TulsaPets Magazine March 2021

10 TulsaPets • March/April 2021 How to make moving less stressful for your dogs and cats WRITTEN BY: HEIDE BRANDES S ueJin Yi, of Yukon, is no stranger to moving. In the past 10 years, she’s moved to 10 different places, and in each move, she took her cats with her. “I have moved with cats for 10 years. I just moved all four of my cats to Yukon (in January),” she said. “The way I prepare them for a move is, I spray their kennels with calming spray, and I place a calming diffuser in at least one room of the new house. Only Blitz had issues, but he’s a bit high strung. I used to have him on anxiety medication, and I may need to get him back on them.” Moving is a stressful time for anyone, but the transition can be especially stressful for pets. Animals are notoriously territorial, so being transplanted from a familiar environment to a new environment can be tremendously upsetting to your furry family members. While the entire family is dealing with preparing and moving to a new home, the time is going to be a little more chaotic for your dog or cat, no matter what you do. However, there are some steps you can take to make a big move a little easier for your furry friend. MOVING IS HARD ON EVERYONE According to OnePoll, on behalf of North American Van Lines, an Octo- ber survey found 64% of respondents said their most recent move was one of the most stressful things they’ve ever experienced. In fact, according to the survey, moving ranked highest in stressful events, even above divorce, marriage or having children. Many pets pick up on that stress and feel anxious. Both cats and dogs prefer routines and schedules, and new and sudden moving-related tasks can be startling to a pet. In addition, as the family rushes around trying to pack and arrange boxes, the pets also get less attention, which could cause additional worry. Lara A. Sypniewski, DVM, DABVP (canine/feline) Henthorne Clinical Professor of Small Animal Medicine at Oklahoma State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, said it’s common for pets to pick up on worries and anxieties. “It is important to keep a sense of normalcy during times of stress with your pet. If possible, try to keep to your normal sleep schedules, provide consistent positive reinforcement and offer plenty of play and/or cuddle time with your pet; they need reassurance as their environment changes,” she said. Cats are hunters, instinctively avoid danger and prefer to be in control of their situation. Moving is the ultimate stress for a cat, Sypniewski said. “Packing up a home, changing jobs/schedules, being restrained in a carrier, car rides of any time length and resettling in a foreign place is very upsetting for our feline friends,” she said. “Cats will show fear in three major ways: they will hide, flee or become aggressive.” Common signs of stress in cats include loss of appetite, redirected aggression, inappropriate urination and/or defecation and repetitive behaviors (i.e., over-grooming). These behaviors can certainly impact both the human family and other pets in the home environment. Dogs are pack animals and will look to their human “pack” for reas- IS STRESSFUL FOR EVERYONE, ESPECIALLY YOUR PETS MOVING