Even though you've signed the paperwork and handed in the keys, your pet is experiencing a completely different day. All animals, no matter what kind of pet you have at home, are tied to their environment. Their comfort comes from the environment they are used to, and disrupting all of that for a move in can lead to stress behaviors from your pets. However, with the proper preparation, your pets can have a smooth move into their new home.
Why Pets Struggle With Moves
Dogs are creatures of habit. They map their world through scent and routine, and a new home strips both of those anchors away overnight. Cats are even more territory-bound — they may hide for days or spray in unfamiliar rooms as a coping mechanism. Even small pets like rabbits and guinea pigs can go off their food when their environment changes suddenly.
Understanding that your pet isn't being difficult — they're coping — is the first step to helping them settle in.
The 4 stages of pet adjustment:
- Stage 1 – Disorientation (Days 1–3): Your pet explores nervously, hides, or clings to you.
- Stage 2 – Adjustment (Days 4–14): Routine slowly returns, appetite normalises.
- Stage 3 – Ownership (Weeks 3–8): Your pet begins to claim their space and relax.
- Stage 4 – Home (2–3 months in): The new place is their territory now.
Before Moving Day: Prep Your Pet
The best time to start helping your pet adjust is before you've moved a single box.
Keep their routine intact for as long as possible Feed, walk, and play with your pet at the same times you normally would during the packing phase. Routine is an anchor. If mealtimes and walks stay consistent, your pet has something familiar to hold onto even as the house fills with boxes and strangers.
Don't wash their bedding before the move It might seem counter-intuitive, but your pet's bedding, favourite blanket, and toys carry their scent — and that scent is deeply comforting. Bringing those unwashed items into the new home gives your pet an immediate olfactory anchor in an otherwise foreign space. Wash everything a few weeks after they've settled.
Visit the new home if possible If you can take your dog for a walk around the new neighbourhood before moving day, do it. Let them sniff the front garden, the letterbox, the street. Familiar smells on moving day mean slightly less panic.
| Quick Tip | Ask your vet about short-term calming aids if your pet has had anxiety during previous moves. Pheromone diffusers (like Adaptil for dogs or Feliway for cats) can be plugged in at the new home before you arrive. |
On Moving Day
Moving day is high-chaos by nature — doors left open, strangers in the house, furniture being dragged across floors. This is the highest-risk day for a stressed pet to bolt or injure themselves.
- Confine your pet to a quiet room with their bed, water, and toys — away from the foot traffic
- Put a sign on their door so removalists know not to open it
- Make sure their ID tags and microchip details are up to date with your new address before you leave
- Transport them in a carrier or crated vehicle — never loose in a moving truck
- On arrival, set up their safe room first — before any of your own furniture
Settling In: The First Two Weeks
Once you're in, resist the urge to immediately give your pet free reign of the whole house. Especially for dogs and cats, a smaller territory is less overwhelming at first. Let them get comfortable in one or two rooms, then gradually open up more of the home as they relax.
Recreate familiar spaces Position their bed, crate, or feeding area in a similar spot to where it sat in your old home — same corner of the room, same distance from the wall. Visual and spatial memory matters more than you'd think. Familiar furniture arranged in a familiar way is genuinely soothing for animals.
Stick to the same feeding and walk schedule This is the single most effective thing you can do. Predictability tells your pet that the world is still safe and ordered, even though the walls look different. Don't experiment with new foods or new routines until they're settled.
Watch for stress signals Hiding, refusing food, excessive barking or whining, destructive behaviour, and toileting inside the house are all signs your pet is struggling. A few days of this is normal. If it persists beyond two weeks, speak to your vet — anxiety can escalate if left unaddressed.
| For Cat Owners | Keep cats strictly indoors for at least 3–4 weeks in a new home. Even outdoor cats need time to establish a territory before they're safe to roam — cats who are let outside too early can become disoriented and struggle to find their way back. |
Is This a Good Time to Bring a New Pet Home?
A move can be a wonderful opportunity to bring a pet into your life, especially if you’re moving into a house with more outdoor space and a garden. There will be no scent of another animal in the home, and you and your new dog will be discovering the house together.
Small dog breeds generally do best in new environments. Breeds like the Shih Tzu are among the best small breeds to own alongside a family. These breeds tend to form close attachments to their owners and tend to be relaxed about changes in their environment. For these reasons, Shih Tzu dogs are one of the best breeds for first time dog owners or those moving into a smaller space with a family.
Making Your New Home Pet-Friendly
While you're setting up, it's worth doing a quick pet-safety audit of the new space — especially if you're in a home with different hazards to your last one.
- Check fences for gaps, broken panels, or unsecured gates before letting dogs outside
- Identify and remove any toxic plants in the garden (common culprits: hydrangeas, daffodils, oleander)
- Store cleaning products and paints from renovation in secured cupboards — curious pets can be drawn to new smells
- Find a local vet and register your pet before you need one in an emergency
- The Bottom Line
- Helping your pet settle into a new home is not complicated. It requires some patience and planning ahead. Keep them to their routine, give them time to explore the new surroundings at their own pace. Most animals will settle into their new home in a few weeks.
- If you're thinking about adding a pet to your home, now is a great time of year to do so. A new home, a new start - for everyone in the household.
