How to travel with a cat

On Thu, 10 Jan 2008 16:15:57 -0600, Granby wrote:
O. T. is my howler. I have a collapsible mesh toy box, Thomas the train
motif, and he travels in the van in that. Room enough for a sweater box,
letterbox. When we stop, my son and his family, we add food and water for
the length of the break. When I stay in a hotel, this makes a nice
confinement area for him. OK Lee, tell them how even Willow didn't spend
any hotel time in the confinement area, even got under the bed which was a
job to get her out.

When I came out to arizona pulling a trailer, we stopped in raton new mexico
and discovered that none of the motels would permit pets, each had a huge
sign 'ABSOLUTELY NO PETS. IF WE CATCH YOU WITH A PET, YOU WILL BE HORRIBLY
KILLED.' or something like that.

We figured we'd sneak mongo into the room after we'd checked in. How would
they know? Mongo took to running around the room and howling. We couldn't
quiet him down and we had to put him in the car for the evening. Good thing
it was nice May weather.

I handled my kitties exactly this same way, and they did well on long
(12 hour) drives.

A couple other suggestions - if Persia likes to look out the window,
you might figure out some way she can see outside the car from her
carrier. When I only had Natasha (RB), I'd put a suitcase on the
passenger seat, and her carrier on top of that. She would just pass
the time (when not sleeping) by looking around at the passing scenery!

I cannot emphasize strongly enough how important it is to have your
kitty in a carrier. It's a safety thing, for both you as the driver
(what if kitty, crawling around the car, gets in the way of you
steering, gets in your line of sight, or gets under foot and you can't
work the pedals correctly?) AND for the kitty (extra protection in
case of an accident). When I had Natasha's carrier on top of the
small suitcase on the passenger seat, I'd run the seatbelt through the
handle on top, and then buckle it like normal. If your seatbelts
aren't long enough for that trick, surely you can find some other
secure way to tie the carrier down.


Jeanne

On Thu, 10 Jan 2008 12:25:39 -0700, "EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)"
wrote:



jmcquown wrote:

I'm considering driving back to South Carolina with Persia, probably in
early March. And I'll be staying for an undetermined length of time. So
how do I transport Persia?

When I put her in her carrier she freaks out, like any cat does. She cries
and yowls and mews and complains. She just knows she's going to TED, that
guy who pokes and prods her and isn't nice.

Problem is, this time she won't be going there. It's a two or three day
drive. I can find pet friendly motels, no problem. But what do I do to
keep her calm along the long drive? Is there some herbal something that
will keep her relaxed or do I have to resort to drugs provided by her vet?

First cross-country trip I made with cats, I had the same
worry, and got tranquilizers from the vet. However, they
proved unnecessary - after an hour or so of off-and-on
protest, they accepted the inevitable, and simply slept for
most of the ride. (Cats are pretty pragmatic critters -
once they realize protesting won't get them anywhere, they
usually stop.)


There's no way I will fly there with her in the baggage hold. No way she'll
sit quietly under the seat of a plane in front of me, either. LOL She's a
grey meezer... very vocal. So... driving we will probably go.

What about her needing a litter box? The last time I drove there I had a
dog. It was easy enough to let him out of the car to pee on a tree and do
whatever other business he had to do. I have no idea how to accomplish this
with a cat. Where do you put a litter box for a cat in a car?

Mine had no problem waiting until we stopped for the night
(actually, I'd head for my motel in late afternoon). First
thing I'd do after registering was bring in the cats, set up
their food dishes and a disposable litterbox in the
bathroom, shut them in, and go get my own dinner. I'd let
them have the freedom of my room, once I returned, and of
course they'd sleep on the bed with me. (Only problem was
occasionally getting them out from under the bed, the next
morning, but since I had them in harnesses with leashes
attached, there was usually something to grab hold of.)

I will say I have a hatchback car with plenty of room if I lay down the
seat. But I don't see letting her roam around a good idea. Maybe I could
get a cage like they have at shelters? The ones with a shelf for sleeping
with her afghan on top and a place for a small litter box and her food and
water bowls on the bottom?

She'll probably feel most secure in her own carrier - it's
snugger and easier to wrestle in and out of your car and
hotel rooms. Also, you can put it on the seat next to you,
and give her vocal reassurances from time to time. The
first trip, I did get a large carrier, and started out with
litterbox and bowls in it, but they ignored both when
enroute, so the next trip it was just a normal carrier.
(Big enough for both of them, because they seemed to feel
more secure together, but just space enough to stretch a bit
between naps - they got their action at night. They also
seemed happier with the carrier on the seat next to me,
rather than in the back of my Civic Hatchback, where they'd
traveled the first time. (I'd usually bring them back a
"treat" of meat or fish from my own dinner, and spend the
evening watching TV so they could lap-sit at will.)

Suggestions for driving with a cat for 2-3 days are welcome.

My first trip took nearly a week, and they did very well
with the arrangements I describe. (The trip to Arizona last
year was a piece of cake, since we only had one night in a
hotel.)

On Wed, 9 Jan 2008 19:20:47 -0600, "jmcquown"
wrote:

Clean the cat carrier. It probably smells like fear and the vet's
office.

Take your cat for a ride every day until your trip. A ride that
doesn't include the vet office.

Spray Feliway on the carrier.

Where do you put a litter box for a cat in a car?

Back seat floor board.

I will say I have a hatchback car with plenty of room if I lay down the
seat. But I don't see letting her roam around a good idea. Maybe I could
get a cage like they have at shelters? The ones with a shelf for sleeping
with her afghan on top and a place for a small litter box and her food and
water bowls on the bottom?

Maybe one of those mesh dividers that will go from one side of the car
to the other, and floor to ceiling. They are made to keep a large dog
in the rear of a vehicle, but should work for cats as well. That way
the cat has the back seat area and you have the front without having
to worry that you will suddenly be "wearing" a terrified kitty on your
face while trying to drive.
Suggestions for driving with a cat for 2-3 days are welcome.

Jill

Carry proof of vaccinations with you.
Buy a harness and leash and use it during the trip.
Headphones and good music.
Debra in VA
See my quilts at
http://community.webshots.com/user/debplayshere

"Debra" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 9 Jan 2008 19:20:47 -0600, "jmcquown"
wrote:

Clean the cat carrier. It probably smells like fear and the vet's
office.

Take your cat for a ride every day until your trip. A ride that
doesn't include the vet office.

Spray Feliway on the carrier.

Where do you put a litter box for a cat in a car?

Back seat floor board.

I will say I have a hatchback car with plenty of room if I lay down the
seat. But I don't see letting her roam around a good idea. Maybe I could
get a cage like they have at shelters? The ones with a shelf for sleeping
with her afghan on top and a place for a small litter box and her food and
water bowls on the bottom?

Maybe one of those mesh dividers that will go from one side of the car
to the other, and floor to ceiling. They are made to keep a large dog
in the rear of a vehicle, but should work for cats as well. That way
the cat has the back seat area and you have the front without having
to worry that you will suddenly be "wearing" a terrified kitty on your
face while trying to drive.


I have a problem with this. We got a divider in hopes of keeping Kayla in
the back of the car. So far we have been unable to install it in any manner
that "she" considers a barrier.

So far its just another hundred dollar piece of junk.

Jo

no need you have indicated properly how you have been assimilated... Lee
Granby wrote in message
...
O. T. is my howler. I have a collapsible mesh toy box, Thomas the train
motif, and he travels in the van in that. Room enough for a sweater box,
letterbox. When we stop, my son and his family, we add food and water for
the length of the break. When I stay in a hotel, this makes a nice
confinement area for him. OK Lee, tell them how even Willow didn't spend
any hotel time in the confinement area, even got under the bed which was a
job to get her out.
"AZ Nomad" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 10 Jan 2008 12:25:39 -0700, EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)
wrote:


jmcquown wrote:

I'm considering driving back to South Carolina with Persia, probably
in
early March. And I'll be staying for an undetermined length of time.
So
how do I transport Persia?

When I put her in her carrier she freaks out, like any cat does. She
cries
and yowls and mews and complains. She just knows she's going to TED,
that
guy who pokes and prods her and isn't nice.

Problem is, this time she won't be going there. It's a two or three
day
drive. I can find pet friendly motels, no problem. But what do I do
to
keep her calm along the long drive? Is there some herbal something
that
will keep her relaxed or do I have to resort to drugs provided by her
vet?

First cross-country trip I made with cats, I had the same
worry, and got tranquilizers from the vet. However, they
proved unnecessary - after an hour or so of off-and-on
protest, they accepted the inevitable, and simply slept for
most of the ride. (Cats are pretty pragmatic critters -
once they realize protesting won't get them anywhere, they
usually stop.)

Except siamese cats. My buddy mongo is quite capable of howling for a
ten
hours nonstop. About the only thing that can shut him up for a little
while
is if the humans in the car start howling along with him. He gets
out-howled. WOW!!! WOW!!! WOW!!! WOW!!!

jofirey wrote:
"Debra" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 9 Jan 2008 19:20:47 -0600, "jmcquown"
wrote:

Clean the cat carrier. It probably smells like fear and the vet's
office.

Take your cat for a ride every day until your trip. A ride that
doesn't include the vet office.

Spray Feliway on the carrier.

Where do you put a litter box for a cat in a car?

Back seat floor board.

I will say I have a hatchback car with plenty of room if I lay down
the seat. But I don't see letting her roam around a good idea.
Maybe I could get a cage like they have at shelters? The ones with
a shelf for sleeping with her afghan on top and a place for a small
litter box and her food and water bowls on the bottom?

Maybe one of those mesh dividers that will go from one side of the
car to the other, and floor to ceiling. They are made to keep a
large dog in the rear of a vehicle, but should work for cats as
well. That way the cat has the back seat area and you have the
front without having to worry that you will suddenly be "wearing" a
terrified kitty on your face while trying to drive.


I have a problem with this. We got a divider in hopes of keeping
Kayla in the back of the car. So far we have been unable to install
it in any manner that "she" considers a barrier.

So far its just another hundred dollar piece of junk.

Jo

My car came equipped with a mesh thing, but it's to put groceries in to keep
some stuff from rolling around. Somehow I doubt Persia is going to be
rolling around

Jill

"jmcquown" wrote in message
...
jofirey wrote:
"Debra" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 9 Jan 2008 19:20:47 -0600, "jmcquown"
wrote:

Clean the cat carrier. It probably smells like fear and the vet's
office.

Take your cat for a ride every day until your trip. A ride that
doesn't include the vet office.

Spray Feliway on the carrier.

Where do you put a litter box for a cat in a car?

Back seat floor board.

I will say I have a hatchback car with plenty of room if I lay down
the seat. But I don't see letting her roam around a good idea.
Maybe I could get a cage like they have at shelters? The ones with
a shelf for sleeping with her afghan on top and a place for a small
litter box and her food and water bowls on the bottom?

Maybe one of those mesh dividers that will go from one side of the
car to the other, and floor to ceiling. They are made to keep a
large dog in the rear of a vehicle, but should work for cats as
well. That way the cat has the back seat area and you have the
front without having to worry that you will suddenly be "wearing" a
terrified kitty on your face while trying to drive.


I have a problem with this. We got a divider in hopes of keeping
Kayla in the back of the car. So far we have been unable to install
it in any manner that "she" considers a barrier.

So far its just another hundred dollar piece of junk.

Jo

My car came equipped with a mesh thing, but it's to put groceries in to
keep
some stuff from rolling around. Somehow I doubt Persia is going to be
rolling around

Jill



She might if she's sleeping and you get to a curvy/hilly road

--
--
The ONE and ONLY
lefthanded-pathetic-paranoid-psychotic-sarcastic-wiseass-ditzy former-blonde
in Bloomington! (And proud of it, too)©
email me at nalee1964 (at) insightbb (dot) com
http://community.webshots.com/user/mgcmdjeep

Magic Mood Jeep wrote:
"jmcquown" wrote in message
...
jofirey wrote:
"Debra" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 9 Jan 2008 19:20:47 -0600, "jmcquown"
wrote:

Clean the cat carrier. It probably smells like fear and the vet's
office.

Take your cat for a ride every day until your trip. A ride that
doesn't include the vet office.

Spray Feliway on the carrier.

Where do you put a litter box for a cat in a car?

Back seat floor board.

I will say I have a hatchback car with plenty of room if I lay
down the seat. But I don't see letting her roam around a good
idea. Maybe I could get a cage like they have at shelters? The
ones with a shelf for sleeping with her afghan on top and a place
for a small litter box and her food and water bowls on the bottom?

Maybe one of those mesh dividers that will go from one side of the
car to the other, and floor to ceiling. They are made to keep a
large dog in the rear of a vehicle, but should work for cats as
well. That way the cat has the back seat area and you have the
front without having to worry that you will suddenly be "wearing" a
terrified kitty on your face while trying to drive.


I have a problem with this. We got a divider in hopes of keeping
Kayla in the back of the car. So far we have been unable to install
it in any manner that "she" considers a barrier.

So far its just another hundred dollar piece of junk.

Jo

My car came equipped with a mesh thing, but it's to put groceries in
to keep
some stuff from rolling around. Somehow I doubt Persia is going to
be rolling around

Jill



She might if she's sleeping and you get to a curvy/hilly road


Have you ever been to the way southern tip of South Carolina? It's flat not
only flat it is very swampy. No rolling around In fact, where my
parents live they have signs posted "Do not feed the alligators". Good
idea, since people on vacation there seem to thing alligators are cute.

Oh, and when the tide goes out you can wade out and pick up oysters. Or net
up shrimp; or go crabbing. It's not likely Persia will be doing any of
those things. Crab would more than likely nip at her paws. I do love blue
crab, though

Jill

"jmcquown" wrote in message
...
Magic Mood Jeep wrote:
"jmcquown" wrote in message
...
jofirey wrote:
"Debra" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 9 Jan 2008 19:20:47 -0600, "jmcquown"
wrote:

Clean the cat carrier. It probably smells like fear and the vet's
office.

Take your cat for a ride every day until your trip. A ride that
doesn't include the vet office.

Spray Feliway on the carrier.

Where do you put a litter box for a cat in a car?

Back seat floor board.

I will say I have a hatchback car with plenty of room if I lay
down the seat. But I don't see letting her roam around a good
idea. Maybe I could get a cage like they have at shelters? The
ones with a shelf for sleeping with her afghan on top and a place
for a small litter box and her food and water bowls on the bottom?

Maybe one of those mesh dividers that will go from one side of the
car to the other, and floor to ceiling. They are made to keep a
large dog in the rear of a vehicle, but should work for cats as
well. That way the cat has the back seat area and you have the
front without having to worry that you will suddenly be "wearing" a
terrified kitty on your face while trying to drive.


I have a problem with this. We got a divider in hopes of keeping
Kayla in the back of the car. So far we have been unable to install
it in any manner that "she" considers a barrier.

So far its just another hundred dollar piece of junk.

Jo

My car came equipped with a mesh thing, but it's to put groceries in
to keep
some stuff from rolling around. Somehow I doubt Persia is going to
be rolling around

Jill



She might if she's sleeping and you get to a curvy/hilly road


Have you ever been to the way southern tip of South Carolina? It's flat
not
only flat it is very swampy. No rolling around In fact, where my
parents live they have signs posted "Do not feed the alligators". Good
idea, since people on vacation there seem to thing alligators are cute.

Oh, and when the tide goes out you can wade out and pick up oysters. Or
net
up shrimp; or go crabbing. It's not likely Persia will be doing any of
those things. Crab would more than likely nip at her paws. I do love
blue
crab, though

Jill




I was referring to the trip over there - don't you have to cross mountainous
areas? Great Smokey/Appalachians??? Or am I going the wrong route?

--
--
The ONE and ONLY
lefthanded-pathetic-paranoid-psychotic-sarcastic-wiseass-ditzy former-blonde
in Bloomington! (And proud of it, too)©
email me at nalee1964 (at) insightbb (dot) com
http://community.webshots.com/user/mgcmdjeep

Most of what I'd say has already been said. so don't really have
anything new to add, but am always willing to add my two cents worth
;-)

If at all possible, let Persia get used to the car. Start just letting
her sit in the car with it not running, and work up to short rides to
places she can get out and have fun exploring. I've never tried a long
distance drive, but Sammy used to like rides in the truck. I sometimes
take Sammy out to the park. When we get there, she gets some Fancy
Feast for a picnic treat and does a little exploring. Of course, at
all times she stays on a leash and is either closely supervised or
secured in the carrier. In fact, the leash goes on before we leave
home and doesn't come off until we're back.

Unfortunately, too many trips to TED when she was being diagnosed for
her heart murmur now means she's fearful for the first half hour, so
we don't take as many rides as we used to.

Sammy likes being able to look out the window (though passing 18
wheelers worry her) I have one of those hard carriers with a door on
top as well as the front door. So I'd strap the carrier in, and always
had a leash on her so she had to stay in the carrier, though she could
stand and look out the window.

Won't work for Persia, but Little Bit isn't nearly as fearful if Sammy
rides along. So the suggestion that a companion cat ride along works
for some. Little Bit is also calmed down if the carrier is placed in
the passenger seat facing me, especially if I place my hand so she can
reach out and touch me. This isn't a good idea for all cats. What IS
good for ALL cats? I tried it with Princess when I took her to TED and
all she wanted to show me was what it felt like when she had her blood
taken.

None of my cats seem to like country and western, and since that's the
only thing my radio seems to play I don't play music when they're in
the truck. They're all a bit challenged musically wise - they don't
like C&W but do like me so sing dumb little songs to them ;-) They all
seem to like it when I talk to them.

Sedative from TED might be useful, but only as a last resort.
--
Steve Touchstone,
faithful servant of Sammy, Little Bit, Spot,
Princess and Furby
with loving memories of Rocky (RB)