Moving Home and Your Pet

All pet owners know how traumatic it can be for their pet when they move home. Not just upsetting for their pet but also for the owner too.  It is difficult enough for us humans to adjust to our new surrounding, but for animals it is even worse. They do not understand what is going on. I have put together some useful tips that I hope will help overcome some of these fears. 

All pets like routine, and when they detect you are packing things up and moving things around, this can be very unsettling for them and may make then feel anxious. There are a few things you can do to help your beloved pet feel at ease in your new home, and decrease the amount of stress they may feel during and after the move.

Whilst you are preparing everything, packing, cleaning, tidying etc, make sure you take some extra time to give your pet attention and thus reassuring them. It must be very alarming to suddenly have such a big change in your normal everyday life.  People moving around, things being packed... it must be very confusing. So spend some time with your pet to assure them that everything is alright.

Try to maintain as much of your normal routine is possible. Feed your pet at the same time and in the same place as you usually would.

When the big day of the move arrives, designated one room in your new home especially for your pet. Make sure windows are not wide open (especially if you have a cat) to prevent them escaping. Put their things into this room. Obviously make sure they have plenty of fresh food and water available. Do not allow anyone into this room while you're settling in and organizing everything. This will help your pet become more established, and give them somewhere to escape to if they feel overwhelmed.

For a while after you have made the move, keep things as familiar as possible. Use your pet’s old water and food bowls. Bring their usual toys, and place them all around the new house so that they have something familiar to make them feel more at ease. Give them some treats so they will associate something positive with the new environment. Substitute some of their usual daily food with the treat to prevent weight gain. Gradually, over a period of 1-3 weeks, introduce your pet to the rest of the house and garden.

Moving might be hard for you, but for your pet it means the disruption of their usual territory. Allow your pet to explore the new home and let them take their time getting used to it and finding their way around. With time, patience and a lot of love, your pet will soon adjust to their new territory before you know it.