Lifestyle: How to Make Moving Home Easier for Your Pets
Moving house is stressful for us, but it can upset our animals, too. Help them move happily and settle quickly with these tips
Not many people enjoy moving house. It’s a time of great upheaval and requires enormous amounts of planning and energy. But in-between dealing with solicitors and packing up rooms, spare a thought for your pets. Cats and dogs often find house moving stressful and disorientating, too.
Cats are territorial and create strong connections with their patch, so moving transfers them from a well-understood environment to a new area that has none of their familiar marks. Similarly, dogs use their nose to identify their home, so a new house will have none of the familiar scent marks of their old place, which can unsettle them. Just like us, they can and will adapt to a new home, but it’s important to plan the move day and beyond in advance, for a happy transition with minimal stress for you and your pets.
Cats are territorial and create strong connections with their patch, so moving transfers them from a well-understood environment to a new area that has none of their familiar marks. Similarly, dogs use their nose to identify their home, so a new house will have none of the familiar scent marks of their old place, which can unsettle them. Just like us, they can and will adapt to a new home, but it’s important to plan the move day and beyond in advance, for a happy transition with minimal stress for you and your pets.
Create a safe space
Once you arrive at your new place, try to unpack one room first and then shut the cat in it. He can then relax and recover from the journey in there, safely confined, while you get on with the rest of the unpacking. Ideally, one family member can hang out with the cat for a while as he explores, and also offer him some food.
Once you arrive at your new place, try to unpack one room first and then shut the cat in it. He can then relax and recover from the journey in there, safely confined, while you get on with the rest of the unpacking. Ideally, one family member can hang out with the cat for a while as he explores, and also offer him some food.
Allow time to explore inside
Once the removal men have left and things have calmed down, let your cat investigate the house one room at a time. It’s important that you are really calm as this happens to show the cat she has nothing to fear. Keep all windows and doors to the outside shut at this point.
What impact does a pet have on your home?
Once the removal men have left and things have calmed down, let your cat investigate the house one room at a time. It’s important that you are really calm as this happens to show the cat she has nothing to fear. Keep all windows and doors to the outside shut at this point.
What impact does a pet have on your home?
Invite him out – eventually
Keep you cat indoors for around two weeks to settle in before letting him outside. Plan his first trip into the garden on a weekend when you are around, so you can keep tabs on his movements and also accompany him on his first trip into the garden. Don’t carry him, though – allow him to explore as he likes, and keep his route back into the house open, so he can retreat if something frightens him.
It’s a good idea to release him just before a meal time, as a hungry cat is more likely to return. Make sure he is microchipped or wearing a collar with ID, too, in case he decides to go wandering.
Keep you cat indoors for around two weeks to settle in before letting him outside. Plan his first trip into the garden on a weekend when you are around, so you can keep tabs on his movements and also accompany him on his first trip into the garden. Don’t carry him, though – allow him to explore as he likes, and keep his route back into the house open, so he can retreat if something frightens him.
It’s a good idea to release him just before a meal time, as a hungry cat is more likely to return. Make sure he is microchipped or wearing a collar with ID, too, in case he decides to go wandering.
Dogs
Shut your dog in on moving day
You might consider booking your dog into a boarding home or leaving her with a trusted friend for a few days before and after the move, as packing and your own raised stress levels can make her anxious.
If you decide to keep your dog with you, though, early on the day of removals, put her in one room where she can safely be confined. Make sure she has water and stick a sign on the door so the removal men don’t accidentally let her out. Feed her as usual, but not too close to the time of departure to avoid illness during the journey.
Shut your dog in on moving day
You might consider booking your dog into a boarding home or leaving her with a trusted friend for a few days before and after the move, as packing and your own raised stress levels can make her anxious.
If you decide to keep your dog with you, though, early on the day of removals, put her in one room where she can safely be confined. Make sure she has water and stick a sign on the door so the removal men don’t accidentally let her out. Feed her as usual, but not too close to the time of departure to avoid illness during the journey.
Appoint a responsible person
Make one member of the family solely responsible for the dog on the day of the move. This means that in all the upheaval of moving, one person knows where the dog is and is looking out for him.
Make one member of the family solely responsible for the dog on the day of the move. This means that in all the upheaval of moving, one person knows where the dog is and is looking out for him.
Don’t let your dog roam free at first
When you get to your new home, rather than letting your dog romp around it, confine her to one room, making sure the windows are closed, while you unpack and prepare the rest of the house. Provide her with her bed, water, familiar toys and even a blanket that smells of your old house for comfort. Again, a sign on the door will ensure everyone, including the removal team, knows the dog is inside.
Check out these sweet and quirky homes for the family pet
When you get to your new home, rather than letting your dog romp around it, confine her to one room, making sure the windows are closed, while you unpack and prepare the rest of the house. Provide her with her bed, water, familiar toys and even a blanket that smells of your old house for comfort. Again, a sign on the door will ensure everyone, including the removal team, knows the dog is inside.
Check out these sweet and quirky homes for the family pet
Make it smell like home
Your previous home would have been full of familiar scents, but the new house will contain only smells alien to your dog, which can make him feel insecure. To help, take a soft cloth and rub it around your pooch’s face to pick up the scent profile that’s unique to him. Then dab this around the rooms he will be in at dog height, so he starts to feel at home and bonds with the territory. Repeat this daily to build up the scent through all the rooms within the house. Don’t worry, only he can smell it!
Your previous home would have been full of familiar scents, but the new house will contain only smells alien to your dog, which can make him feel insecure. To help, take a soft cloth and rub it around your pooch’s face to pick up the scent profile that’s unique to him. Then dab this around the rooms he will be in at dog height, so he starts to feel at home and bonds with the territory. Repeat this daily to build up the scent through all the rooms within the house. Don’t worry, only he can smell it!
Help her settle with food
In the first day or two, help your dog settle in with small, regular meals, which will boost contact with her and help her feel reassured. After that, revert to your usual routine, so she can predict when she will be fed and will feel less anxious.
In the first day or two, help your dog settle in with small, regular meals, which will boost contact with her and help her feel reassured. After that, revert to your usual routine, so she can predict when she will be fed and will feel less anxious.
Get out there
Unlike with cats, there’s no need to keep your dog in for a period before letting him out to explore the garden. Make sure all fencing is secure, though, especially if your dog is small. Go with him on his first trips into the garden and, when you explore the area around your new home, keep him on a lead initially.
TELL US…
Do you have any tips for helping a dog or cat settle into a new home? Please share them in the Comments below.
Unlike with cats, there’s no need to keep your dog in for a period before letting him out to explore the garden. Make sure all fencing is secure, though, especially if your dog is small. Go with him on his first trips into the garden and, when you explore the area around your new home, keep him on a lead initially.
TELL US…
Do you have any tips for helping a dog or cat settle into a new home? Please share them in the Comments below.
Confine your cat to one room
On the day of the move, shut your cat into one room, leaving food, bedding, a litter tray and his travel box wide open. Make sure the removal team know where the cat is so they don’t let him escape in the chaos of moving. It’s worth putting a notice on the door that clearly states the room is to remain shut.