By Julie DeLong, A-1 Freeman Moving Group
Here is how you might keep your domestic pets stress-free and happy when you move to El Paso--so at least someone in the family is not a tense mess.
Cats
Cats are inclined to connect to places more than people--stories of cats which are included with the residences are not necessarily apocryphal. They're a concern when they are outdoors cats and you are executing a long distance move--cats are known to leave the new home to go back "home". This isn't such a concern if you're heading around the block, otherwise, it's a huge worry.
Think about it--your cats do not go to the door to go for a car ride each time you get your car keys; they may be completely content to continue sunning themselves on the windowsill--until you start packing and the windowsill disappears in back of a stack of boxes. Here's how to manage your cats.
· Contain free-range cats, commencing a few months prior to when you move to El Paso. Get them familiar with staying indoors with you--if this would mean late-life kitty litter box teaching, so be it. Encourage them in a animal carrier for a handful of hours every day, so that they aren't meowing crazies when you place them in your vehicle. Take the cats out for short trips when you are doing errands--always in the carrier.
· Moving day, put the cat and all kitty necessities inside a room with the door shut. As soon as the professional movers have loaded the moving vans and you are ready to vacate, put your cat into the pet carrier. If your kitty does not travel nicely, a veterinarian could possibly prescribe something, so she won't have a breakdown inside the car, therefore making you along with the dog plus the children to have their own mini-meltdowns.
· As soon as you are set up in the new residence, duplicate the moving-out procedure for a while. Keep the felines contained in a room along with their stuff, while you manage the commotion of moving, unpacking, and settling in. Even with inside cats, they'll be happier--and less inclined to illustrate their discontent by overlooking the litter box--if you hold on until you've settled in a bit to let them to roam free in the house.
· For outside kitties, they'll require some time to get used to the new scents of the house and to recognize this is the place their people are, before they ought to be let out to roam. Set some cat food outdoors to remind them exactly where home is.
Canines
Your pet dog just likes to be around you, but he'll get anxious when you're uneasy. Dog stress is highest pre-move, so here is how to keep Fido tranquil and cool if you are losing your head.
· Give plenty of time for packing, should you be packing yourself. Watching a bit of movement day-to-day is not a big problem; heading to puppy camp for the day and coming back home to a vacant house will probably freak him out.
· Keep in your normal routine--walks, supper, what you do, carry on doing it.
· Bring up to date the contact details if he is microchipped; you can usually go online to make those changes.
· At the new house, show him the yard, take him out for a walk, and be sure dinner time is consistent.
Fish, Hamsters, Birds
Lock down the cages in the back of your vehicle or hire a pet mover to transport them. As aquariums and fish could be a nightmare to maneuver, you could consider giving the aqua-pets to an elementary school.
Acquire duplicates of the pet's veterinary files prior to when you move to El Paso, so you will have all the immunization documents on hand if you need to board before you see the new veterinary clinic.
Keeping the pets content when you move to El Paso goes quite a distance in direction of keeping you glad. Sticking to these tips definitely will relieve the strain of moving the pets, at least.
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