Advice needed for traveling in the car with a cat

[JenDaveBrendan]

Hi everyone -
We are going to be moving from MA to NC (about a 14 hour car ride), and will be bringing our cat. Anyone have any advice for traveling with a cat in the car that long??? I have no idea what we should be doing...... and where would she go to the bathroom?
We may be stopping halfway and stay the night at a hotel, so maybe that would make it easier for her.
I called the vet, and they won't give me a sedative for her. However, I was reading on the internet that sometimes you can give a cat benedryl? Anyone know anything about that? My concern is that she just howls nonstop in the car, and I thought some sort of sedative might help.

thanks!!

Jen

 

[lbgraves]

OY! That reminds me of my 4 hour nightmare drive each way to get my sister's cat and then return him. I put him in a carrier with a bath towel folded up so that it would be comfortable. (It also absorbed the accidents.) Driving in a car can be very stressful to cats & this one howled the entire trip. I thought that I would lose it! It seemed to do better after I moved the carrier to the front seat so that it could see me...but it still howled.

 

[goofy4tink]

I took my ds's cat to Florida, via a plane, last Dec. I put the cat in her carrier at about 11 in the morning and she stayed there (with the exception of when she had to come out for security!) until about 9 that night. Poor thing. But, my point is this...they can go for quite awhile in a carrier. I would suggest you check out which motels will allow a pet...there are a bunch. My ds checked them out before he decided to not drive her down. Then, I would put her food and her box in the bathroom over night. Then, first thing in the morning, back into the carrier. Don't let her roam in the room otherwise, you might have a heck of a time getting her back in the carrier.
There was a site I got a lot of info on..think it was something like RamblingCat. Good luck.

 

[Thumper's Tara]

Hi everyone -
We are going to be moving from MA to NC (about a 14 hour car ride), and will be bringing our cat. Anyone have any advice for traveling with a cat in the car that long??? I have no idea what we should be doing...... and where would she go to the bathroom?
We may be stopping halfway and stay the night at a hotel, so maybe that would make it easier for her.
I called the vet, and they won't give me a sedative for her. However, I was reading on the internet that sometimes you can give a cat benedryl? Anyone know anything about that? My concern is that she just howls nonstop in the car, and I thought some sort of sedative might help.

thanks!!

Jen

Jen-

You are talking to a girl who has transfered a cat and 3 bunnies from Memphis to CT last June. It was an interesting experience.

First off, if the vet won't give you a seditive, I would ask another vet for a 2nd opinion. I really don't think that Trouble (my cat) would have made it through the 17 hour drive without it. As it was, she spent the whole 17 hours curled up on my lap - this was the only way she was calm even with the seditive. My vet had me test out the strength of the sedititive before we left. I tried the smaller dosage first...it seemed to do the trick on the test and that is what I gave her on the trip.

Second, you will need to do a little hotel research about who will take your pet in the hotel. I know that La Quinta and Motel 6 typically allow pets.

Third, on the vet thing...you need a certificate of health to transfer an animal across state lines. So, that means a vet visit. You have to get the certificate within 10 days of travelling. I have never needed the certificate, but I would hate to get pulled over and have them ask. I mean, the odds can't be that high, but I wasn't willing to let anything happen to my animals.

Other stuff...let's see...chances are, the cat won't go to the bathroom while the car is moving...however, you may want to put some old towels in the bottom of her carrier to absorb anything. Bring some spares for the next day and a garbage bag to put the soiled one into (prevent the smell from invaded the whole car).

With the bunnies, I normally build them a car "cage" to give them some room to move around and put a little box in for them. I asked my vet about doing this for Trouble...she recommended a smaller carrier for her instead...not so tiny that she doesn't have room, but small enough so that she feels safe. Again, the towels will help with this.

Bring along wet food to treat her with in the hotel...I believe (check with your vet) that this has a higher water content in it...keeps kitty from being dehydrated.

That is all I can think of! let me know if you have any questions...

ttfn,
Tara

 

[Thumper's Tara]

One more thing...also look into Rescue Remedy. You can place it in their water to help them calm down. My friend and I did this when we drove her cat from Houston to Portland, OR. It seemed to help!

 

[dolphinrescuegirl]

I do 5hr trips with my cats all the time (not by choice). I have found that if you leave the cat carrier door open in the car they will usually lay in there. Their happy as long as the door is open. One cat is really quiet while the other one howls most of the trip Not much I can do to help her. Sometimes she will curl up in my lap and be happy. For the motel stay, I would suggest a disposable litter box and you can get them at most stores such as Kroger and Petsmart. They usually run about $2-$3 and you just throw it away in the morning. A real lifesaver!! I wish you the best of luck!!!!

 

[Planogirl]

I like the idea of leaving the carrier door opening. If you can, put plenty of plastic on the car floor on one side and place a small litter box there. Bring plenty of litter and garbage bags and you can clean it as needed on the way.

Be prepared for lots of howling. I even moved a cat that hissed and growled the whole time. Most of them do NOT like being moved one bit.

 

[irishbosoxfan]

We have had our cat K.C.(short for kitty cat-because my DH said there was no way he was walking into the vet and telling them the cats name was kitty cat-some sort of weird macho thing I don't get) for over 5 years and she is a world class traveler(well continental U.S. traveler anyways) she has been driven back and forth to every duty station we have ever been to. And she HATES to drive!

She freaks when we try to put her in the carrier then when we start driving she does this deep gutteral moan thing that sends shivers up my spine eventually though she does calm down and when she does we let her out and she skulks around the car.Then hides under the seats. We bought a travel bowl and change that for her often in hot weather and we stop and let her out to walk around and do her business if she wants (we keep her on a leash because if we didnt she'd be living wild in the woods of any number of states by now) And if we stop at a motel we bring her in w/us and let her run around to work out some pent up energy-----Since K.C. wont go to the bathroom anywhere except a litter box we travel w/a cardboard box the flat kind sodas come in at the grocery store some plastic bags department store kind and kitty litter---we put the box in the bag then pour some litter on it-let her go then just fold bag inside out to hold dirty litter and reuse the box!

Hope this helps!

 

[azgal81]

We have travelled with our cat back and forth from Arizona to Disneyland several times.

He spends the whole time on my lap or curled up on a pillow in the back seat. He loves the car and doesn't cry at all. I think it's because we trained him as a kitten to like the car.

As far as the litterbox goes we put a fresh one behind the back seat so he will go there if he has to go.

We feed him water and food at the rest areas normally he's not very hungry.

Check out the red roof inn most of them allow pets and that's where we normally stay.

 

[Disney Doll]

I would probably keep the cat in a carrier for it's own safety. What if you get into an accident? Not that I am wishing it on you, but you KWIM. Plus, if the cat is loose in the car, it could feasibly get under the gas or brake pedal.

I'd also leash it to walk it once you get to the motel.

 

[GoofyBaseballMom26]

I agree, I would keep it in a carrier. I don't understand why the vet won't give you a sedative. Any vet I've ever used would have under those circumstances. I would try another vet also.

 

[Tina]

Please don't give your cat Benadryl without checking with your vet. Knowing how I react to Benadryl, I can't even imagine the effects it could have on a small cat. Also, some human medications are lethal to animals.

 

[SplshMtn99]

We do 2 hr trips quite often to my parents. I've found that I have to leave the carrier door open for her not to howl as much. She gets out & tries to walk around, but ultimately goes back in & lies down. We set up a kitty litter box in the back of the SUV for emergencies. I think she has used it once while we drove. We also position the carrier just behind the split of the front seats so she can see us, & I can reach to pet her. Towels & toys in carrier.

It was miserable the first few times, but each trip gets better. She now RUNS to the kitty litter the minute we arrive at my parents. LOL

 

[pearlieq]

I would agree with others that I would check on another vet. Not allowing a sedative is pretty unreasonable. The vet may actually recommend Benadryl, but I wouldn't give it without checking with the vet, because the dosing is tricky (of course, my cats HATED Benadryl more than any other medicine...)

I would also recommend a large carrier lined with towels. The cat is safer in the carrier for several reasons:

1.) A loose cat could panic or otherwise interfere with your driving safely. It could run down around your feet and cause you not to be able to brake.

2.) In an accident, a loose cat would be dangerous projectile that could harm other passengers (sorry to be macabre, but the same thing is true of unbelted passengers)

3.) To go with the above, a carrier will provide at least some protection for the cat during an accident.

4.) An unsecured cat could bolt when you stop and open the door. Even if they've never done it before, they're lightning quick and it only takes once!

Good luck with the trip!

 

[ImarriedGrumpy]

I agree with the posters above and strongly recommend that you keep the kitty in a carrier. I know it drives us humans nuts when the cats howl the entire trip, but it's much, much safer for everyone if the cat is in a safe carrier.

We have a little bit larger carrier that we put a small litter box in and an old beach towel. We brace the carrier in the middle of the back seat and use the front seats to hold it tightly in place. We then spray this kitty calming pheromone in the car and carrier (Feliway Feline Comfort Zone) and that seems to help somewhat. The pheromone workes on one of our cats, but not the other. It's supposed to mimic the "happy, content" pheromones that cats release when they are feeling good, and thus make the cat settle down.

We limited food intake before a long trip, but did make sure the kitty got enough water. We also gave her water and a small snack whenever we stopped. She complained with an impressive range of vocalizations for most of the trip, but we were all safe by the time we arrived.

On our shorter trips and when I had to fly across country with my 18 year old cat, I used a soft-sided carrier that looks a lot like a standard carry-on bag, but is ventilated and padded for cats and small dogs. I found it at Petco or PetSmart. One of our cats greatly prefers the small carrier - I think she feels more secure in it.

I hope all goes well for your trip!

 

[chell]

Use a carrier since cats are so curious. I just made a 90 minute move and my cat had to stay on my lap the entire time because the carrier someone brought for him was too small. A few times he tried to crawl up on my shoulder or down into the floorboard.

Make sure the carrier gives your cat plenty of room to move around in so he/she doesn't overheat.

What part of NC are you moving to?