Moving to a new home is a source of a lot of stress for all pets.
Moving stress is bad enough for humans, but moving and your pets are stressed is a very difficult situation. they can’t just tell you how they feel. They were used to a certain routine and location and when this changes, they show symptoms of stress. This is especially true for cats and dogs, which are quite territorial and possessive about their things and their home. Cats and dogs are also sensitive to people and routines and any change from the normal routine upsets their sense of security.
Statistics show that pets can show stress associated with moving. Here are some of the symptoms of stress to look out for in your cat or dog during such times:
- For cats, eliminating outside the litter box.
- Changes in appetite-excessive eating or not eating at all.
- Loss of hair that is above the normal rate.
- Dogs eliminating inside the new home.
- Grooming excessively.
- Increased scratching.
- Vocalization is that unusual or excessive.
- Aggression towards other animals, pets or people.
- Hiding from people and cowering in dark corners.
- Scratching on furniture.
- Excessive yawning and sleeping for long periods of time.
No matter whether your pet is a cat or a dog, there are some simple measures you can take to make sure that your pets are relatively stress-free when moving homes. Here are some things you can do:
- Give your pet a lot of attention, from cuddling to hugging, brushing and playing. If you can invest just a few minutes a several times a day to lavish attention on your pet, it will be lead to a much calmer and better adjusted pet before and after the move.
- Moving homes leads to disruption in regular routines, but try to keep your pet’s routine as close to normal as possible. Feed, bath, walk, groom, exercise and play during her regular times as much as possible.
- Make sure your pet gets a lot of exercise during moving time. Exercise helps keep your pet in good spirits and reduces stress significantly.
- Pack your pet’s toys, bedding, and other belongings only at the last minute.
- Keep your pet away from the movers on the day of moving homes. Try to get your pet taken care of by a neighbour or friend, or if that is not possible, keep the pet away in a room with lots of water, snacks and toys, with instructions to the movers not to disturb.
- In your new home, introduce your pet to one room of the new house first. Let them get acclimated with their with toys, bedding, and belongings, and when they feel secure, let the pet explore the rest of the house.
Pets like fish, birds, small animals and reptiles are sensitive to environmental changes too. For pets that live in water, collect water from your old home and gradually mix it into the water from your new home. Do this every day for a few days. Check the chlorine and pH content of the water in your new home.
The more attention and care you provide to your pet during this transition will help them to feel more secure, calmer and the adjustment time to be shorter. A happy life is a happy pet!