We will be moving in about a month. My current home is the only one both animals (dog, almost 9 years old & kitty, 10 months old) have ever known outside the shelter & home fostered in.
My dog is generally well-adjusting. She did great when the kitty came to live with us & adapted very well to my children being born & taking over. The kitty is also very easy-going & has never done anything "naughty". What can I do to make the transition is an "easy" one for them?
I will have access to the new place for about a week before the official move. After the move, I will be home for about 3 days before I have to return to work.
Talk to your vet about this, and also google for info. You'll get a whole bunch of info. Probably one of the most important things is them being comfortable during transport. And you don't want them underfoot and freaking out while things are being packed out of/put into the new home. They need to be somewhere undisturbed (Kitty in bathroom, dog in yard?) while the craziness happens - at both locations.
Good luck!
Our critters have always adjusted well. My suggestion is more around AFTER you move in. Make sure to keep your dog on a leash for a while. Don't leave him alone outside for a couple of weeks. He'll need to come to know the new place as "home." I'm assuming the cat is an indoor cat but if not, same rules apply.
Good luck!
What we did was to make our dog (about 9-10 at the time) the last *item* to be moved. We had all of the stuff pretty much in place by the time we moved her and she was right at home.
Next to death of a parent, going blind in one eye, being held back in school and a few others-"moving" ranks right up there with what children find the most feared or stressful-I'm sure the pets will be finegood luck and happy packing!
Animals transition very well. I moved a lot in college and after college and my two cats never had issues. I didn't do anything special to prepare them. Cats will just tend to disappear in the beginning b/c they are exploring their new home. Dogs are even easier! As long as they have their food/water and if they have a 'place' they always go to, just make sure the bedding you use goes with you.
Take the time to walk them thru the place and around the house for the ones that go outside. Do not take them there and leave immediately - they might freak out. I have heard some pets tend to mark their new territory even if they are older and fixed...so watch out for that. I have a friend that their dog peed on their couch when they moved. If any pets lived in the house prior to where you are moving into you may have an issue with that too - they may mark certain areas where there is a pet odor.
Good luck!
We moved about 10 months ago. We kept our dogs at our old house for as long as possible. Then when things were somewhat set up at the new house we brought them in on a leash and let them walk around and check things out. I was home for several days before leaving them alone as well. Our move was about an hour away, so it wasn't condusive to bringing them there before we moved, but if your move isn't as far, if you can take them their one day that you will be there for a little while and let them check it out. That way they will recognize it when they go there again. My dogs did very well- I'm guessing cause its a much bigger house with a MUCH bigger yard. Hopefully your babies will do well as well. Congrats on the new house and good luck with the move.
I agree with keeping them out of the way during the move. If at all possible try not to bring them into the house while it is still empty. They will be less nervous if there are things in the house that they recognize as their own. Also I recommend isolating them to a small area at first and then slowly let them explore. Don't give them free reign of the house right off the bat. Ideally you will take the cats and show them the litter boxes first and then allow them to leave that area on their own so they can find it again. If there were pets in the home you are moving into clean, clean, clean. and clean some more. You may not get all them smells but diminish them as much as possible. Walk the dog through the house on a leash and let her smell everything first. You will find that for the most part the dog will adjust faster than the cats.
Animals are smart and will sense something is going on. I would say that I would not move the animals in until you are there. Our kitty is 13 years old. We put her in our sons bedroom, while we moved stuff in. we put her litter box and food in the room also and kept her in there part of the day. once our son was home from the babysitters he played with her and made her feel less nervous. she did very well. when moving the dog do the same thing and make her feel welcome also. I would strongly suggest if you do not have one already a carrier for the kitty. I would move her first and the dog second. Good luck and congrats on the new place.
Cats and dogs are different about moving. Generally, dogs are happy to be wherever you are and kitties are more about their environment but your kitty is young so will probably adjust well. You can take the dog over with you before the actual move but I would move all your stuff before you take the kitty. The only problem you might experience with your dog is that when you leave her at the new house for the first time, she might be upset if you try to leave her there without you. So make a few trips out after the move that are very short so that you come back quickly and she "gets it" that this is the new place and you will be returning. With the kitty, contain her in a small area after you first move, like the bedroom or even a bathroom. After a couple of days, open the door a bit so she can go exploring if she wants but still feels the protection of her "area". I have moved several times with cats and I always start them out in a small area with familiar things around them and their food and litter box. Then after they start exploring, I slowly move the litter box to where I actually want it to be and I also have another litter box where I want it to be in the new place. Once they start exploring and I see that they are using the new box, I can get rid of the transition box or just move it next to the one I want them to use. They will be fine!
We've moved more than I care to think about. We had one dog that did not do well with the stresses of moving and eventually had to be rehomed due to his severe anxiety that did not respond to any treatment/training.
You might consider kenneling them, if they do ok, during the actual transition for a couple days. That way, they come to the new home with the familiar bowls, beds, furniture, smells, etc. and will likely settle right in without any stress. For my girl now...it's the actual stress of "moving"...the packing/luggage, business, the "unknown" that gets her nervous and stressed...but a new place doesn't bother her a bit.
Good luck with your move!
