New Home Can Make Pets Fret

The tales tend to take on a legendary quality. A family moves, and the dog or cat travels across town (or across state lines) to return to the former home.

Marilyn White, a veterinarian with the UC Davis School of Animal Behavior, frequently receives calls of this nature.

One woman moved a few miles away, and every day the confused cat just kept going back to his old address.

And then there was Max, Ellen Levine’s persistent poodle, who was prone to panic attacks after the family changed neighborhoods in San Diego. If Ellen was gone from the new house for more than a few hours, Max would escape. He was known to chew through garage walls and wooden fences in his quest for his human.

There’s no doubt that moving can be stressful for dogs and cats. Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson, author of “Dogs Never Lie About Love,” (Random House, 1997) believes that moving is especially hard on cats because “they place a much greater attachment to the place than dogs. Dogs, on the other hand, are more concerned with relationships.”

To ease the transition for your pets, take extra precautions before, during and after the move.

Before the Move: Bring the animals to the new place and, if possible, let them sniff around the house before the furniture is moved in. If the yard is securely fenced, allow them to explore the grounds. Take the dog for walks in the new neighborhood.

Make a list of pet-related projects, such as securing fence posts and installing pet doors.

During Packing and Moving Time: “Reassurance needs to start when you’re packing because that’s the first time the animals will start to show concern,” said Elizabeth Spelow of the Pasadena Humane Society. “Their routine is being shattered, and they can feel the tension.

“If the kids are nervous, you can distract them by having them focus on the welfare of the animals,” Spelow said.

When the moving van arrives, keep dogs and cats safely confined so that they don’t panic and flee. “It’s not unusual for us to go to people’s former homes to set humane traps for their runaway animals,” Spelow said.

After the Move: White, the UC Davis vet, said animals become disoriented after the move; she advises pet owners to “keep dogs and cats confined for the first couple of days.” Masson added that, if possible, owners should stay at the new home with the animals during the first few days after the move.

Ease the Transition: Although it’s tempting to follow the “out with the old, in with the new” approach to moving, wait a few weeks before replacing the old dog bed or the tattered but familiar rug.

Likewise, bring along the same food and water dishes.

If you have a senior canine, be aware of cognitive dysfunction.

“Older dogs just don’t have the brain power of their younger counterparts, and so the disorientation resulting from a move will be much more severe,” White said.

Simple questions like “Where are the walls?,” “How do I get inside and outside?,” “Where are my food and water dishes?” and “Where do I sleep?” become major challenges. Setting out extra food and water dishes can help during the adjustment period.

Cats don’t experience the same kind of mental decline but will react to stress in other ways, such as urine marking, a fairly standard feline reaction to anxiety. The response is especially acute if moving from a neighborhood without cats to one with cats. White said sprays are available to curb this natural tendency.