Making moving easier for your four-legged family
Moving home is stressful for pets, too. These tips on preparation, moving day and settling your pets in their new surroundings will make moving easier for your four-legged family.
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How does moving home affect cats and dogs?
The noise of moving, the car journey, and the smells and sounds of a new home are all stressful for cats and dogs. Unlike small animals such as hamsters and guinea pigs, they can move around freely indoors and outdoors, so their surroundings are especially important.
Don't rush things. Although dogs will get used to new territory quickly as long as their owner is with them, the stress remains. Cats are more sensitive to change. After the move you may find that they suddenly want to be near you more, eat less, or forget their house-training. They need longer to get used to the new living situation. The following tips will make moving easier for your four-legged family members.
Checklist: the pet-friendly move
Preparing for moving day
Good preparation is essential to a smooth move with your pets. Your priority is to keep your pet's stress levels down. That’s not easy with all that's going on, and the associated noise. It may make sense to have your pet stay in a cattery/kennels, or with friends, during the move. Think ahead about what is best for your pet. If yours is an outdoor cat, being placed somewhere else for a couple of days might be more stressful than all the hustle and bustle of the move itself.
You should also make sure that you have suitable carriers for your pets. Get them used to the carrier before you need to use it. Put it out at home, and make sure your pet associates it with positive experiences, such as being fed or rewarded there. Find out about vets near your new home. Where possible, dog-owners should take their dog to sniff out the new apartment before they move in, so they can get to know the new environment. Greater familiarity means less stress for animals and humans alike.
During the move
If your pet is going to be around for the move, settle them for the duration in a quiet room that is already empty. Make sure that they are surrounded by familiar things, and don't pack their bed, bowls and toys until just before you put them in the car.
Despite all the sorting out before the move, resist the temptation to sanitize everything your pet owns. Washing all of their bedding or changing the nesting material in your hamster's cage might seem like a good idea, but it just causes additional stress. Pets will get used to their new home faster if they smell familiar smells. On longer journeys, make sure that your pet has enough water and food. Once again, give your pet their usual food from their usual food and water bowls. Don't forget a few treats and their favourite toy, either. You can also get special calming sprays for dogs and cats. To relax small animals during car journeys, cover their cage with a towel.
Settling in
Things should get back to normal as soon as possible after the move. Remember that your pet takes their cues from you. It's therefore worth taking a couple of days off after the move to spend time with your animal. Avoid too much hectic activity. The change of scene will be easier for your four-legged friend to handle if you yourself are calm.
As soon as you move in, place their bowls, beds and litter box in suitable places. That way, each animal has their own space and knows where they belong. Put furniture and similar together soon after moving in, so your pet can settle in to their new surroundings faster. Again, you can use sprays and atomizers to calm stressed cats and dogs after the move.
When can a cat go outside again?
Give your outside cat around four to five weeks to get used to their new home. Make sure that they have access to windows during this time, so that they can observe their new environment. After that, it's best to let them out in daylight, just before feeding time. That increases the chances that their first reconnaissance tour will be a fairly short one.
Some cats will return to their old surroundings after a move. Make sure that your former neighbours have your contact details, so they can let you know if your cat turns up. If you're worried that the cat won't be able to find its way home again, special GPS trackers allow you to locate them in real time.
Do I have to re-register my dog?
You will have to notify various people of your change of address when you move. Don’t forget to deregister your dog from your old municipality, and re-register them at your new municipality within ten days. Most cantons require dog owners to take out dog liability insurance. Check whether cover is included in your personal liability insurance, and that the minimum sum insured is enough. If you keep exotic animals or a dog that requires a special licence, you should find out before the move what restrictions apply at your new place. The dog might have to be kept on a lead, for example. The cantonal veterinary service of the canton where you live will provide more information (list available in German only).
If you would like to have time to take care of your pet during the move, get professional help for moving day.