Half of Russians start their housewarming by getting a cat.

      Photo: Aleksandr Volozhanin

      Moving for Russians is not just a change of location, but a whole ritual in which the cat plays a key role. Observing traditions and omens is simply a habit for many, but 51% of respondents, upon crossing the threshold of a new home, let or are ready to let an animal in first. This is shown by the results of a VTB study* conducted before VEF-2025.

      Those in southern regions are especially faithful to traditions (60%), while residents of the Far East are more pragmatic. Despite the fact that Vladivostok is the capital of the planet’s rarest large cats, the Amur (Far Eastern) leopards, only 38% of its residents let a cat into a new home first, and just as many Far Easterners do not perform any “moving” rituals.

      The VTB survey showed that following omens when moving is a fairly widespread phenomenon. Besides the cat, the top “housewarming rituals” for Russians include a thorough cleaning (43%) and loud festivities (32%).

      There is no single recipe to help a furry newcomer settle in, but most owners (54%) prefer to create a sense of security for the cat by using familiar items. To protect furniture they turn to scratching posts. Respondents are convinced: wherever a cat likes to sharpen its claws, a scratching post or its alternative should be placed there.

      The study was conducted as part of the campaign “Time to be noticed. Returning disappearing species to the map of the future,” timed to VEF-2025. Its main character is the Far Eastern leopard. The wild animal, living in the Land of the Leopard National Park in Primorye, is listed in the Red Book and is on the brink of extinction — today more than 120 individuals live in Russia.

      * The study was conducted August 8–12, 2025 among 1,500 Russians aged 18–65 in cities with populations of 100,000 and above.

      RIA “Nizhny Novgorod” has a Telegram channel. Subscribe to stay informed about the main events, exclusive materials and breaking updates.

      More news about the event:

      VTB found: Half of Russians start housewarming with a cat

      Moving for Russians is not just a change of location, but a whole ritual in which the cat plays a key role. 15:50 01.09.2025 Online edition Zhivem v Nizhnem - Nizhny Novgorod

      VTB found: Half of Russians start housewarming with a cat

      Moving for Russians — not just a change of location, but a whole ritual in which the cat plays a key role. 15:49 01.09.2025 NewsNN.Ru - Nizhny Novgorod

      Half of Russians start housewarming with a cat

      Photo: Aleksandr Volozhanin

      Moving for Russians is not just a change of location, but a whole ritual in which the cat plays a key role. 15:45 01.09.2025 NIA Nizhny Novgorod - Nizhny Novgorod

      VTB found: Half of Russians start housewarming with a cat

      Moving for Russians is not just a change of location, but a whole ritual in which the cat plays a key role. 15:35 01.09.2025 Nizhegorodskaya Pravda - Nizhny Novgorod

      VTB found: Half of Russians start housewarming with a cat

      Moving for Russians — not just a change of location, but a whole ritual in which the cat plays a key role. 15:11 01.09.2025 Vremya N - Nizhny Novgorod

      VTB found: Half of Russians start housewarming with a cat

      VTB found: Half of Russians start housewarming with a cat.

      Moving for Russians is not just a change of location, but a whole ritual in which the cat plays a key role. 14:56 01.09.2025 NTA-Privolzhye - Nizhny Novgorod

      News from neighboring regions on the topic:

      Half of Russians start housewarming with a cat

      Those in southern regions are especially faithful to traditions, while residents of the Far East are more pragmatic.

      Half of Russians start housewarming with a cat. 17:44 01.09.2025 Komsomolskaya Pravda - Ryazan

      Half of Russians start housewarming with a cat

      News of Russia, September 1 — Moving for Russians is not just a change of location, but a whole ritual in which the cat plays a key role. 17:40 01.09.2025 Afanasy-birzha - Tver

      Half of Russians start housewarming with a cat

      Moving for Russians is not just a change of location, but a whole ritual in which the cat plays a key role. 17:40 01.09.2025 OrelTimes.Ru - Orel

      VTB found: Half of Russians start housewarming with a cat

      Moving for Russians — not just a change of location, but a whole ritual in which the cat plays a key role. 17:38 01.09.2025 Rzn.Info - Ryazan

      VTB found: Half of Russians start housewarming with a cat

      Moving for Russians is not just a change of location, but a whole ritual in which the cat plays a key role. 17:10 01.09.2025 Setevoe izdanie Arbuz - Astrakhan

      VTB found: Half of Russians start housewarming with a cat

      Moving for Russians — not just a change of location, but a whole ritual in which the cat plays a key role. 17:07 01.09.2025 Marimedia.Ru - Yoshkar-Ola

      VTB found: Half of Russians start housewarming with a cat

      Moving for Russians — not just a change of location, but a whole ritual in which the cat plays a key role. 17:00 01.09.2025 RostovGazeta.Ru - Rostov-on-Don

      Half of Russians start housewarming with a cat

      Photo: Astrakhan 24. The results of a VTB study* conducted before VEF-2025 are cited.

      Moving for Russians — not just a change of location, but a whole ritual in which the cat plays a key role. 16:40 01.09.2025 Astrakhan 24 - Astrakhan

      50% of Russians admitted that they let a cat into a new home first

      Photo provided by the press service of Bank VTB (PJSC)

      Moving for Russians is not just a change of location, but a whole ritual in which the cat plays a key role. 18:36 01.09.2025 Tumentoday.Ru - Tyumen

      VTB found: Half of Russians start housewarming with a cat

      Photo: Nikolay Oberemchenko. Go to KP Photobank

      Moving for Russians is not just a change of location, but a whole ritual in which the cat plays a key role. 15:57 01.09.2025 Komsomolskaya Pravda - Penza

      VTB found: Half of respondents of the Russian Federation start housewarming with a cat

      Moving for citizens of the Russian Federation is not just a change of location, but a whole ritual in which the cat plays a key role. 16:56 01.09.2025 Novgorod.Ru - Veliky Novgorod

      Half of Russians start housewarming with a cat

      -->

      Moving for Russians is not just a change of location, but a whole ritual in which the cat plays a key role. 17:53 01.09.2025 Newsprom.Ru - Tyumen

      VTB found: Half of Russians start housewarming with a cat

      Photo: IA Tulskaya pressa. Moving for Russians is not just a change of location, but a whole ritual in which the cat plays a key role.

      Observing traditions and omens is simply a habit for many, but 51% of respondents, 15:51 01.09.2025 IA Tulskaya pressa.Ru - Tula

      VTB found: Half of Russians start housewarming with a cat

      Moving for Russians is not just a change of location, but a whole ritual in which the cat plays a key role. 16:40 01.09.2025 KomiOnline.Ru - Syktyvkar

      VTB survey: Half of Russians start housewarming with a cat

      Moving for Russians — it is not just a change of location, but a whole ritual in which the cat plays a key role. 15:31 01.09.2025 Vesti Krym - Simferopol

      VTB found: Half of Russians start housewarming with a cat

      Moving — not just a change of location.

      Observing traditions and omens is simply a habit for many, but 51% of respondents, upon crossing the threshold of a new home, let or are ready to let an animal in first. 15:23 01.09.2025 GTRK Voronezh - Voronezh

      Survey: Half of Russians start housewarming with a cat

      Moving for Russians — not just a change of location, but a whole ritual in which the cat plays a key role. 15:23 01.09.2025 SevastopolMedia - Sevastopol

      VTB found: Half of Russians start housewarming with a cat

      Moving for Russians is not just a change of location, but a whole ritual in which the cat plays a key role. 15:19 01.09.2025 Obozrevatel.Vrn - Voronezh

      The South is more superstitious than the Far East: VTB studied the geography of moving rituals

      Moving for Russians is not just a change of location, but a whole ritual in which the cat plays a key role. 23:12 01.09.2025 Komsomolskaya Pravda - Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk