Moving house with a dog or cat: before, during and after
Short answer: prepare early by getting your pet used to its carrier or crate, keep pets in a quiet closed room or with a friend on moving day, and travel with them safely restrained. In the new home, set up one familiar room first. Keep cats indoors for two to three weeks, walk dogs on lead until they know the area, and update microchip and tag details straight away.
Moving house is one of the more unsettling events in a pet’s life. Familiar smells disappear, routines change and strangers come and go carrying furniture. With a bit of planning, most dogs and cats adjust within a few weeks. This guide walks through the weeks before, the day itself and the first weeks afterwards.
In the weeks before the move
Bring boxes in gradually so the change is not sudden, and keep your pet’s routine as normal as possible. If your cat or dog will travel in a carrier or crate, leave it out with a familiar blanket inside and feed treats there, so it becomes a safe den rather than a sign of a vet trip. Our cat carriers and dog crates ranges include sizes for most pets. Find a new vet near your new home, and ask your current practice to send on your pet’s records. For nervous pets, a stay with a trusted friend, a boarding kennel or a cattery over moving day can be kinder; book early, and check vaccinations are up to date.
On moving day
Doors are open constantly on moving day, and many pets go missing this way. Shut cats in a quiet, empty room with water, a litter tray and their bed, and put a sign on the door so the removal team keeps it closed. Dogs can stay in a similar room or with a friend. Feed a light meal a few hours before travelling. Pack a pet box to travel with you rather than in the van: food, bowls, litter, bedding, toys, any medicines, poo bags, kitchen roll and your vet’s details.
The journey
The Highway Code asks drivers to restrain animals suitably, so they stay out of the driver’s way and are protected in an emergency stop. Use a secure carrier, a crate, a dog guard or a harness with a seat-belt attachment from our dog car travel range. Keep carriers level and secure, on the floor behind a seat or belted in. Never leave pets alone in a car, even in mild weather. On long journeys, offer dogs water and a toilet break on a lead at a safe stop.
Settling in
Set up one room in the new house with your pet’s bed, bowls, toys and, for cats, a litter tray from our cat litter trays range, before letting your pet out of the carrier. Unwashed bedding and blankets carry familiar smells that help. Introduce the rest of the house gradually, a room at a time. Keep meals and walks at the usual times, as routine is reassuring.
Keep cats indoors for at least two to three weeks so they learn that the new house is home. When they go out for the first time, choose a quiet time just before a meal, so they are motivated to come back, and go out with them. If you plan to fit a cat flap, wait until your cat is settled; microchip cat flaps from our cat flaps range help keep neighbourhood cats out. Walk dogs on lead around the new area until you know where the boundaries, roads and livestock are, and walk the boundary of the new garden looking for gaps under fences and loose gate latches before your dog goes out alone.
Paperwork: microchip and tags
Update your details on the microchip database as soon as you move. It is a legal requirement for dogs throughout Great Britain and for cats in England, and it gives you the strongest chance of a reunion if your pet goes missing. Order a new tag with your new address from our dog ID tags range, since the tag on your dog’s collar has to carry your current name and address whenever it is out in public. Register with your new vet and let them know about any ongoing health issues.
Quick checklist
- Get your pet used to its carrier or crate weeks in advance.
- Find a new vet and transfer records.
- Shut pets in a quiet room, or arrange boarding, on moving day.
- Restrain pets safely in the car and pack a pet box.
- Keep cats in for two to three weeks and walk dogs on lead at first.
- Update microchip details and tags straight away.
Frequently asked questions
How long should I keep my cat in after moving house?
Most advice is at least two to three weeks, so your cat associates the new house with food, safety and you. Some nervous cats need longer. Let your cat out first just before a meal, and stay close by.
Will my cat try to go back to our old house?
Some cats do, especially if the old home is nearby. Keeping your cat in for longer, letting your new neighbours and old neighbours know, and asking the new occupants of your old home not to feed your cat all help.
Do I have to update my pet’s microchip when I move?
Yes. Keepers must keep a dog’s microchip details up to date throughout Great Britain, and the same applies to cats in England. Accurate details make it far more likely that a lost pet finds its way back to you.
How can I keep my dog calm on moving day?
Keep your dog in a quiet room with its bed, water and a chew, or arrange for it to stay with a trusted friend or a boarding kennel. Stick to the normal walk and meal times as far as possible.
Where to go next
For long car journeys and muddy new walks, our guide to the muddy-walk routine covers boot covers and car protection, and pet insurance in the UK is worth reviewing when your address changes. Carriers, crates and new tags can be found in the cat and dog departments; for small pets and birds, use shop by pet.
