Moving can be a traumatic experience for your pet. But you can help ease your furry family member into your new home with a few easy tips.
Wait until the movers have delivered everything and left the premises before transferring your pets to your new address. With cats, choose a room and make it her temporary home for at least a week, putting everything in place before her arrival. This way, when she steps out of her carrier, she will immediately begin to feel at home. It’s also a good idea to plug a synthetic feline pheromone diffuser into a floor-level socket to help reduce her stress levels.
Take time from your unpacking to give your pets lots of extra attention. You will be able to gauge how your cat is settling in and when she’s ready to explore other rooms. Before she begins her walkabout, spray feline pheromones at strategic points through the home. This will encourage her to make her own scent markings — all a part of the settling down process.
Take your dog for several neighborhood walks and allow him lots of time to sniff around his new environment and yard if there is one.
Cats are generally much safer if they enjoy an indoors-only lifestyle. However, if you are planning to give her access to the outside, put on a harness and leash to help introduce her to the outdoor areas. By using a lightweight retractable leash you will be able to slowly extend her boundaries.
It’s a good idea to leave the old ID tag with your former address on for a couple of weeks before removing it. Also, if you pet is microchipped, remember to inform any lost pet protection services you subscribe to, the microchip database company, and your veterinarian of the address change.
-Photo credit: from flickr by bowazny