Moving house with dogs and cats
Moving house changes much of what our dogs and cats recognise: familiar smells, resting places, daily routines and the sounds around them. Some take this in their stride; others need more preparation and support, particularly if they already find change difficult.
My 13-minute webcast from 2015 focuses mainly on dogs. The written advice below covers both dogs and cats, with practical steps to help before, during and after the move.
Before moving day
Start preparing while there is still time to work gradually. Introduce packing materials without blocking access to beds, food, water or toileting areas, and preserve familiar routines where possible.
Practise any arrangements your animal will need during the move. For a cat, this might mean choosing to enter their carrier, resting inside and becoming comfortable with brief periods with the door closed. Click here for an example of cat carrier training. For a dog, it may include relaxing behind a gate or spending time with a familiar carer. Use rewards and take it slowly, adjusting the pace if they show unease. As described in the video, if possible, head over to the new area with your pet, and walk around the property and location to familiarise with smells, sights and sounds. This can help with adjusting to the changes to come.
If your animal struggles with travel, separation or confinement, speak with your vet ahead of time. Any prescribed medication should form part of an individual plan, with a trial beforehand if your vet advises one. Contact a registered clinical animal behaviourist for specialist advice: check out the Animal Behaviour & Training Council’s practitioner directory for a list of practitioners near you.
Update microchip contact details and arrange veterinary care in your new area, including continuity of any medication.
On moving day
Choose care arrangements your animal can cope with. A dog may be more comfortable with someone they know well, away from the removal team. For cats staying at home, prepare a quiet, secure room and help them become familiar with it beforehand.
Keep animals safely away from open external doors and moving furniture. Tell everyone where they are and place a sign on the door. A closed room or crate is only helpful if the animal can cope there; a distressed dog may need a familiar person with them or another care arrangement.
Transport cats in secure carriers – ensure all sides and locks have been checked and work and fasten securely beforehand- and dogs using suitable vehicle restraint (e.g.) car seat harness, travel dog bed, or they can be secure in the car boot. At the new home, have their resting area ready before bringing them inside.
Helping your dog settle
Check fencing, gates and potential escape routes before allowing garden access. Let your dog investigate the house gradually, with somewhere comfortable to retreat. Keep visitors to a minimum initially and offer company if they seek it.
Familiar bedding, predictable meals, gentle sniffing walks and opportunities for uninterrupted sleep can help. Give frequent toilet breaks and reward toileting outside while your dog learns the new arrangements. If an accident happens, clean it without scolding.
Pay attention to what your dog finds difficult. A window overlooking a busy pavement or unfamiliar sounds from neighbouring properties may keep them on alert. Move their resting area, reduce the view or increase their distance from the disturbance.
Build up time alone again. A dog who settled when left in the previous house may find this harder somewhere unfamiliar. Begin with brief absences they can manage comfortably, using a camera to check their response. Pacing, panting, repeated vocalising or watching the exit can indicate difficulty. Shorten the absence and arrange company while you seek advice if needed; avoid leaving them to become increasingly distressed.
Helping your cat settle
Begin with a quiet room containing familiar bedding, hiding places, a scratching surface and an accessible raised resting place. Position food, water and litter trays apart, using their usual food and litter initially. In homes with several cats, provide separate resources, increase vertical resting spaces, and consider separate rooms for cats who find close proximity difficult.
Preserve familiar scents by bringing their usual beds and scratching posts and avoiding washing everything at once. Offer short play sessions if they are interested, and let your cat choose whether to approach you. Allow them to remain in a safe hiding place, while checking that they are eating, drinking and toileting.
As your cat becomes comfortable, offer access to more rooms with a clear route back to their retreat. Eating, resting comfortably and voluntary exploration can help you judge their progress. Quietness alone tells us little about how secure they feel. If confinement causes distress, seek advice about adapting the arrangement while keeping them safely indoors.
When can your cat go outside?
For cats who normally go outdoors, Cats Protection advises keeping them inside for at least three weeks after a move. Some need longer. Their behaviour and the safety of the new surroundings should guide the decision alongside the time elapsed.
While indoors, provide opportunities to scratch, climb, hide, play and search for food. When outdoor access resumes, begin with short outings during daylight before a usual mealtime, feeding them foodstuffs they enjoy and can tolerate around the backdoor/garden area to build positive association of staying in this space. Build up the outside time slowly, and carefully in controlled set ups. If your cat enjoys playing, then use toys, feathers, whatever they like to interact with and do this near the backdoor and garden area, again to help them learn that staying within the property’s boundaries brings ‘lovely’ experiences. Place used litter from the indoor tray, to spread around the boundaries to create a scent map for your cat, and to deter neighbouring felines. Leave the route back inside open (e.g.) cat flap or door, whilst you are supervising and building confidence with the outside. Do not force your cat to wander out, let your cat choose to step outside. Use high rates of reward to practice being called back indoors over your micro training sessions, to hone their recall skills.
If you have moved nearby, tell the new occupants of your previous home that your cat might return and ask them to contact you if this happens.
When to seek help
Watch for changes in appetite, sleep, movement, grooming, toileting and interactions with people or other animals. These can reflect distress, illness or pain, so avoid assuming the move explains everything.
Contact your vet promptly if your animal seems unwell or their appetite drops markedly. A cat who has eaten nothing for 24 hours needs veterinary advice, sooner if they are unwell, very young or have an existing medical condition. Straining to urinate with little or no urine requires immediate veterinary attention.
There is no fixed timetable for settling into a new home. If your dog or cat is struggling, contact us so we can discuss their needs and work with your vet where appropriate.
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