminder on the door. An open corner is not a secure retreat while movers use the front door.

If your studio has no suitable enclosed room, arrange a secure alternative before moving day. Ask your vet about additional support for a particularly anxious cat.

2. Place essentials before fitting furniture around them

Choose a quiet litter spot your cat can always reach. Avoid noisy appliances and busy routes. A box behind a bathroom door is useful only when the door stays open.

Keep food away from litter, and give water a separate spot from food. Do not combine everything into a single compact station just because the room is small.

Mark these places on a rough floor sketch. Include furniture, door swings and walking routes. Retain familiar beds and scratching surfaces where they fit; change the layout gradually rather than replacing every resource at once.

3. Measure the usable space, not just the gap

Use a tape measure and record width, depth and height. Check the product’s full dimensions, including its base, opening and any parts that protrude.

For example, a 60 cm (24 in) gap is not automatically a suitable litter area. Your cat still needs room to enter, and you need access for cleaning. Photos alone cannot confirm exact dimensions.

Copy these prompts into your notes before shopping. They describe placement checks, not minimum veterinary sizing rules.

Litter area

Measure: Usable floor width and depth, entry space, and the door’s full swing.

Check: Your cat can enter and turn comfortably. The door stays open without hitting the box.

Sleeping and hiding

Measure: A quiet floor space, including the opening of a bed or hiding box.

Check: Your cat can retreat without being cornered by furniture or passing feet.

Scratching

Measure: The base footprint, available height, and clearance beside furniture.

Check: The scratcher is stable and does not block the route between essential resources.

Food and water

Measure: Separate usable spots, away from litter and busy walkways.

Check: Bowls remain accessible without putting every resource in one crowded corner.

4. Secure exits before exploring

Close external doors, windows and cat flaps before your cat explores. Do not assume an ordinary insect screen will contain your cat. Check any proposed window protection with its manufacturer before relying on it.

Cats Protection recommends keeping your cat in the quiet room for the first few days. Once moving traffic has stopped and your cat seems ready, allow gradual exploration with access to that retreat. Do not force your cat out of hiding. Contact your vet if your cat seems unwell or stops eating.

5. Make a keep, move, replace list

For each item, write one decision: keep it where planned, move it to another spot, or replace it after measuring. Prioritise safe access to litter, food, water and rest before optional furniture.

Record delivery costs and the return policy alongside each possible replacement. Check dimensions again before ordering. A smaller footprint is not a saving if your cat cannot use the item comfortably.