Moving is tough on
families, pets included. Animals have a way of telling when something’s amiss,
even if they aren’t sure what it is, or why. Here’s the key to moving pets: secure
them before and during the move, and settle them safely and quickly into a
routine after. The first thing you should do when moving your pet is order ID
tags with the new address and phone number, so you'll have them securely
attached to all collars when moving day finally arrives. You may also want to
spray the premises for fleas before you are all moved in. This is your best
chance to get into every nook and cranny.
If you have a cat, the move can be especially difficult. Cats
form a bond not only with the people in a home
but also with the home itself. Cats like to roam and explore, so it can be hard
to keep them around the new home long enough to realize that this is where
their family will now be staying.
Dogs are
a touch easier to deal with, though. Just put his leash on and take a drive to
the new house, showing him his new home and the securely fenced back yard.
Unless the dog is some sort of incredible high-jumper, he'll stay put while he
adjusts. It’s as simple as that.
Keeping
cats confined is a must when moving to ensure their safety as they adjust to
their new home, making it their own. Set your cat up in a “safe room”, such as
a bathroom, with food, water, his bed, a scratching post, litter box, and a toy
or two while packing and moving are taking place. When you finally bring your
cat to the new house, put your cat into a this room for a few days, just until
the movers are gone, the furniture arranged and most of the dust settled, and
then allow him to explore on his own terms.
Quickly
re-establish a routine for all of your pets. It would be a good idea to have a
few extra litter boxes around the house to avoid any accidents. Overtime, you
can gradually reduce the number of boxes when you know your
cat isn't picking unapproved places to go.
Moving to
a new home is the perfect opportunity to convert your free-roaming cat to a
house-dweller if you have been considering it for health and safety reasons. In
your old home, you'd be constantly listening to your cat demanding to be let
out into the rest of his territory. In a new home, his territory hasn’t been
claimed so the new home can be made into his only turf by keeping him inside
from day one.
If you
don't want to convert him, keep him inside for a couple of weeks, until he
seems relaxed. You can introduce your cat to the new yard by taking him on
short tours with a harness and a leash, but in the end, you'll have to take
your chances, open the door and hope for the best.
Moving to
a new home is an exciting adventure. Just make sure you are taking all of theright precautions to make sure it is just as great for your pet. Good luck!
