Tips for Moving to a New Home With a Dog or Cat

Hints to Ease the Transition for Pets During a Move

Dec 23, 2008

Moving to a new home can be a stressful experience for cats and dogs. Learn how to help ease a dog or cat's stress during a move to a new house.

Most would agree that moving to a new home is a stressful experience, and this is also the case for cats and dogs, who also experience a great deal of stress and anxiety when the family relocates to a new house.

A move to a new home is frightening for cats and dogs, and it's not uncommon for the pet to experience intense fear and anxiety during and immediately after the move. Fortunately, there are a few tricks that can help dog owners and cat owners to ease the transition when moving day finally arrives.

Familiarize the Cat or Dog to Pet Carrier or Dog Crate to Create a Safe Zone

The actual moving process can be very stressful for a cat or dog. Often, the move requires the dog or cat to be placed inside a cat carrier or dog crate, often for an extended period of time during travel to the new home and during the actual moving-in process.

Unfortunately, many dog and cat owners do not familiarize the pet with the cat carrier or dog crate in advance and the animal's only experience with the car ride, carrier or crate may involve a negative experience, like a visit to the veterinarian.

Avoid stress due to crating a pet by familiarizing the pet with the crate or carrier several weeks before the scheduled move. Leave the crate or carrier open and always accessible to the cat or dog. Place a pet bed or blankets inside and hide treats and toys inside the crate or carrier. And feed all meals inside the crate, with the door left open. Associating the pet carrier or dog crate with positive things will cause the pet to view the crate as a nice place to be.

How to Avoid Losing Pets During the Move-In Process

Dogs and cats must remain crated during the move-in process in order to avoid a situation where a dog or cat is lost because he or she slips out the door during the chaotic move-in.

If the move-in process is expected to take more than a day, it's a wise idea to arrange for the pets to stay with a family member or friend. Kenneling cats and dogs while moving in to a new home is also an option.

Helping the Cat or Dog Adjust to a New Home By Providing a Safe Room

Once in the new home, the dog crate or cat carrier will be an essential adjustment tool. The crate will serve as a familiar "home base" or "safe zone" that will help the pet cope with their arrival in a new home, with its unfamiliar sights, sounds and smells.

Once the move-in is complete, the cat carrier or dog crate can be placed in a quiet room. Open the door to the crate or carrier and allow the pet to explore the room at his or her own pace. Feedings should be given in the safe room until the dog or cat has adjusted to the move.

Once the pet is comfortable in the safe room, begin leaving the door open and the pet will gradually start to explore the rest of the home. For dogs, this process tends to take a matter of hours, whereas it will take a few days for most cats to start feeling comfortable in the new home.

Establish a Routine for Dog Walks, Meals and Other Activities

Dogs and cats find routine comforting and reassuring. So it's best to establish a strict pet care schedule right away when moving into a new house.

Developing a strict pet care schedule for meals, walks, bathroom breaks and other activities will help dogs and cats to adjust to life in the new home. This will also lessen the chances of the pet developing a behavioral problem.

Moving to a new home can be stressful for cats, dogs and humans. The key is to plan ahead and allow the cat or dog to adjust at his or her own rate and be patient. Patience is key and before too long, the new house will feel like home in no time for both human and pets.