How to Move House With a Cat: A Step-by-Step Guide

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Cats are attached to their territory, so a house move asks a lot of them. Most of the work is planning. This guide covers carrier practice, where your cat should be on moving day, the journey, a settling room in the new home, microchip and ID updates, and how long to keep your cat indoors afterwards.

How we wrote this: the steps follow Battersea’s guide to moving house with your cat, PDSA’s advice on moving house with pets and Best Friends Animal Society’s tips for moving with pets. We put their advice in our own words and mark our own tips with “in our view”. All were checked on 2 November 2026. We did not test any of the products named here ourselves, and we do not show prices or ratings.

1. Start carrier practice weeks before the move

Your cat will travel in a carrier, and a cat that only sees the carrier on vet days will expect the worst. Best Friends suggests getting a pet used to the car gradually: sit in the parked car together for short spells, make it pleasant with play or a treat, then move on to short drives. Start this well before moving day.

Battersea says the carrier should be sturdy and secure, and advises against using a backpack or a harness for the move, since these can stress a cat. In our view, leave the carrier out in a room your cat likes, with a familiar blanket inside, so it becomes furniture rather than a warning sign. Our step-by-step guide on how to get a cat into a carrier covers the training.

If you need a carrier, the Petmate Pet Porter is a hard plastic kennel with a steel door, and the Sherpa Original Deluxe is a soft carrier with top and side entry and a washable liner, according to their listings. Our best cat carrier guide compares more options.

2. Decide where your cat will spend moving day

PDSA gives two options. The first is to clear one room in your current home before the day, empty it of boxes, and set it up with your cat’s bed, bowls, toys and litter tray. Let your cat spend time in it beforehand so it feels normal, and tell the removal team that this room stays shut. The second, for cats that find noise, strangers or change hard, is to have a trusted friend or relative look after them, or to book a pet sitter or cattery. If you choose a cattery, PDSA suggests checking with your vet well in advance that vaccinations are up to date, since catteries usually ask for proof.

3. On moving day: shut doors and stay calm

PDSA warns that cats in particular may panic and try to bolt when a door opens, so close the doors and windows behind you each time you check on your cat. It suggests checking in regularly so your cat knows you are still nearby, and giving it fresh water and a scratching post to use while the noise goes on.

In our view, a sign on the door (“Cat inside, keep shut”) helps when movers and helpers come and go all day.

PDSA also advises moving your pet last, once the furniture, boxes and removal team have gone and the house is quiet. That way your cat goes from one calm room to another.

4. The journey to the new home

Battersea suggests covering the carrier with a blanket to help your cat stay calm. Keep the carrier secured in the car, not loose on a seat or in a footwell. PDSA notes that UK road rules expect pets to be suitably restrained in a car; rules differ elsewhere, so check yours.

For a long drive, Best Friends advises keeping your cat in its carrier or crate while you drive. At stops, you can let your cat out inside the closed car to use a litter box, or use a crate big enough to hold a small litter box, bedding and small bowls.

5. Set up a settling room in the new home

Battersea’s key advice is to make one room of the new house your cat’s base: a room that is not busy and has no cat flap or other easy way out. If you have no spare room, pick a quiet corner with plenty of hiding places. PDSA suggests unpacking your cat’s things and setting the room up before your cat arrives, so familiar items are waiting.

• Litter tray. Battersea suggests a comfy place clear of the doorway and busy paths, because cats prefer to toilet somewhere quiet and private. See how to switch cat litter if you plan to change brands, and in our view wait until your cat has settled before you do.
• Scratching post by the door. Scratching leaves a scent mark, and Battersea says a post near the doorway lets your cat mark the edge of its new territory. See best cat scratching post.
• Beds that smell of home. Battersea suggests using your cat’s current beds and blankets, because their scent helps a cat feel at home.
• Hiding places and high spots. A cardboard box on its side, an open wardrobe or a corner gives your cat somewhere snug to retreat. Some cats prefer a high perch, such as the top of a wardrobe or a cat tree, so they can watch the room.
• Bowls apart. Battersea suggests keeping the food and water bowls away from the litter tray, and a little apart from each other.
• Safety. Lock away anything toxic or dangerous, and anything that could fall from a height.

Battersea also says to keep all windows and doors in the house closed, block any cat flap and chimney so your cat cannot escape if it gets out of its room, and make sure everyone in the house knows the rules.

6. Letting your cat out of the carrier, then into the house

Battersea’s steps for arrival are simple. Carry your cat into the settling room in its carrier, shut the door, then open the carrier and let your cat step out when it chooses. Some cats will want some time to themselves. Leave the carrier in the room, with the door off if you like, so it can be used as a bed or hiding spot. Keep other pets separate for the first few days.

Once your cat seems confident, Battersea suggests opening up other rooms gradually, keeping some doors shut at first and leaving the settling room open so your cat can go back to it. Signs that your cat is ready include greeting you when you come in, and seeming confident or even frustrated at being kept in one room. PDSA adds that you should let your cat explore each room at its own pace and never force it.

Battersea also suggests limiting guests while your cat explores, and leaving it alone if it goes to a hiding place.

7. Update the microchip and ID tag

PDSA says that if a pet goes missing, you are much more likely to get it back if it is microchipped, and that you should tell the microchip company your new address and contact details as soon as you move in.

If your cat wears a collar, change the ID tag as well. In our view, do it before the move so the new details are on from day one. Choose a collar with a quick-release buckle, such as the Rogz GlowCat Safety Release Collar, whose buckle has three load settings according to its listing. See our best breakaway cat collar guide, and how to get a cat used to a collar if your cat has never worn one.

8. Keep your cat indoors before the first trip outside

All three sources agree that an outdoor cat needs an indoor-only period first. Battersea says this is often around four to six weeks after the move, giving your cat time to learn a new routine. Best Friends says not to let a cat out for at least a month, because cats are strongly tied to places and some try to make their way back to the old house. PDSA says a few weeks.

When the first trip out comes, PDSA suggests putting something that looks or smells familiar in the garden, such as garden pots from your old home, to help your cat recognise its territory. In our view, choose a calm, dry day, go out with your cat, stay close for short spells, and pick a time before a meal so your cat has a reason to come back in.

Keep any cat flap locked until then. When your cat is settled and has been outside with you, our guide on how to teach a cat to use a cat flap covers the next step.

9. When to call the vet

Battersea says every cat reacts differently, and some cats’ appetites dip while they settle. It lists signs that a cat needs more support: hiding much more than you expected, an appetite that has changed and not gone back to normal, an upset stomach, or ongoing signs of stress. First check that the settling room has everything your cat needs and plenty of hiding places.

In our view, call your vet if your cat has not eaten for a day or more, has not used the litter tray, is straining, or is still hiding most of the time after several days. Cats can become unwell if they stop eating, so do not wait it out. Ask your vet before giving any calming product or medicine.

Moving with a dog? Our guide on how to move house with a dog covers moving day, the car journey, ID updates and settling in.

FAQ

How long should I keep my cat indoors after moving house?

Battersea says around four to six weeks, Best Friends says at least a month, and PDSA says a few weeks. Let your cat settle indoors first and go out with it for the first trips.

How long does it take a cat to settle into a new home?

It varies: Battersea says some cats settle very quickly and others need longer in their settling room. Talk to your vet if your cat is not settling.

Should I let my cat out of the carrier as soon as we arrive?

Battersea suggests carrying your cat into its settling room, closing the door, then opening the carrier and letting your cat come out when it is ready.

More for cat owners: how to get a cat into a carrier, how to get your home ready for a new kitten and best cat carrier.