Moving House With Pets: How to Make the Transition as Smooth as Possible

Pets do not understand that a house move is coming. They experience the before, during, and after in terms of what they can sense: furniture disappearing, boxes appearing, routines shifting, familiar smells being packed away. For cats, who are territorial and scent-dependent, this is particularly disorienting. For dogs, the stress often shows up in the days after the move, once the initial excitement fades. A little planning before, during, and after makes a significant difference.

In the Weeks Before the Move

Keep Routine as Stable as Possible

Dogs especially feel the disruption of a changing household. During packing, try to maintain feeding times, walk times, and sleeping arrangements as closely as possible. A dog who is walked at 7am every morning and suddenly is not is already stressed before the move begins.

Let Boxes Be Normal

Introduce boxes and packing materials gradually rather than having the whole house transformed in a day. Cats in particular may find large stacks of boxes alarming if they appear overnight. Leaving them out for a week before packing begins gives pets time to investigate and normalise them.

Prepare a Moving Day Bag

Pack a separate bag containing everything your pet will need on moving day and for the first few nights:

• Food and water bowls
• Two to three days of food
• Medications and health records
• Favourite toy and bedding (do not wash it before the move — familiar smells help)
• Carrier for cats
• Lead, collar, and ID tag (double-check the ID tag has your current phone number)
• Litter and litter tray for cats

On Moving Day

Moving day is chaotic. Doors are open, strangers are coming in and out, and the environment changes by the hour. This is the highest-risk day for pets to escape or become severely stressed.

• For cats: Confine to a single room with their carrier, litter, food and water. Put a sign on the door. Let them out only once you are in the new house with all doors and windows secured.
• For dogs: If possible, have a trusted person take the dog for the day — a long walk, a friend's house, or daycare. If that is not possible, confine them to one room as with the cat. Do not leave them unsupervised in a chaotic open house.
• Make sure all pets have an up-to-date ID tag with your mobile number before moving day.

Arriving at the New Home

For Cats

Do not let a cat explore the whole new house immediately. Set up one room — ideally a smaller, quieter one — with their litter, food, water, bedding, and a hiding spot. Let them spend the first day or two in that room. Introduce one room at a time over the first week. Let the cat lead — some settle in two days, others take two weeks.

Keep cats indoors for a minimum of two to four weeks in the new home before considering outdoor access. They need time to accept the new territory as home before being let outside.

For Dogs

Walk the dog around the outside of the new property before bringing them inside — let them sniff the perimeter. Inside, walk them through each room on lead. Go to the garden for a toilet trip before any free exploration of the house. Set up their bed or crate in the first room you want them to settle in.

The First Week

• Restore routine as quickly as possible — same feeding times, same walk structure, same bedtime ritual.
• Expect some regression in previously settled behaviour: accidents in housetrained dogs, litter box avoidance in cats, changes in appetite or sleep. These are temporary and usually resolve within one to two weeks.
• Spend time with your pet in their space in the new home — just being present helps them settle.

Admin to Complete After Moving

• Microchip registry: Update your address and phone number with the microchip registry. This is the step most owners forget, and it means lost pets cannot be returned if they go missing after a move.
• Find a new vet: Register with a local vet before you need one. Transfer your pet's health records from your previous clinic.
• Pet insurance: Notify your insurer of your new address.
• Pet sitter or dog walker: If you use regular services, brief a new local contact or update existing ones with the new address and access details.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take for a cat to settle in a new home?

Most cats settle within one to three weeks, but some take longer — particularly if the move involved a long journey, another cat in the house, or a significantly different environment. As long as the cat is eating, drinking, and using the litter box, settling is progressing normally.

My dog has been anxious since the move. Is this normal?

Yes, for the first one to two weeks. Dogs who show prolonged anxiety — not eating for more than two or three days, inability to settle at all, destructive behaviour continuing beyond the second week — benefit from a vet conversation to rule out clinical anxiety that may need support.