Transporting cats cross-country - Help needed!

[HarperRose]

We're moving cross-country in a couple of months. (OMG! : : My 7 yr old dd is just DISTRAUGHT over the possibility of not bringing her cats. We had arranged for a close friend to take them, but she is beside herself. I told her I'd look into bringing them with us.

It's a 20 hr drive (we usually take 3 days) and we will have to stay in at least one hotel. (Have friends part way.)

Has anyone done this? What do I need?

It'll be me, 3 kids, and 2 cats. HELP.

[broodymama]

About 4 years ago we moved cross country with 1 kid and 7 cats. We have a mid-sized SUV and had a litter box set up in the back for the cats. Once we got started in the morning, I would let the cats out in the car. (We tried this out beforehand, and they traveled fine and didn't get near the driver.) At rest stops we would offer them food & water. For our overnight stops, we would usually stay in motels where we had a room that opened right onto the breezeway (ground floor, if possible) which made it easier for unloading/loading (and made it easier to be *ahem* discreet when carrying the cats in, if possible. ).

[HarperRose]

Good to know. My cats haven't traveled except for the day we took them home and the one time we took them to the vet. (Yes, once, for worms and rabies shot. They're only 2 yrs old and we haven't vaxed for rabies again since they're indoor.)

We'll be driving a 1991 Chevy, 4 door. Dh may or may not be riding with me, we haven't figured out that part yet. (We have 2 vehicles, but he would come back here for work at least for a little while.)

[mightymoo]

When we moved our two cats, we hired a company that transports animals to do it. But we were moving clear cross country (WA to MA) and were flying ourselves, plus I had a two year old and a 5 month old and I just could not handle trying to get the two of them AND two cats on a plane at the same time, especially given I'm terrified of flying and need to be drugged. LOL It was super expensive though.

[Mama Mko]

We moved from South Florida to Northern Indiana (about a 22 hour drive split up over 3 days) and some friends drove our stuff up for us. We had the cats in a big cat carrier in the car and they did fine. They were fed and given litter boxes at night. We had water in their carriers all day. The 2 males are fine with traveling but the female yowls the whole time. Other than that, they were fine.

[Magali]

We moved across the country last year with 3 cats, and a dog. Not bringing our pets was not ever considered. It was actually pretty easy. The 3 cats were in a kennel in the front seat. One of them cried a bit in the morning for the first few days of travel but after that he resigned himself to what was happening and was ok. IMO many hotels take pets for a small fee and nobody needed to know that we had 3 cats. We offered the cats water and a potty break everyday on the road but they declined. As soon as we would get to a hotel and let them out they would eat etc.. and be very happy to roam around and stretch. All in all, for us, the cats were great travelers and really easy to take.

[HarperRose]

Originally Posted by Magali

We moved across the country last year with 3 cats, and a dog. Not bringing our pets was not ever considered. It was actually pretty easy. The 3 cats were in a kennel in the front seat. One of them cried a bit in the morning for the first few days of travel but after that he resigned himself to what was happening and was ok. IMO many hotels take pets for a small fee and nobody needed to know that we had 3 cats. We offered the cats water and a potty break everyday on the road but they declined. As soon as we would get to a hotel and let them out they would eat etc.. and be very happy to roam around and stretch. All in all, for us, the cats were great travelers and really easy to take.

This is great info. I didn't want to leave them, either, and felt rather sad at the prospect of getting to a new home w/o Peter & Paz.

Dd told me this morning that she prayed 4 times for us to "teleport" the cats with us.

Would you recommend a single, larger crate over 2 smaller ones?

[lifeguard]

If the cats are happy together I would crate them together. Mine are not best friends so we keep them separate when travelling.

Pick up a bottle of rescue remedy as well - it will help some with their anxiety (& yours if need be!).

Lots of hotels/motels have rooms designated for animals - just check ahead.

[HarperRose]

Originally Posted by lifeguard

If the cats are happy together I would crate them together. Mine are not best friends so we keep them separate when travelling.

Ours like each other, so I guess a big crate will be the way to go.

Pick up a bottle of rescue remedy as well - it will help some with their anxiety (& yours if need be!).

Ha! I should buy stock in the stuff. I have a few other essences, as well.

Lots of hotels/motels have rooms designated for animals - just check ahead.

Cool.

Thanks!

[Nicole915]

Just be certain not to let them roam the car while you're driving. Sadly, cats can get frightened and due to their size they have the potential to get under the gas/brake/clutch... which is a huge safety issue.

You might also spray the towel that you use to line their crate with some Feliway, its an all natural product that is calming to many cats.

[HarperRose]

Originally Posted by Nicole915

Just be certain not to let them roam the car while you're driving. Sadly, cats can get frightened and due to their size they have the potential to get under the gas/brake/clutch... which is a huge safety issue.

Oh. I hadn't even considered that. But very good point.

You might also spray the towel that you use to line their crate with some Feliway, its an all natural product that is calming to many cats.

Ok, I'll find some.

Should I line the crate, also, w/ an area for poop? How... What do I do for them through the day? They'll be in a car for about 10 hrs.

[SophieAnn]

One other suggestion: buy some kiddie gravol just in case and call your vet to find out the appropriate dosage. Our cat used to get very sick in the car, and our vet suggested gravol - worked like a charm.

Make sure the temp is comfortable too, and watch them (or have kids watch them) for signs of distress - drooling, panting, etc.

A harness/leash might be a good idea so you can give them a chance to stretch their legs on rest stops.

Really, they should be fine and you'll all be glad you brought them with you when it's all over with.

[Nicole915]

Should I line the crate, also, w/ an area for poop? How... What do I do for them through the day? They'll be in a car for about 10 hrs.

If they are going to be in the car for 10 hours, you may want to have a litter pan available to them when you stop for fuel, bathrooms and food for yourselves. Chances are that they won't have too much interest, but better to give them the oppertunity. Make sure its their familiar litter box and litter substrate, if at all possible. Thankfully, cats sleep, A LOT!

[HarperRose]

Originally Posted by Nicole915

Should I line the crate, also, w/ an area for poop? How... What do I do for them through the day? They'll be in a car for about 10 hrs.

If they are going to be in the car for 10 hours, you may want to have a litter pan available to them when you stop for fuel, bathrooms and food for yourselves. Chances are that they won't have too much interest, but better to give them the oppertunity. Make sure its their familiar litter box and litter substrate, if at all possible. Thankfully, cats sleep, A LOT!

Ok, that's what I was thinking.

Thank you!

[JayGee]

We moved from NJ to CA with two cats a number of years ago. We bought 2 rabbit cages that fit perfectly across the back seat and lay cardboard on top of the mesh for them. We also let them use the litterbox at rest stops (although I'm not sure if they actually did). Also, Residence Inn has a great pet policy, so we stayed there without issues. Good luck with your move!

[I~love~pie]

its do-able. Not sure on taking care of cats, but we just moved from Ma to AZ , a 3000 mile journey. I was scared and nervous about it, we had 2 dogs with us. not small dogs either. and they where cramped. poor pups, but they where beyond behaved. so good. we did give our younger dog (1yr old BL) something prescribed from the vet.
again they where so good. we let them out every few hours, took them for walks around the rest stop, got fed, water. we fed them in the car about .5 to 1 hr before we stopped that way it was potty time when we got to a rest stop.
hotels that take pets I used this site http://petswelcome.com/ , you can search by state & by town.
I agree with the ground floor. I did that and it makes life so much easier, less interaction with people they dont know. Not that I dont want that, I just figured it may be to much for them....

[elsie]

Originally Posted by Nicole915

Just be certain not to let them roam the car while you're driving. Sadly, cats can get frightened and due to their size they have the potential to get under the gas/brake/clutch... which is a huge safety issue.

This happened to a girl I went to high school with and her cat. They survived the accident, the lady she hit did not.

My cats always seem fine in their own little carrrier, they would not appreciate it if I put them together. When we moved across country, I flew the cat we had. Unless it is real hot when you travel, you don't have to worry about feeding and waterng them too much when you travel. My cats are usually too distraught to eat until we get to wherever we are going. They also always have accidents when I get them into the carrier, they don't like to travel, so I always keep a towel in there as well. One cat usually pees as soon as she knows I am catching her for the cage,

[HRC121799]

There is something called Feliway that my vet recommended for traveling with the cats, you can spray it on their bedding/in the car and it's supposed to help calm them down/relax them. We have 3 cats & a dog and when considering a cross country move the plan was to just drive with them and stay in hotels with pet friendly policies. Not taking them would not be an option!

Hope your drive goes smoothly!

[kittywitty]

I moved 24 hours away, and then back a year later, with 4 cats and a dog in a van with 3 kids. Definitely doable. I never used a pet gate/container. My cats just hung out under the seats, I watched to make sure they didn't escape when we got out and brought a small litter box in a tall sided box for them to use-they never did until we were at a hotel/house, though. My kids held the cats on their laps most of the time and stayed out of the way and I made sure they didn't climb under or on my dh who was driving.

[silkiemum]

Just to add my 2 cents...

We have travelled overnight with our cat, for a 2500 mile trip, and we did what everyone else did: leash/harness on potty breaks outside, carrier for rest of the time, and let him roam free with litter box in car overnight. He just curled up on our laundry bag, and seemed fine--no need to fuss with pet-friendly motels. BUT: he yowled the whole round trip. He wasn't panting, or throwing dander, just noisy. And it set everyone on edge.

SO, when we moved across the country (coast-to-coast, 12-day drive) we flew him. It was a breeze--for less than 150 bucks, he only had a 12 hour trip door to door, and when my parents picked him up, he was curled in a ball sleep in his crate. No problems at all. And no worries about him escaping accross the highway, getting wedged under the girls' carseats, etc.

If you have someone who could keep them at either end until you could pick them up, and you aren't travelling to/from an area with heat restrictions I would vote plane, easily.

--Andrea, who survived 12 days in a car with DH, DD1 (31/2) and DD2 (1 1/2)... but no cat.