5 helpful tips to successfully move house with pets

Moving house can be as stressful for pets as it is for you, but there are some simple steps you can take to ease the stress of moving, for both pets and their owners.

Well in advance of the moving day, pets should be introduced to their travel bags or crates, says Dr Pauline Taylor, general manager at Pet Central.

“Whenever possible, it’s best to transport them yourself, especially if it’s a local move,” she says.

Other tips include allowing pets to settle into their new house and maintain a normal routine. Read on for her top tips to keeping your pets safe during a potentially unsettling time.

Read more: SPCA launches a pet food assistance programme for struggling pet owners

1. Keep them to one area of the new house

Before movers come, be sure to secure your pets to one area of the house or take them to neighbours. Once you arrive at the new house, it is equally important to keep pets curtailed to one area or room.

Make this area as comfortable as possible with feeding dishes, toys, bed and litter box. Depending on your pet’s behaviour, you can let them explore a little more of the new home. 

2. Moving two dogs into a smaller house

When you are moving house with pets, Taylor suggests you try and keep to your normal routine. If the dogs normally get a one hour walk at 8am and 4pm try and stick to that on moving day, and thereafter. 

When you watch your dog sleep, they actually don’t need much space. If they have a bed or basket, the dogs will probably jump in and snuggle up. You may find they sleep even more due to new and exciting smells and experiences.

3. Cats running back to the old house

Clients have told Taylor about some miraculous journeys cats have made involving many kilometres and even over highways.

Cats travelling like this have mystified scientists for a long time. Theories put forward liken these journeys by cats to ancient human travellers using the stars as a compass or being influenced by the Earth’s magnetic forces.

“At this time to my knowledge, we really don’t understand how a cat can travel great distances by itself,” says Taylor.

4. Cats hiding in the new place for a few days

This is very normal behaviour for cats after a move. Your cat is exhibiting signs of anxiety and is afraid and you’ve probably been busy with less time to comfort her.

If the behaviour continues or if your cat isn’t eating or drinking, beware. During stressful times cats can create medical emergencies for themselves, including difficulty or the inability to urinate or even heart attacks.

Please make time for your cat and create a safe spot for her to feel secure and find her daily needs nearby.

Be patient but monitor her carefully. If you are soon to move your cat, make sure you tell her in advance what is going to happen, talk to her. 

Read more: Why your pets shouldn’t drink from freshwater streams and waterways

5. Pet insurance 

Working at local animal charity LAP, Yvonne Ang experiences animals getting abandoned due to their age everyday.

“When pets get to a certain age medical bills and expenses go up, leaving some owners worried about the future,” says Ang.

She believes owners should consider time, patience and medical expenses before adopting a pet in the first place, “I always repeat this information to each adopter, but there are still heartbreaking cases of pets being left on the street or put down due to their age.”

As a way to encourage more owners to look after their pets during old age, LAP is offering a medical insurance package as a guarantee.

“Pet medical insurance is actually a very important thing for owners and pets. We don’t know what happens every day to prepare for pets is true love,” says Ang.