Moving House With Pets: A Practical Guide for Cats and Dogs

Moving house with a pet is easiest when you protect three things: routine, safety and familiarity. Keep feeding and walking times as normal as possible, give your cat or dog a secure place away from the lifting on moving day, transport them safely, and introduce the new home gradually. The steps below cover what to do before, during and after the move. For the wider logistics of moving home, see what a full removals service involves.

Start with your pet's routine, weeks before the move

The single kindest thing you can do is keep daily life normal for as long as possible. Feed at the same times. Walk at the same times. Keep beds, bowls and favourite toys exactly where they always are, right up until the last moment.

Boxes appearing around the house are a signal to your pet that something is changing. Bring them in gradually rather than all at once, so the home does not transform overnight. If your animal is nervous, let it sniff the empty boxes and packing materials so they become ordinary, not alarming.

If you know your move is a long one, perhaps a retirement move across the country, give yourself extra runway. Spreading the packing over a couple of weeks keeps the disruption low and steady rather than sudden.

Get the paperwork and microchip sorted early

Sort the admin while you still have time to think. Dogs throughout the UK must be microchipped and registered, and their database details must be kept up to date. In England, pet cats must also be microchipped and registered by 20 weeks of age. If your pet is already chipped, update the registered address when you move.

A few more things worth doing in the same sitting:

• Update your details with the microchip database, ideally before moving day.
• Check your pet's ID tag shows a current phone number.
• Ask your vet for a copy of vaccination and medical records if you are changing practice.
• Find and register with a vet near your new home, so you are covered from day one.

Doing this early means that if your pet does slip out in the upheaval, whoever finds it can get it straight back to you.

What to do with your pet on moving day

Moving day is the riskiest day for a pet, and it is the easiest to plan for. The rule is simple: keep your animal well away from the lifting.

The best option is to settle your dog or cat in one quiet room with the door shut, with its bed, water and a familiar-smelling blanket. Put a clear note on the door so nobody opens it by mistake. Even better, if you can, leave your pet with a friend or relative for the day, so it misses the noise and movement entirely.

Why the closed door matters: while a move is happening, external doors may be open and people are coming and going. A frightened animal can slip out quickly. A clearly marked safe room, or trusted care away from the property, reduces that risk.

From our experience on moving days, the useful part is not trying to involve a pet in the activity. Decide in advance which room will stay closed, tell the crew where the animal is, and only move the pet once the main loading is finished.

Travelling to the new home

Once the main loading is finished and you are ready to leave, move your pet in the vehicle you have prepared for them. Keeping them away from the busiest part of loading reduces unnecessary disturbance.

For cats, use a secure, well-ventilated carrier, with a familiar blanket inside that smells of home. For dogs, use a harness and seatbelt clip or a secured crate in the car. The familiar blanket is a small touch that makes a real difference, because scent is reassuring when everything else has changed.

Never leave a pet alone in a parked van or car, even for a few minutes. Cars heat up fast, and a hot vehicle is dangerous quickly.

For a longer journey, plan suitable stops where appropriate. Dogs may need water and comfort breaks; cats should remain securely contained during travel. If your pet is particularly anxious, elderly or has a medical condition, ask your vet for advice before the journey.

Settling a cat into the new home and the confinement question

Cats are deeply attached to territory, so they need the most patience. Start small. Set up one safe room with the litter tray, food, water, a bed and a few familiar things, and let your cat get comfortable there before opening up the rest of the house.

Once your cat is relaxed in its safe room, let it explore the rest of the home gradually. For an outdoor cat, Cats Protection advises keeping it indoors for at least three weeks after moving so it has time to recognise the new house as its safe place. Some cats need longer, so confidence and behaviour matter more than rushing to a date.

Do not rely on old remedies such as buttering a cat's paws. Give the cat time to settle, keep its routine consistent and make sure its microchip details are current before it goes outside.

Helping a dog adjust

Dogs take their cue from you, so the calmer you are, the faster they settle. The first job in the new house is to set up your dog's space straight away, its bed, bowls and toys, in a quiet corner, so there is a familiar island in the middle of all the change.

Then protect the routine. Keep walks and feeds at the usual times from the very first day. Familiar timings tell your dog that, wherever it is, life still works the way it always did.

There is no fixed timetable for a dog to feel completely settled. Keep walks, feeding and familiar routines consistent and allow the dog to adjust at its own pace. If anxiety is persistent, severe or affecting eating, sleeping or normal behaviour, speak to your vet.

Keep moving day simple for your pet

The practical aim is to separate your pet's needs from the lifting and loading. Prepare the safe room or alternative care before the crew arrives, keep food, water, medication and travel equipment with you, and make the pet one of the last things you move from the old home and one of the first things you settle at the new one.

On Marley Moves jobs, knowing about pets before moving day helps us plan around the room that needs to stay closed and avoid disturbing it unnecessarily. Mention any pet arrangements when you discuss access and the moving-day plan.

If you are planning the move and want the lifting, access and timings scoped around your household, request a quote and include any pet arrangements we should know about.