New Home

We all know that moving house is stressful, but it can be just as stressful for your pet too, if you do not plan your move with them in mind. Here are some suggestions to minimize the moving headache for both you and your pets.

Planning the big move
Most of us will move house at least once or twice in our lifetimes. What can be an exciting new start for humans often is terrifying and disorienting to animals. Some people just toss their animals in the car and go. But if you really want to make the move smooth for your animals and aid their adjustment, communication and preparation are the order of the day.
Your animals will see you box all your belongings and disassemble rooms. As the familiarity goes, insecurity and fear can set in. Will they be going too? To reassure them that they're part of the deal, make them part of the process. Taking the time to communicate will help ease your pet's anxiety. And even if you don't believe in this sort of thing, it doesn't hurt to go over your plans with your pets anyway to make sure you haven't forgotten anything.
When planning the placement of your furniture in your new house, don't forget the locations of your pet's things like water and food dish, bed, litter tray or play pen. Travel arrangements on your actual day of the move would also have to be on your agenda. Whether you are hiring someone to sit your pets while you are busy tasking the movers, or you are shifting them yourself, your pets need to be your responsibility. If you feel that your household is counting on you to oversee the move, it would be wise to pass that responsibility to someone who has less duties, but at all time do know where your pet is on the actual day of the move and their condition.
Cats are notoriously suspicious of change within their environment, so imagine how a house move might affect your feline friend. If your cat is particular sensitive and it is convenient for you, you may choose to board him at a reputable cattery for a few days over the moving period.

What to pack?
Animals may become distressed or anxious during the upheaval of packing, so confine them to a quiet room where they can rest and be safe. Begin packing non-essential items several weeks in advance, leaving your pet's possessions alone until you are close to the move date. Do not wash bedding until a couple of weeks after the move, so that they will have something familiar smelling in the new house.
When it is time to pack up your pet's items, keep them all together. When you arrive at your new home, you can quickly unpack all that she knows and ease her transition in her new space.

Moving day!
Confine your dog to one secure room with its bed and toys, so that escape and injury cannot occur whilst people are going in and out of the house. Make sure that your dog is safely secured in the car or vehicle that they are to be transported in to the hew house with a travel crate or car harness on the back seat.
Cats are notorious for getting into trouble during the moving process since they are particularly sensitive to stress. Early in the morning, put the cat in one room with al the doors and windows shut. This will keep him away from the upheaval of packing boxes and furniture moving. It will also save you hours of searching for him when it's time to leave. Provide a litter tray, water and food. Put a notice on the door to remind family members and the removers that the door should remain shut.
When it's time to go, put your cat in his carrier with a familiar blanket and transport him, properly secured with a seat belt, in the car - either wedged securely in the back or in the well behind the seats. Don't put him in the removal van or the boot of the car.

Settling in
Try to unpack the essentials before introducing your dog to the new house so that he can see familiar items within the unfamiliar house. If possible, place furniture and items in similar places to those in the old house. Be patient with your dog in the new house and make allowances for ‘accidents' on the carpet if they should happen. Quietly pick up the mess and clean the area to properly remove the smell. Once your dog has settled in the accidents should stop. Always praise him when he goes to toilet in the correct spot.
Some cats walk into a new house, curl up in a favourite chair and never look back. Others take time to adjust to their surroundings but you can help them to settle in. Cats will rub their heads and bodies on furniture, walls, doors, etc., to lay down scent from glands which are situated mostly on the head but also over the body. Rubbing their own scent around the house increases their feeling of security. You can help this process by rubbing a soft cotton cloth gently around the cat's face to pick up its personal scent profile. Then dab this, at cat height, around the room where he will initially be exploring. Repeat this daily, widening the area where you impose his scent. Use food and a regular routine to help during the adjustment period. Small frequent meals will give you more contact initially and help to reassure your cat that all is well.
The transition from old to new will not happen overnight. There will be times when you will fear that they will never forgive you for uprooting them. Eventually they always do. That's the beauty of pets.

Kev Yoong has a blog site about his 2 dogs at www.Pets.MyNetPassions.com.