relocating with my cat

Question
hi there. i have a question regarding my 7 yr old neutered cat, Smee. I found him as a tiny kitten in an abandoned parking lot, and i had him neutered young.
Over the years, he has made it clear he wants to be an outdoor cat. I am able to keep him inside for only short periods of time...otherwise he will scratch his way out of the window screens. Sometimes he will be gone for days but always looks in good condition( like his body weight, etc) My question is, i am moving to a new neighborhood, and i would like to know the best way to do this with him. I DO NOT want to just let him out the first night to explore on his own. im not sure how well feline instincts are...and he is my baby! Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated...thank you!!!

Answer
Bianca,

Cats tend to be very, very territorial.  So, at first I would keep him indoors and let him go out supervised.  Once he adapts to the new territory, we will probably be OK to wander.

The best situation is if the new digs are well away from your current neighborhood.  Otherwise, Smee will end up showing up back at the "old" household.  In fact, if he does not come back after beeing let out, you will need to check with your old neighborhood.

You can always have a friendly neighbor be on the look out if Smee does not come back, just in case.

Another option to keep in mind is to leash train him ad take him on walks in the new area for a couple of weeks until you are pretty sure he has gotten attached to the new neighborhood.

Best regards... Norm.