Moving house with pets is one of those jobs that looks simple on paper and turns messy the moment the front door is propped open and the truck backs into the driveway. After years on the trucks around Wollongong and the Illawarra, we’ve watched more than a few cats bolt under a bed and dogs pace themselves into a panic while the furniture disappears around them. The honest truth is that your animals don’t understand what’s happening — they just see their whole world being carried out the door. The good news is that a calm, well-planned move is completely doable, and this is the advice we’d give our own family.
Why moving house with pets needs a plan
Animals are creatures of routine and territory. A move rips up both at once. Cats in particular read a half-empty room as a threat, and dogs pick up on your stress long before the first box is taped shut. Get the plan right and you avoid the two worst outcomes we see: a pet that escapes on moving day, and a pet that spends weeks anxious and off its food in the new place. A little preparation in the fortnight beforehand does more than anything you can do on the day itself.
Two to three weeks before the move
Book a vet check and update the microchip
Start with a vet visit. Make sure vaccinations, flea and tick prevention, and any prescriptions are current, and ask about your pet’s fitness for travel if it’s an older animal or a long interstate trip. This is also the moment to update your microchip details and ID tags with the new address and your mobile number. If your pet bolts during the chaos — and it happens — an up-to-date chip is the single best chance of getting it home.
Sort anxiety relief early
If your dog or cat already runs anxious, talk to your vet about pheromone products like Adaptil for dogs or Feliway for cats, or, in tougher cases, a short course of anti-anxiety medication. These work far better when you start them a week or two ahead rather than reaching for them in a panic on moving morning.
Let them get used to the boxes
Don’t pack everything in one frantic weekend. Bring the boxes out gradually so the change of scenery becomes normal background noise rather than a sudden shock. Leave a favourite bed, blanket or toy out until the very last minute — those familiar smells are an anchor. While you’re at it, our guide on things to do before you move covers the human side of the countdown so nothing slips through the cracks.
The week before
Arrange somewhere safe for moving day
The best thing you can do for a pet on moving day is to have it somewhere else entirely. Line up a friend, a family member, a boarding kennel or a doggy daycare well in advance — the good ones book out. If minding elsewhere isn’t possible, plan to confine your pet to one empty, quiet room with the door firmly shut and a big sign on it so no removalist swings it open.
Prepare a pet essentials bag
Pack a clearly labelled bag you keep with you, not on the truck: a few days of food, bowls, medications, a litter tray and litter, poo bags, a lead or harness, carrier, and a couple of familiar toys. When you arrive frazzled at the new place, you do not want to be tearing open boxes looking for the cat’s food at 9pm. Our how to pack for a move guide can help you keep the rest of the house just as organised.
On moving day
Keep them secure and out of the way
Doors and gates stand open for hours on moving day, and that is exactly how pets escape. If yours is staying with you, settle it in that one closed room before the removalists arrive, or keep a dog leashed and with a person whose only job is the dog. It is illegal in NSW to travel with an unrestrained animal, so make sure cats and small dogs are in a secure carrier and larger dogs are harnessed or crated for the drive.
Feed lightly and travel calmly
A lighter-than-usual meal a few hours before travel helps with car sickness. Keep your own voice steady — animals mirror your body language, so a stressed handler makes for a stressed pet. If you’ve booked us for a same-day removal in Wollongong, tell the crew you’ve got animals on site; we’ll happily work around a closed pet room and keep an eye on gates.
Settling in at the new home
Start small with one room
Don’t give a pet the run of a strange house straight away. Set up one quiet room first — bed, water, food, litter tray and familiar toys — and let your pet decompress there once the removalists have gone and the noise has died down. For cats especially, a couple of days confined to that single room before exploring the rest of the house makes an enormous difference.
Hold your routine
Keep meal times, walk times and bedtime as close to normal as you can. Routine is the fastest way to tell an anxious animal that the world hasn’t ended. Spend extra time with them those first few evenings so they learn this new space is safe and you’re not going anywhere.
Pet-proof before you let them roam
Before your pet has free rein, walk the property with fresh eyes. Check fences and gates for gaps and escape points, look for hazards like exposed cabling or gaps under decks, and keep cats indoors for at least a week or two so they bond to the new territory before going out. The RSPCA’s advice on moving house with your pet is a solid authority worth a read on secure fencing and confinement.
Don’t forget the paperwork
Beyond the microchip, update your details on your council pet registration for the new address, and let your vet know you’ve moved (or register with a local one if you’ve come from further afield). While you’re updating addresses, redirecting your mail through Australia Post’s mail redirection service saves you chasing paperwork later. If you’re weighing up the whole move, our Wollongong removalist cost guide lays out what to budget, and our house removals service can take the heavy lifting off your plate so you can focus on the animals.
Frequently asked questions
Should my pet be home on moving day?
Ideally not. The calmest option is to have your pet minded by a friend, family member or a kennel away from the noise and open doors. If that isn’t possible, confine it to one quiet, closed room with food, water and a familiar bed, and put a sign on the door so no one lets it out.
How do I stop my cat running away after a move?
Keep your cat confined indoors — ideally to one room at first, then the house — for at least one to two weeks so it bonds to the new territory. Make sure the microchip and ID tag are updated before you let it outdoors, and check fences and enclosures first.
How long does it take a pet to settle into a new house?
Most dogs and cats begin to relax within a few days to a couple of weeks, provided you hold their routine and give them a safe base to retreat to. Older or anxious animals can take longer, so be patient and speak to your vet if your pet stays off its food or unsettled.
Can I travel with my dog loose in the car?
No. In NSW it’s illegal to drive with an unrestrained animal. Use a secured carrier or crate, or a proper harness and seatbelt clip, for the trip to your new home.
Moving house with pets in Wollongong? We’ll make it easy
A calm move for your animals starts with a crew that isn’t rushing you off your feet. If you’re planning a move around Wollongong or the Illawarra and want removalists who’ll work around a closed pet room and watch the gates, give our team a call on 1300 015 050 for a friendly, no-pressure quote. Fill in the form below and we’ll get straight back to you.
