Tips For Moving With Pets
Moving from one home to another can be an extremely stressful process. During packing away all your belongings, it can be easy to forget who else moving can be stressful for, your family pets. For critters whose whole world is inside your home, finding themselves in a place with unfamiliar smells can take some adjustment.
Read on for some effective tips on moving with pets so your cats and dogs can enjoy their new place as much as you will.
Keep Your Critters Contained
Cats more so than dogs react with higher stress to changes in their home environment. As you begin to pack up your belongings, you may want to contain the kitties or skittish dogs in a quiet room with some of their favorite toys or beds. This will help them feel comfortable as well as keep them out of the way – especially when moving those boxes into a truck. Keep their routine, from feedings to walks, as normal as possible.
Plan For Your Road Trip
Some animals aren’t fans of car rides or being contained in their crates. Those two things combined can be a recipe for a very uncomfortable road trip from your old home to your new one. However, you can help prepare your pets ahead of time by having them get used to their crates. In the days leading up to the big move, leave it out with the door open, perhaps with a favorite toy or blanket inside. This will help them begin to recognize the crate as a safe place.
When in doubt, don’t forget the power of treats. Luring them in by leaving a favorite snack inside is a time-honored trick for many pet parents.
Pet-Proof Your New Place
Just as you would with a small child, you’ll want to pet-proof the new place just as you did with your old one. That means tucking away electrical cords that might look like chew toys and making sure that the windows have screens so cats can’t jump out. If friends or family members come by with flowers as a housewarming gift, make sure they aren’t toxic for little critters. Some flowers, such as lilies, are harmful in their pollen, even if they aren’t ingested. Also, make sure that there aren’t any poisonous pest traps inside that your pets can get into.
Acclimate Them Slowly
Your first instinct might be to open the crate and allow your pet free reign, but animal experts recommend against this. A new place with new smells can be quite overwhelming for cats and dogs.
Start by allowing them to explore a single room: perhaps a spare bedroom that includes their favorite toys, bed, food, water, and litter box (if applicable). When they seem more comfortable, you can slowly introduce them to other areas of the new house. However, keep some doors shut, so they aren’t too overwhelmed by all the new areas to explore.
If you have cats, slowly move their litter box to its permanent location: just a few feet closer each day. Repeat this process for up to a week. This will prevent any accidents from happening, risking damage to your new floors. Consider a spray or plug-in containing calming pheromones to help with acclimation.
Moving With Pets In South Florida
Moving is a stressful ordeal, with or without furry family members. Fortunately, Allegiance Van Lines makes this process as smooth as possible.
From wrapping and packing your belongings to storage options for larger items, we treat everyone’s home and furniture as carefully as we do our home. Call today at (561) 210-5120 for a free quote.