Take your cat carriers set them out days before you leave so they get used
to the smell and the sight of them.  If you got time maybe set their food
near it.

When you get to the new house let them stay in one room with familiar
objects.  Be ready for accidents to occur stress causing cats to do weird
things just like humans.  after maybe a day or two open the door and let
them explore on their own.  Make sure you are present and you speak
reassuring words to them have a few cat treats at hand.  Don't scold them if
they have an accident.   Do let them know that if they get somewhere that is
off limits   let t he cats adjust on their own which could cake a day or
months to happen.

http://www.fanciers.com/cat-faqs/indexer.cgi
http://www.fanciers.com/cat-faqs/outside-world.shtml#moving

GOOD LUCK

Matthew

My experience is (if you can do it) is move all your stuff into the
house, bring in the
cats last, each in a carrier, and release all the cats at the same
time.   That way nobody
has had a chance to claim their territory.   All have an equal shot.

Don't bring them over prior to the move.  Traveling usually stresses cats
out (unless you do it on a regular basis and they are used to it)  Pack the
current house.  Find a few items that they like and keep those with them.
When you are ready for the move, take them and their favorite things with
them.  I also recommend feliway.  Its a welcoming hormone.

When I recently moved with my five, we packed the current house, and before
the movers came, we put them in their carriers.  Took them, my favorite
quilt that smelled like me and they were very familiar with, and their
favorite cat tree and took them into a back bathroom with their food bowls,
and a litter box.  I let them have run of the bathroom after spraying the
feliway on the door ways, corners and at the base of the toilet.  I sat with
them for a bit while the movers moved large items into the room near the
bathroom.  When the movers were done, and the bed was set up, I let them
into the bedroom.  They saw the bed and I could see them visibly relax.
Later that night I let them explore the house and find where the litter box
was going to be.  I left the one in their safe room for a while.  The move
was pretty easy on everyone involved which was nice.  I think the keeping of
things they like and the feliway really helped - that and the yummy dinner
that they got.

When I moved all I kept my cats inside for the first night (all 5 of them)
and the noise was so bad the next day I let them out. They all vanished  -
one for 2 days but all came back in the end.

Tam

I think  both ways are good ways.
Your wife's is a bit more complicated,
but then you might not mind if the cats "help" you decorate the new place
...
e.g. stand in the way all the time.

carola

For me, I just did it.  Hell, I was stressed about moving roughly
1,000 miles, why shouldn't the cat be?

But seriously, she was fine with it, although it freaked her out for a
very short while.  I think she actually dug the change of scenery.