Moving With Pets: Dogs, Cats and Everything Else

The one thing to do before anything else

Update your pet's microchip and ID tags with your new address before moving day — not after.

If you do only one thing on this list, make it this one.

On moving day, doors are propped open for hours. A frightened cat slips out, or a dog bolts from the noise. In an unfamiliar neighbourhood they don't know the way home — and if their tag or microchip still points to an address you've just left, the person who finds them has no way to reach you.

Two minutes online, before the move. It's the difference between a scare and a loss.

Before the move

Keep their routine normal. Same feeding times, same walks. Routine is how animals know things are alright.

Leave their things until last. Their bed, bowls, toys and blankets carry their scent. Pack them at the very end and unpack them first.

Let them get used to containers. A cat that investigates an open tote on Tuesday is less alarmed by forty of them on Friday.

Visit the vet if you're changing clinics. Get records, confirm vaccinations are current, and refill any prescriptions so there's no gap. If your pet gets very anxious in cars or around upheaval, ask your vet about options well ahead of time.

Find your new vet before you need one. Especially if you have anything other than a dog or cat — not every clinic treats birds, reptiles or small mammals.

On moving day

The safest option: somewhere else entirely. A friend's house, a sitter, or boarding for the day. They avoid the chaos, you avoid the worry, and nobody has to watch the door.

If they have to be home: - One room, door closed, with water, their bed and a few toys - A sign on the door — "Pet inside, keep closed" — so movers know - Pack that room last - Check on them regularly, and keep the room quiet

Travel with them in your own vehicle, never in the moving truck. Cats and small animals in a secure carrier; dogs restrained or crated.

Pack a pet bag that travels with you: food, water, bowls, medications, a leash, waste bags or a litter tray with litter, their bed or a familiar blanket, and a recent photo in case the worst happens.

At the new home: by species

Dogs

• Walk the house with them on a leash before letting them explore freely
• Check the yard fence for gaps before any off-leash time — a gap the previous owner never noticed is exactly how dogs get out in week one
• Introduce the yard on a leash first
• Keep walks and meals on schedule, even when everything else is chaos
• Set up their bed and a familiar blanket early — a dog settles faster when their spot exists from the start

Cats

Cats are territorial, and a whole new territory at once can genuinely overwhelm them.

• Start with one room. Litter, food, water, bed, scratching post and somewhere to hide.
• Let them explore that one room first, then expand their space gradually over days, not hours.
• Keep them fully indoors for at least two to four weeks, even if they were outdoor cats before. They don't know their way home yet, and a cat that wanders off in a new neighbourhood is the one that doesn't come back.
• Bring familiar blankets and bedding. Scent matters enormously to cats.

Birds

• Cover the cage during transport to reduce stress
• Avoid drafts — never place the cage near an open window or vent
• Secure perches and dishes so nothing shifts in transit
• Keep the same cage arrangement at the new home
• Watch for fumes. Birds are highly sensitive to fresh paint, new carpet and strong cleaning products. If the new place has just been renovated or cleaned, ventilate well before bringing them in.

Fish and aquariums

An aquarium move is really a water-chemistry move.

• Stop feeding around 24 hours beforehand, where appropriate for your species
• Save as much of the existing tank water as you can
• Transport fish separately, in secure, insulated containers, and keep the trip short
• Re-establish the tank's temperature before reintroducing them
• Don't rush to fully refill or re-cycle the tank

If you have a reef or saltwater setup, talk to your local aquarium store before moving day.

Reptiles

Temperature is everything.

• Set up the full enclosure first, and let heat lamps and thermostats stabilise before bringing the reptile in
• Maintain their temperature range in transit — heat packs for cold-weather moves
• Minimise handling during and after the move

Small mammals — rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, ferrets

• Travel in their familiar enclosure with their existing bedding
• Avoid overheating — never leave them in a hot car or direct sun
• Offer water as soon as you arrive
• Keep their space quiet and low-traffic for the first while

Small animals hide stress well, so a few extra-quiet days matter even if they seem fine.

The first few weeks

Expect some change in behaviour. Reduced appetite, extra hiding, clinginess, or accidents indoors are all normal short-term stress responses.

Keep the routine consistent. It rebuilds trust faster than anything else.

Give it time. Most pets settle within a few weeks. If your pet stops eating, seems unwell, or isn't improving, call your vet.

Local numbers worth writing down

If you're in Barrie or Simcoe County:

Huronia Veterinary Emergency Clinic — 391 Dunlop Street West, Barrie — 705-722-0377. Open 24 hours a day, every day of the year, for dog and cat emergencies.

Ontario SPCA — Barrie & District Animal Centre — 91 Patterson Road, Barrie. If a pet goes missing, it's one of your first calls.

Please confirm hours and services directly, as they can change — and call ahead before an emergency visit where possible.

The checklist

Before the move - Update microchip and ID tags with the new address - Vet visit, records and prescription refills - Find a new vet (especially for exotics) - Keep routines normal - Their things packed last

Moving day - Pet elsewhere if possible - If not: one closed room, sign on the door - Travelling with you, not in the truck - Pet bag packed

At the new home - Their space set up first - Fence checked before off-leash time - Cats: one room, then gradually more; indoors for 2–4 weeks - Habitats set up and temperature-stable before animals go in

The thing to hold onto

Every move is stressful, and your pets didn't choose this one. But with their scent, their routine and a little patience, they'll adjust — and most of them will have claimed the sunniest spot in the new house before you've finished unpacking.

More on moving at different life stages in moving at every stage of life, and for the day itself, the moving day playbook.

Moving in Barrie or Simcoe County? Binny's Tote Rental delivers reusable totes before you pack and collects them once you're in.

This article offers general guidance for pet owners and is not veterinary advice. For anything specific to your pet's health or behaviour, talk to your veterinarian.