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Moving house with pets checklist

Moving day is the day a cat finds the one gap in a fence and a dog decides the removal van is worth investigating. Plan around both.

19 items

Makes your own editable copy. No account needed.

The items

  1. Vet records transferred or requestedAsk for a copy before you leave the old practice — some charge or take time to send them on.
  2. New vet found and registered, if you're moving farDo this before you need it, not during the first emergency in an unfamiliar area.
  3. Microchip details updated with the new addressLegally required, and the single most important thing on this list if they ever go missing.
  4. ID tag updatedOld address on a collar is worse than no address at all if they bolt on the day.
  5. A quiet, secure room for moving day itselfOne room, door shut, away from the front door that will be propped open all day.
  6. Sign on that doorFor the removal team, who has no reason to know an animal is behind it.
  7. Carrier or crate, familiar rather than brand newLeave it out for a few days before the move so it isn't only associated with the vet or the journey.
  8. Food, water and litter or bedding kept accessiblePacked last, unpacked first — do not let this end up sealed in a box for the day.
  9. Familiar bedding and a toy or twoSomething that smells like the old house settles them faster than anything new would.
  10. Feeding routine kept as normal as possibleConsistency is the one thing you can still control on an otherwise disrupted day.
  11. Their usual food for the first weekNot the moment to also switch what they eat — one change at a time.
  12. Garden or new area checked before letting them explore
  13. Fences and gaps checked for a cat or a dog that digs
  14. Gates confirmed to latch properly
  15. Anything toxic left by a previous owner removed
  16. Cats kept indoors for the first two to three weeksEven an outdoor cat needs to learn the new place is home before it learns the way back to the old one.
  17. A recent photo, in case anything goes wrong on the day
  18. Somewhere calm set up in the new house before they arriveFood, water, bed and litter or crate in one room, ready before the animal is.
  19. Neighbours introduced, roughlySo a dog barking at 6am on day one gets a knock on the door rather than a complaint to the council.

Makes your own editable copy. No account needed.

Questions people ask

How long should a cat stay indoors after moving?
Two to three weeks is the usual guidance, so they learn the new address as home before they're given the chance to try and find their way back to the old one.
What's the most important admin task?
Updating the microchip and any ID tag with the new address. It matters more than anything else here if they go missing in an unfamiliar area.
Should pets be present during the actual move?
Keep them in one quiet, closed room, or with a friend for the day if that's possible. A front door propped open all day is when most moving-day escapes happen.