Moving With Pets: Keeping Them Calm, Safe, and Settled

Pets read stress better than anyone in the house, and moving week is full of it. The approach that works is boring on purpose: keep their routines steady, remove them from the chaos at the right moments, and make the new place smell familiar before they explore it. Dogs and cats differ in the details, but the framework is the same.

Before the move: vet visit and paperwork

Book a vet check a few weeks out — it's the moment to refill any medications, get records printed, and ask about mild calming options if your pet is a nervous traveller. Update microchip details and ID tags with your new address and your mobile number; more pets get loose during moves than any other week of their lives, and current tags are how they come home.

Packing week: keep one room normal

As boxes take over, keep one room — ideally where the pet sleeps — as unchanged as possible for as long as possible. Pack their things last: bedding, toys, litter box, food, and the worn t-shirt that smells like you. Familiar smells are a pet's anchor in a strange place. If your household is also juggling children, our moving with kids guide shares the same philosophy.

Moving day: the safe-room rule

This is the non-negotiable part. Doors will be open constantly and heavy furniture will be moving through them. Your pet should be either off-site with a trusted person, or in one closed, clearly-signed room — 'PET INSIDE — DO NOT OPEN' taped to the door, told to every crew member during the walkthrough. Cats especially should never be loose in a house being loaded. If boarding or a friend's couch is an option for the day, take it.

The car ride

Pets ride with you, never in the moving truck. Cats travel in a secure carrier lined with familiar bedding; most dogs do best with a harness or crate they're already used to. Pack a pet kit for the car: water and a bowl, food, leash, waste bags, litter for long trips, and paper towels — because someone always gets carsick. For a longer haul like Toronto to Ottawa, plan a leash break every couple of hours and never leave a pet alone in a hot or freezing car.

Arriving: one room first, then the world

Before your pet enters, do a quick safety sweep: check doors and windows latch, look for gaps behind appliances, and remove any cleaning chemicals left by previous owners. Set up one room with their bed, toys, litter or water, and something that smells like the old house. Let them settle there while unloading happens, then open up the home room by room over a day or two.

The first week back to normal

Routine is the cure: same feeding times, same walk routes (explore the new neighbourhood together — it's good for both of you), same bedtime spot. Cats may hide for a day or two; that's normal as long as they're eating and using the litter box. Dogs adjust faster with exercise — an Ottawa winter move means watching for salt on paws, so keep a towel by the door. Within a week or two, most pets have claimed a favourite sunbeam and forgotten the boxes entirely. Want the human side of the day sorted too? Our hour-by-hour moving day guide shows where the pet plan fits.

Frequently asked questions