Have you ever had a removals stowaway?

When you’re planning to move, you are probably most concerned about how you’re going to pack all your possessions in time for the big day, or perhaps whether all of your furniture will fit in the removal trucks and vans.

However, you probably don’t give much thought to the potential of having a stowaway in amongst your belongings – but this is exactly what happened to one family in the UK recently.

The Daily Star shared the story of one homemover who, on arriving at their new abode, opened the back of their removals truck to discover a stowaway of the furry variety – a black and white cat.

Luckily, this particular person had only moved 30 minutes from their previous address, so even if they had accidentally moved with a neighbour’s cat, it wouldn’t be too much of a challenge to return the adventurous moggie to its rightful owner.

In the Reddit thread, many suggested they take the cat to a local vet to scan its microchip and make sure that it did indeed make it home safely.

Here at Removals Unlimited, we have helped hundreds of families move to new homes in Bournemouth, Poole, Winton, Christchurch and beyond, including many who have been moving with pets.

After reading this amusing anecdote of an unusual moving stowaway, we thought now would be a good time to share some top tips for moving home with pets. They are, after all, part of the family and a move can be just as stressful for them as it is for us!

Dogs, in particular, are creatures of habit and disruption to their routine can make them anxious. Vets4pets recommends leaving your dog with a friend, family member or even putting them into kennels on moving day itself, so that they are not around for the majority of the upheaval.

Another top tip, for both dogs and cats, is to set up a “safe” area for them, both in the home you are leaving (if you aren’t able to leave them with someone else on moving day) and in the home you are moving to.

Fill this space with their favourite items, such as toys and a comfy bed, and check in on them regularly. Make sure you tell your team of removals professionals which room is set up for your pet so that they know not to open that particular door!

It’s also important that you pack your pet’s belongings last when you leave your old property, and that you unpack these items first on arrival at your new home. This will help them to feel safer in the new space.

You can find more top tips on moving home with your pets in our previous blog. Our team is well-versed in helping families with all kinds of pets move home and will do all they can to make the experience as stress-free as possible for both you and your pets.

If you’d like to find out more about our removals services in the South West, or request a free, no-obligation quote, get in touch today!