How to Move With Your Pet

Moving in itself is a tough job. Unfortunately, moving with pets can be even tougher. Adjusting to new living spaces will depend on your pet’s personality, however, there are some things you can do to ease the transition. Generally speaking, cats can have a much harder time moving since they don’t like change. Their natural instinct is to protect their territory, and when that territory is completely new it can be a difficult transition. Dogs are more likely to be fine during a move as long as they’re with familiar family, however, for more sensitive dogs it can be as hard of an adjustment as with cats.

But don’t fret. If you have to move with a pet in the near future, take these tips into consideration and your pet should adjust in no time.

Photo by Roberto Nickson via Unsplash

Before Moving

It’s best to bring home boxes weeks before the move so your cat or dog can start getting used to the transition. If possible, keep your pet in a separate, familiar and comfortable area from where you are packing so their daily routine isn’t compromised too much.

Moving Day

Trying to keep your pet’s routine normal during moving day might not be your number one priority, but it will definitely make your life easier in the long run. Keep your pet in a closed room filled with their familiar belongings for comfort or keep them at a friend’s house or pet daycare for the day. To keep your pet completely removed from the moving process might be the best solution if you have a particularly skittish pet.

If you have to move across country with your pet, check out our article, How to Travel with Pets.

Bringing Your Pet to Your New Home

The trick is to make your new home as familiar as possible. Just like with packing and moving day, create an area in the new home (a closed off room is best) where your pet can get comfortable first before introducing them to the rest of the house. Especially with your cat, start with one room that has their bed, toys, food, water, and kitty litter. Once they start to get comfortable, you can give them more and more access to the house.

This is also important for skittish dogs who may run away if scared of their new location. Secure them until they get used to their new home.

Pets can easily get overwhelmed by new and unfamiliar spaces, but with some patience, you can help them to easily adjust and learn to love their new home.