When it comes time for a family to move, it can be hard enough on the humans involved what with giving up and saying good-bye to friends, neighborhoods and other familiar surroundings. It is equally hard on pets, both in terms of moving and getting used to a new version of ‘their home.’ Here are some tips for making the journey less stressful for all concerned.
1) If moving by car, make sure that there is a large enough pet carrier for your cat or dog to stretch and stand in. Place familiar objects like a favorite rug and a soft toy inside. Make sure there is always food and water available. There are now handy clip-on water dispensers for long ride.
2) Do not put the animal carrier on the roof of the car! Remember that when the car is driving 65 mph, and approaching insect will hit inside the carrier with the force of a slingshot.
3) Just as the driver needs to get out of the car and stretch every two hours maximum, so should the pet. This may sound obvious, but have the leash in the passenger compartment and put it on every time.
4) If a dog in particular is prone to car sickness, here is an odd tip that actually works. In the animal carrier, place thick Sunday newspapers under the rug mentioned above. This seems to absorb the vibrations and prevents nausea. The same trick incidentally also works on humans.
5) If flying, check the airline regulations first. Not all planes have heated luggage compartments. Not all airlines accept pets. Those that do may have strict regulations for check-in times and pre-inspections.
6) Before arriving at the new home, here is an important tip. Are there new carpets laid? If so, make sure they are thoroughly and deeply steam-cleaned first. The chemicals in new carpet are highly toxic to animals.
7) On arrival, take time to walk around with the family pet. Especially if the fencing is low or non-existent, demonstrate where the boundaries are.
8) Finally, if there will be a day of furniture moving in, it may well be wise to kennel the animal over-night. Strange doors and windows being opened and closed can lead to furry escapees and no one needs that stress.
With thought and preparation, a move can be smoother than expected, even for pets.
Pam Buttikofer is a co-founder of Imperfect Women. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband of 36 years and enjoys spending time with her husband, sons and her lovable pups.
Sarah Bailey says
April 10, 2014 at 5:43 pmMy dog hated it when we moved last year, as soon as the boxes came out she was shaking poor thing. In the end we took her to my parents and she was a lot happier there, I guess we were lucky though as they only lived around the corner. x
Terry says
April 10, 2014 at 5:50 pmYou are so right about insects hitting hard when you travel. I have been on a motorcycle before and when a bug hits you.. it hurts.
Robin (Masshole Mommy) says
April 11, 2014 at 2:39 amWe are going to California next week and bringing my in-laws dog back to the east coast with us (the dog is going to my mother in law) & I am nervous about traveling with him, but he’s getting checked, so hopefully he will be ok.
Emily says
April 11, 2014 at 6:22 amWe moved 1400 miles with a cat – she slept most of the time, but was awake the entire night at the hotel. Crying and whining. Next time we move that far, I’m going to send her via plane!
Amanda @ Erickson and Co. says
April 11, 2014 at 6:25 amThanks for the tips. I pinned this cuz we have pets and i’ll need to read this again if we ever move. Thanks for sharing!
Natasha Mairs says
April 11, 2014 at 11:10 amI don’t have any pets and also don’t plan on moving anytime soon, but I’m going to pass this on to my sister because she is moving soon and has 2 big dogs
Kristen from The Road to Domestication says
April 11, 2014 at 12:56 pmGreat tips! Our poor kitty was terrified of the new house. (We went from carpeted to wood floors, and I think the different feel and sound really threw her off.) She had adjusted in about 3 days, though, thank goodness. She was pitiful at first 🙁
Veronica says
April 11, 2014 at 1:46 pmGreat tips! I have to tell you that my dog hates our new house. We moved almost a year now and he still searches for spots to pee. Lol
valmg @ Mom Knows It All says
April 11, 2014 at 2:13 pmI’ve moved a lot, but only a few with a cat. It’s hard on them!
Stephanie Galbraith says
April 11, 2014 at 2:29 pmI have only moved once with 1 dog, and it wasn’t too bad since he’s so little. Also, the fact that we were only moving 30 min away was helpful.
becca says
April 11, 2014 at 3:27 pmIt took both our cats a few days to adjust when we first adopted them but now they run the place.
Pam W says
April 11, 2014 at 4:27 pmLuckily I have only had to move once with pets. My daughter and her fiancé may be moving soon with their three pets, so this will be very useful.
Jennifer Williams says
April 11, 2014 at 5:36 pmWe just moved 3000 miles with our 4 animals and we had no issues with them. I was so shocked because we planned on the cats not settling down and crying the entire time so the vet gave us things to give to them. They were all great, we are planning to start taking all our fur balls on vacations with us because it was that easy and they were fine because they were with us.
Melanie says
April 11, 2014 at 5:39 pmWhen we moved with our dogs we learned real fast not to feed them in the car. Only give them ice cubes unless you stopped to really let a meal settle.
lawna says
April 11, 2014 at 9:10 pmMy sister will be moving soon and she has a lot of pets. I will tell her to check this post out, as I am sure it will be very valuable for her to read.
Erica says
April 12, 2014 at 5:43 amThese are really great tips. A move can be so traumatic for pets!
Marni | Love and Duck Fat says
April 12, 2014 at 6:26 amGreat tips! I had to move my cats several times and it’s always a little traumatic.
Amber NElson says
April 12, 2014 at 8:54 amIt is hard on them too. I love that photo!
Denise Gabbard says
April 12, 2014 at 6:27 pmSo glad that our Max is a trooper. He has made the 1000 mile trip by car with us twice every winter since he was just a puppy—he seems to know we are taking him to the beach so he can swim.
Marielle Altenor says
April 12, 2014 at 7:48 pmReally good information for pet owners that have plan on moving! Will be sure to share this!
Amanda Her says
April 13, 2014 at 4:08 pmThese are great tips! My dogs hate being in the car so it’s always a challenge when we leave the house.
Jean Godwin says
April 18, 2014 at 9:28 amSuch a timely post! I’m moving in 2 weeks 400 miles (8 hours) away with 4 cats and timid 15 yr old dog. I’m kenneling everyone the day before while the truck is being loaded, picking them up in the a.m., then the fun starts. No cat likes another well enough (almost) so that they can ride in carriers together. Pete will ride (tolerate) Porgy (paranoid and psychotic but adores Pete), so they’ll go together. Zippy and LulaBelle – not so much – so they each get private accomodations – that makes 3 carriers that will be stacked and wrapped w/bungee cords attached to car. the poor dog will have the other half of the back seat. I’m shotgun and my DIL is driving. Wish us luck. Or good weather and fast traffic! Thanks for the tips,, again.,
Veronica Lee says
May 11, 2014 at 7:38 pmThese are such helpful tips. I am sharing this with my neighbour who will be moving soon. She has 2 dogs and 3 cats.
Rebecca Gresch says
February 25, 2016 at 4:49 pmIf you have a menagerie of pets, large dogs, or pets with special needs, consider hiring a professional pet mover. My husband and I own and operate The Waggin Trail Express, an eleven-year USDA certified company. We stop every 4 to 5 hours to walk dogs and overnight in pet friendly motels. We have made pet moving a stress-free experience for lots of people and pets over the years. We can pick up the pets before the movers arrive and deliver on your timeline rather than the airline’s schedule. We even supply the carriers. http://www.thewaggintrailexpress.com