Moving Furniture with Pets: How to Keep Your Cat or Dog Safe on Moving Day

Moving day is full of noise, strangers and open doors, which is exactly what stresses pets most. A simple plan keeps them safe from fear and from getting lost, and spares you the worry.

Why is moving day hard on a pet?

Pets rely on familiar smells and places, and moving day changes everything at once: furniture being carried, boxes everywhere, loud sounds and doors that keep opening. That raises the risk of a cat or dog running off or hiding somewhere dangerous. So the goal is simple: a quiet closed space for them, with their familiar things, and one person responsible for them.

A few days before the move

Get a carrier or crate that suits your pet and let it get used to it days in advance so it feels familiar.
Make sure it wears a tag or collar with your phone number, and update your details if it has an identification chip.
Check with the vet if the trip is long or your pet is very anxious, and ask what suits its condition.
Do not change its food or bowls right before the move; routine calms it.
Pack its essentials in a separate bag: food, a water bowl, any medicine, its familiar bed, a favorite toy and cat litter.

On moving day

Keep it in a quiet closed room away from the main door, with a note on the door: “Pet inside, do not open”.
Or leave it with a friend or relative during loading if you can; this is the safest option.
Tell the team when they arrive that there is a pet in the home so they close doors behind them.
Take it in your own car, in its carrier, and do not put it in the furniture truck.
Never leave it alone in a closed car, especially in the heat.
Let it be the last to leave the old home, after the furniture is loaded.

In the new home

Set up one room first with its bed, food, water and litter, put it inside and close the door until the noise settles.
Make sure windows and balconies are closed or secured; cats in particular can fall from high floors.
Keep it indoors for several days before letting it go out, then go out with it the first time, carefully.
Update the phone number on its tag and your new address with the vet.

Birds and fish

Birds: cover the cage with a light cloth so they calm down, and carry them in your car away from heat and direct air conditioning. Fish travel in sealed containers with some of their tank water, the tank is emptied before it is moved, and the empty tank is carried carefully. Sensitive fish need advice from whoever keeps them or from a specialist.

Frequently asked questions

Can a pet ride with the furniture in the moving truck?

We do not recommend it. The best place for it is your own car, in its carrier, with you or with someone looking after it.

Should I tell the team there is a pet at home?

Yes, tell us in advance so the team closes doors behind them and works quietly in the areas near it.

How long does a pet need to get used to the new home?

It varies; some settle within days and some need weeks. Patience and a steady routine for eating and sleeping help.

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