Why moving day unsettles pets so much

To a dog or cat, home is a map of smells, sounds and routines. On moving day that map is dismantled in front of them: furniture walks out of the door, strangers tramp through the hallway, and the person they trust most is distracted and carrying boxes. Even the most laid-back pet will pick up on that tension.

The good news is that almost everything that upsets them can be planned around. The aim is simple: keep your pet's world as small, familiar and predictable as possible while the rest of the house turns upside down. That means one quiet room, familiar bedding, a secure carrier, and a feeding routine that works around the journey rather than against it.

Get the groundwork done in the week before

Small preparations earlier in the week make the day itself far easier. Try to do these while you still have a little breathing space:

• Pack a separate pet bag that travels with you, not in the removal van: food, bowls, lead, harness, litter tray and litter, poo bags, any medication, a towel, and a favourite toy.
• Update your pet's microchip details with the new address, and check the collar tag is current. Do this before you move, not after — a pet that slips out during unloading is far easier to reunite if the chip is up to date.
• Register with a vet near your new home and ask for a copy of your pet's clinical history to pass on.
• If your pet is anxious, speak to your vet about calming options well in advance. Pheromone plug-ins, sprays and supplements generally need days, not hours, to have any effect.
• Wash nothing. Resist the urge to launder pet bedding before the move — that unwashed smell is genuinely reassuring in an unfamiliar place.

Set up a quiet room before the crew arrives

Choose one room with a door that closes properly, ideally away from the front door and the main route the removal team will be using. A spare bedroom or bathroom works well. Set it up the night before so you are not doing it in a rush at 7am.

In that room, put down your pet's bed, a bowl of water, a litter tray if needed, some toys and something that smells of you — an unwashed jumper works wonders. Draw the curtains if the room looks out onto the driveway, and leave a radio on low for gentle background noise that masks the clatter of furniture being shifted.

Put a clear note on the door saying "Pet inside — please do not open". Removal crews are used to this and will respect it, but only if they can see it. Tell the foreman when they arrive, too.

Keep pets secure while doors are standing open

An open front door is an invitation. Cats in particular will take the first quiet moment to slip out, and once they are outside in a strange, half-emptied street they can bolt. Dogs may run towards the van, the crew, or the road.

• Keep cats and small furries shut in their safe room for the whole loading and unloading process — no exceptions, even for a "quick look".
• Keep dogs with you on a lead, or in their crate, rather than loose in the house.
• If your dog is confident and calm, a familiar friend or family member taking them out for the morning is often the kindest option. If not, keep them in the safe room with the door shut.
• Never leave a pet unsupervised in a car on a warm day, even for ten minutes with the windows down.

Feeding, walks and toilet breaks

Travel sickness and stress-related stomach upsets are common, so give a lighter breakfast than usual, at least three to four hours before you set off. A full stomach on a winding journey rarely ends well. Plenty of fresh water is fine, but take the bowl away an hour or so before departure if your pet is prone to sickness.

Walk your dog early, before the crew is due, and make it a calm, sniffy walk rather than a big exciting one. Offer a final toilet break immediately before you shut them in the carrier or crate, and keep the lead on until you are back indoors.

Cats should be fed well before the carrier comes out, and it is worth leaving the carrier open in the room for a few days beforehand so it is not a sudden, frightening object on the day.

Travelling and the first night in the new home

Secure your pet properly for the journey: a cat in a fastened carrier, a dog in a crate or strapped into a harness, and small furries in a ventilated box with familiar bedding. Covering a cat carrier with a light towel can help them settle.

At the other end, set up the safe room first, before boxes come in. Same bed, same bowls, same litter. Keep your pet in there while the van is unloaded, then let them explore one room at a time rather than the whole house at once.

Expect a few days of hiding, clinginess or the odd accident. Keep routines to the same times, speak calmly, and let them come to you. Most pets settle within a week — and the quicker you re-establish those familiar rhythms, the quicker the new place starts to smell like home.