This article was written by The Zillennial Zine’s spring editorial intern Jeanny Sánchez Gómez. Find them on Instagram at @jeanny_sanchez. If you would like to share an article with The Zillennial, send us an email at thezillennialzine@gmail.com.
Moving can be a hassle no matter what. Making sure everything is packed neatly and correctly so nothing breaks, renting movers, and the stress of making sure it goes smoothly can be such a fun but exhausting experience, and adding your fur babies to the mix can be an unexpected challenge. So, from someone who has moved multiple times with their cat, here are some tips for moving with pets!
Fair warning, though: As the owner of three very sassy cats full of personality, I know every pet is different, so if some of these tips don’t work for your fur baby, that doesn’t mean there aren’t more out there that can help you!
Moving Prep
Depending on how far you’re moving, there might be some different things to take into consideration before you move. Mode of transportation, whether you need to update their vet records, travel kit, etc. Moving can be a lot for us, so just think about how much stress your pet will be under when they just get transported to a new space out of nowhere.
For me, the biggest thing to start with when it comes to moving is checking to see how pet-friendly your new home will be, and this can mean many different things. Again, my partner and I have three cats, and if you have ever had a cat, you know how possessive of their space they can be. For us, making sure that we had a big enough apartment for them to spread out was essential. While renting a small apartment might have saved us some money over the lease term, we also knew that a smaller place would just cause more infighting between our cats, who seem to just barely tolerate each other at times. The dog lovers might also appreciate a bigger space for their furry friends to run around in.
While in awesome situations splurging on a bigger place is not always possible, it can still benefit both you and your pet’s quality of life if you are surrounded by things that make your pets happy, whether it be dog park in the neighborhood, walking trails, or for us with cats, big patios for them to spend some time safely outside birdwatching or sunbathing.
Once you’ve settled on a new home, comes the more logistical part of it all. Like I mentioned, updating your pet’s vet record can be a great idea, especially if you’re moving cities or states where your regular veterinarian will no longer be a short drive away. Not only that, but if it requires a very long travel time, they might be able to give you more tips on how to keep your pet safe and stress-free during this time. Depending on your mode of transportation, you also want to make sure that you have acquired a comfortable carrier for them, so that you can start getting them used to it before moving day comes around, so that you have one less thing to worry about.
The last thing I’ll recommend for the pre-moving phase is to prepare a travel kit for your pet! Again, depending on how far and your mode of transportatio,n you might need to pack different items for their travel kit. Some essentials that should be included are food, water, treats, collars and leashes, toys, first-aid kit, and if your furry friend needs any medication make sure that easily accessible as well!
Moving Time!
Probably the most stressful part of this process, the actual moving day, will more than likely be a pain to deal with, but hopefully, if you prepared beforehand, it will go a little smoother. I can’t emphasize enough how helpful it will be if you help your pet adjust to their carrier. No matter the distance, a comfortable carrier where they feel safe can ease both their nerves and yours during the transportation part. Another important thing to keep in mind, especially if you are moving in a car, is to make sure to take some time to stop for any bathroom breaks that your pet might need throughout the trip!
When I moved my cats, I decided to move them first, along with some of their favorite items, a blanket they like to sleep on, a bean bag chair they like to nap on, their cat tree, litter boxes, and their food and water area was set up first. A lot of tips online will mention to introduce them slowly to a new space by having them get acquainted with one room first, so by moving them in frist they were able to get adjusted to a new room while we also had peace of mind that they would not bold out of the front door while we went in and out as they were already safely closed in one room. It’s one of those choices that can depend on the pet, so again, you know your fur baby to see what the best process will be for them.
Post-Move
Once you are settled in your new home, you’re not fully settled in for a least a few weeks because of the pets. Living with both cats and dogs in one place has shown me that the amount of time it takes for an animal to get adjusted to a new space can vary, so it is important to be extra patient with them during this time. For the first few weeks of moving our cats to a new space, we could not get them to stop fighting and peeing on furnitare while they tried to claim some personal space and it wasn’t until we established a clear routine and boundaries with them, that the whole household could finally release their breath and feel fully settled in. Routines are gonna be important to make them feel at home in the new space, and in the hassle of the whole process, it can be easy to forget that.
Another good tip that helped get our pets adjusted was letting them explore gradually. One of our cats had no qualms and immediately felt comfortable enough to explore the entire new apartment while another one would not leave our closet for a week, before stepping foot into the actually bedroom. On top of the gradual exploration, rubbing their well-loved items around the new place also helped them relax a bit more as the place started to smell more familiar to them.
Moving can be excruciatingly draining, especially with pets, but it doesn’t have to be. There are plenty of more tips out there that can make the move easier, but either way, patience and love will help your furry friend no matter what!
Leave a comment with some more tips on moving with pets!
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