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#1
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Long (very) road trip with wild cat and tame cat
Hi,
I may be needing to move from Tennessee to Vegas and taking 2 cats there. I have a wild cat who won't let me pet him and a tame cat that I can pet. A. I may drive. Was wondering how I might go about transporting the cats. They will definitely need to use the bathroom on the way. Any suggestions? I was thinking I need a really big cat carrier that could also store a litter box but would appreciate any feed back or suggestiions. I'll probably drive 10 to 12 hours a day and stop at hotel during the night. B. Any other suggestions on how to transport the cats? Thanks a lot! |
#2
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Long (very) road trip with wild cat and tame cat
wrote in message ps.com... Hi, I may be needing to move from Tennessee to Vegas and taking 2 cats there. I have a wild cat who won't let me pet him and a tame cat that I can pet. A. I may drive. Was wondering how I might go about transporting the cats. They will definitely need to use the bathroom on the way. Any suggestions? I was thinking I need a really big cat carrier that could also store a litter box but would appreciate any feed back or suggestiions. you can use large cage as transporting dog so they have room with the litter box. When you get to hotel unload everything first be ready for some freak out if you let them out make sure you have everything you need before letting them out once that door opens it is free game. Place a box in the room show them where it is by placing when in it like you did when they where kittens Depending on their mood you may want to leave them in the carrier Personally I would since it is only one night People might recommend sedation but IMO any unnecessary medication usage is never an option specially if they have never had any but there are OTC products to use that will help calm them down Talk to your vet about this they and you know cat the best If you can afford it you may want to look in to a pet transportation service if one is available in your area or if you have a friend you can trust you may want to see about flying them to Vegas when you arrive in Vegas it is couple hour flight compared to almost 20 plus hours in a car with all the stress Either way it is going to be an experience I'll probably drive 10 to 12 hours a day and stop at hotel during the night. B. Any other suggestions on how to transport the cats? Thanks a lot! |
#3
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Long (very) road trip with wild cat and tame cat
I took an 8 hr drive with my cats, I had a fairly big box, but not large
enough for them & a litterbox... My solution was to use highway rest stop bathrooms... I'd stop at ones that were empty, bring the litter box & the cats into the can, lock the door & let them out of the cage to do their biz. This also helped relieve their driving stress, as they got a couple of breaks on the trip. Hope this helps. -- Mathew Butler to 2 kittens: Chablis & Muscat En Vino Veritas wrote in message ps.com... Hi, I may be needing to move from Tennessee to Vegas and taking 2 cats there. I have a wild cat who won't let me pet him and a tame cat that I can pet. A. I may drive. Was wondering how I might go about transporting the cats. They will definitely need to use the bathroom on the way. Any suggestions? I was thinking I need a really big cat carrier that could also store a litter box but would appreciate any feed back or suggestiions. I'll probably drive 10 to 12 hours a day and stop at hotel during the night. B. Any other suggestions on how to transport the cats? Thanks a lot! |
#4
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Long (very) road trip with wild cat and tame cat
I have moved several times across the country with multiple cats and
here are some suggestions: 1. If you want it done right, do it yourself. Do not travel alone, get a helper, I personally had my parents make my cross country trip with me to help me. Traveling with pets is mentally fatiguing and stressfull because you have to constantly think of them and you will need help - driving is tiring, get a helper! If someone else can drive then you can be there to help your kitties. Your helper needs to be someone very trustworthy and responsible. THank goodness you are taking your cats and not dumping them at the shelter as many people do prior to moving! 2. Invest in very sturdy wired dog crates, you can put your cats inside of these crates, and for the feral ones - DO NOT let the cat out of the dog crate until the completion of your trip. Get towels to cover crates but make sure there is still adequate ventilation, get soft bedding and small dishes for feeding. 3. Plan your route well - don't leave it up to guessing - check AAA for road conditions etc. Make sure car is in tip-top shape and plan on eating a lot of drive through meals and hotel room service meals. Carry a cell phone and pay the money to have the AAA emergency road service for flat tires etc.... Other suggestions/advice/thoughts: 1. Litterbox - Get a small size one and use disposable litter - NOT clumping. CLumping makes a tremendous mess in car! I used clay because it is cheap and easy to dump. If using a dog crate there is room for litter box in the crate but they do not use it when car is moving - they are too scared. Sometimes they will actually get into the litterbox - so I actually put towels in crate and did not put litter box into crate unless car was not moving such as at a rest stop or something. Always use extreme caution when opening or closing door of crate - only open crate when you are inside of the car and the doors of the car are closed to prevent accidental cat escape. 2. Get a dropper and bottled water. Be prepared to give your cat little "squirts" of water through out the day (not too much though-do not want to make kitties bladder too full) Be advised, that kitty will likely not EAT nor DRINK while driving - only until driving ceases and things settle will kitty consider eating etc....Most cats will not use litter box en route....MIne did not and I transported 10 simultaneaously in a large SUV from British Columbia to Atlanta. They will, however, occasionally use it when you stop for a few minutes - such as long 30 minute rest stop or something? 3. I took my cats into pet friendly hotels (there are many - check internet). Be advised that for many hotels the pet rooms are also the smoking rooms (very smelly!) On some occasions, I just left my cats in the dog crate in the car overnight. When I traveled it was not too cold or hot and it was better for them then putting them into the hotel because it was just too much trauma for them. I only left them in the car if I felt I was in a safe area and where I could keep an eye on my car -this was only for my ferals - not my domestics. To attract less attention, I covered crate with towel so as not to draw unnecessary attention to cats in car. Most of my cats, however, went into the hotel, and I put them in the bathroom to prevent any chances of them escaping. If cats like each other consider keeping them in one large crate together so they can snuggle, while in route. 4. Talk to your vet about using sedatives, this depends greatly on the health of the cat etc...I used ACe for some of my cats but there are risks with this - ask your Vet. Benedryl is also an option but please check with vet for proper dosage - and makes cats have dry mouth. Some people use rescue remedy. 5. Cats will occassionally meow a lot when you first take off driving, this is to be expected and will stop eventually. 6. Get multiple forms of id on your cats....Microchip and cat collar with tag and phone number information. Keep your health documents handy incase you are asked to verify vaccines etc. I used an interstate USDA traval certificate. 7. Travel light for yourself. I wore old clothes and just threw them away at the end of each day so that my load was lighter each day. My trip took about 7 days total. 8. At hotels use the "do not disturb" sign on your door to avoid someone accidentally letting out cats. NEVER leave cats unattended. If you need food or something else - let one person go get the stuff while the other stays back with cats. NEVER leave animals alone - never unsupervised. Also, I recommend hotels where the door to the room opens into a hallway rather than directly to the outside - in case of cats that try to run "out the door". IF you keep cats in crates as previously suggested then this will not matter anyway. 9. At night give your cats healthy food and water - I recommend bottled because community waters vary in flavor and cats sometimes will be finicky.......I personnaly used some soft food to encourage eating and hydration. Good luck and PLEASE be cautious and precise in your actions. If in doubt, leave them in the crates to reduce the risk of them getting loose and possibly "bolting" in an unfamiliar place. Thank you for not dumping your cats just because you are moving, if more people would do this - fewer cats would be left in shelters. |
#5
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Long (very) road trip with wild cat and tame cat
I just want to add that you should pack some of the same water that you
are giving them now. If you give them tap water, fill a few jugs before you leave and gradually mix it in with the water at your new place until the old one is gone. A sudden change in water can give some cats an upset stomach! |
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