Moving House With Pets: A Practical Guide to Keeping Them Safe and Calm

Why Pets Find Moving Difficult

Pets are, by nature, creatures of routine and territory. Dogs derive security from familiar smells, walks, and the rhythms of a household. Cats are even more location-attached — a cat's territory extends well beyond the house itself, and uprooting them can trigger genuine anxiety. Small animals and birds are sensitive to disruption in their environment and handling.

The good news is that with some planning, most pets adapt well to a move. The key is minimising chaos around them during the most disruptive parts of the process and giving them time to adjust at the other end.

Planning Ahead

**Visit your vet before the move.** If you're moving to a different area, your vet will transfer records to a new practice. Ask for a summary of your pet's health history and vaccination records to take with you. If your pet is prone to anxiety, ask your vet about short-term options — there are prescription calming medications that can be appropriate for particularly anxious animals during a move.

**Check microchip details are current.** UK law requires dogs to be microchipped, and cats must be microchipped from June 2024. But a chip is only useful if the registered address and contact details are up to date. Check your details on the relevant database (Petlog, PetScanner, Microchip Central, etc.) and update them to your new address after you move. This is the most commonly forgotten task after moving with pets.

**Research vets and pet services in the new area.** Register with a local vet as soon as possible after moving. Good veterinary practices in popular areas can have waiting lists for new patients. Also note the location of the nearest out-of-hours emergency vet.

**Update pet insurance.** Your policy should reflect your current address. Contact your insurer to update records. In some cases, location affects premiums — particularly for specialist cover.

The Weeks Before Moving

Keep as much routine as possible in the weeks before the move. Walk dogs at the usual time, maintain feeding schedules, and don't make major changes to sleeping arrangements or bedding.

If your pet is crate-trained, start leaving the crate out with familiar bedding inside in the weeks before the move. The crate becomes a consistent, portable safe space that you'll bring to the new home.

Don't wash your pet's bedding immediately before the move. Familiar smells provide comfort, particularly during the transition period. Freshly laundered bedding smells different and removes that security.

On Packing Days

Packing days are disruptive. Boxes appear, furniture moves, strangers come and go. This is stressful for animals, particularly cats, who may start to hide or become clingy.

Set aside one room — a spare bedroom or study — as a quiet pet space during packing days. Put familiar bedding, a water bowl, food, litter tray (for cats), and some toys in there, and keep the door closed while packing happens elsewhere. A sign on the door tells removal team members not to enter.

Moving Day

Moving day is the single most stressful day for pets. The solution, if at all possible, is to have them elsewhere for as much of the day as possible.

**For dogs:** Arrange for a friend, family member, dog walker, or day boarding facility to take your dog from before the removal van arrives until the van is unloaded and the new home is accessible. This removes the risk of escape through open doors, the stress of unfamiliar people and activity, and the danger of trips and injuries in a busy property.

**For cats:** The same principle applies. On the morning of the move, confine your cat to their secure room with food, water, and litter. Move this room last. Transport them in a secure, covered carrier. At the new property, set up one room first (bedroom is often ideal) with their familiar items, and confine them there while unloading continues.

**Transport safely.** A stressed animal in a car can be dangerous. Cats should travel in a secure carrier; dogs should be secured with a harness or in a boot guard. Don't leave animals in a parked car in warm weather.

**Small animals and birds.** Keep cages and tanks covered during transport to reduce visual stimulation. Maintain temperature — small animals are particularly susceptible to cold stress. Move them last from the old home and set them up first at the new property.

Settling Into the New Home

**For dogs:** Explore the new home and garden together on a lead initially. Introduce the dog to new outdoor spaces gradually. Maintain the same walk schedule and feeding times. Most dogs settle within a week or two, though some take longer.

**For cats:** Keep cats indoors for at least two to four weeks before allowing access outside. This gives them time to establish the new property as their base before exploring the wider territory. When you do allow outside access, go with them initially and keep the first outings short. Feeding just before you let them out, rather than when they return, establishes the new home as the food source — a powerful motivator for a cat to return.

**Signs of stress to watch for.** Changes in appetite, hiding, excessive vocalisation (particularly in cats), house-training accidents in animals that are usually reliable, and destructive behaviour can all indicate stress. Most resolve within a few weeks as the animal adjusts. If symptoms are severe or persist beyond a month, consult your vet.

A house move is temporary disruption. With care and routine, most animals settle into a new home remarkably well. The effort you put in during the transition pays off in a calm, confident pet that has made the new house their home.