Make Moving Easier Complete Guide - Make Moving with Pets Easier | Page 7

If you have a cat that goes or stays outdoors, though, you might want to keep
him or her inside while you’re packing and moving boxes around. Some cats
get nervous and won’t come back inside.
Jacque Lynn Schultz, director of special projects for ASPCA Animal
Sciences, tells Petfinder that it helps to get pets used to their carriers during
this time, too.
If your cat’s only exposure to a carrier was when she came home from the
shelter, now’s the time to leave it where she can examine it daily. Place your
cat’s favorite blanket or toy in the carrier, and praise her when she goes
inside. “Set the carrier up well in advance, so your cat will get used to going in
there and hiding out,” says Schultz. “This way, when she feels stressed, she’ll
hide in the carrier instead of in a suitcase.”
Similarly, if your dog is only used to car rides when it’s time to go to the vet,
you want to get him or her used to it before you move. Start with short trips
and associate something positive with the trip to help ease your dog’s anxiety.
Make Moving Day Less Disruptive
Some pets handle change better than others. If yours tends to freak out,
boarding them with your vet might be a better option. If that’s not possible,
keep them in a safe, enclosed area on moving day.
Petfinder suggests keeping cats and other small animals in hard-sided
carriers, and dogs should be in one room or the backyard. Once you’re in the
car, pay attention to how your pets react.
Arnold Plotnick, D.V.M., vice president of the ASPCA’s Bergh Memorial Animal
Hospital, recommends covering the carrier with a sheet or light blanket for
the first few hours of the trip. “Cats get a little freaked out when they see the