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I will be moving across the United States (east coast to west) in a week. I will be bringing two cats with me, a 13-year-old tabby and a 5-year-old calico. I have carriers and harnesses for both. Unfortunately, I have been unable to make an appointment with a vet and time is running out. Is there any advice you can offer that would make this move go more smoothly for the cats?
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Aug 15, 2014 17:18
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| # ? Apr 19, 2024 20:53 |
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I've moved from west coast to east and am about to move back to the west with cats. Best advice- get pee pads for your carriers. Example: http://www.amazon.com/Four-Wee-Wee-Housebreaking-Little-28-Pack/dp/B000JMLRSI/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1408154619&sr=8-7&keywords=wee+wee+pads If you're going to be sedating your cats (I recommend it, but obviously you have to see your vet first), they might not go to the bathroom all day since you wouldn't be feeding them before medicating them, but if they do you probably don't want to be lugging around a pee-soaked carrier for hours. Regardless, if you're flying, you absolutely have to see your vet first, even if you're not going to be sedating them. You need special paperwork for them before they can fly. The airport may or may not actually check this paperwork, but if you get caught without it you won't be able to take them.
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Aug 16, 2014 03:08
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If you're driving, I've found giving them a bowl of ice cubes instead of water is less messy. They can still drink as it melts, but it won't spill everywhere if you heat a pothole.
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Aug 16, 2014 03:19
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BlueInkAlchemist posted:I will be moving across the United States (east coast to west) in a week. I will be bringing two cats with me, a 13-year-old tabby and a 5-year-old calico. I have carriers and harnesses for both. Unfortunately, I have been unable to make an appointment with a vet and time is running out. Is there any advice you can offer that would make this move go more smoothly for the cats? Fly on as few connections as you possibly can and already have a house and a litter box ready to go. Also a new vet/groomer for getting the poo poo out of their fur. If you're driving, I hope god has mercy on your soul.
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Aug 16, 2014 03:52
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My wife and I took our four 2-3 year old cats from near New York City to Northern Michigan on a car ride of about 17 hours total. We left at 11am and decided to drive straight through. We had individual cat carriers for each of them that I'd guess were 1 1/2 times the length of the cat in length and about 1/2 of the cat's length in width with a very soft and cushy fleece panel in the bottom. They were the soft kind like a duffle bag with large mesh windows on top and partway up the sides and soft padding all around. We had left out for a number of days before the move so they could acclimate to them. We had a large four-door sedan with a folding back seat that led directly into the trunk. The size of the opening into the trunk was maybe 3 feet. We had the cats in their carriers on top of the folded back seat where they could see out the windows and see both my wife and I. We also did not medicate them in any way prior to the trip, though we did take away the food and water a couple hours prior to the trip so they hopefully wouldn't have to go until when we got there. We (my wife, actually) would drive for 4 hours or so and then stop for food, bathroom, and gas. We would take turns hitting the bathroom, and then the last one to go would grab food (if needed) while the other gassed up. We would then pull off to the side of the parking lot where it was quiet. While we sat there resting, the cats were allowed to roam free inside the car. We placed a small litter pan in the back corner of the trunk with some privacy, and would take out two small bowls which we could fill with water and food. We would usually give them about 30 minutes to roam, during which we would check on how each one was doing. We'd then coax them back into their carriers with treats or people food, and then get moving again. They were almost completely quiet the entire way, until the last 90 minutes. They started crying in turn: first Loki, then Tyr, then Freya, and finally our smallest (and normally quietest) girl Aurora, until they were all meowing in unison. I tried talking to them calmly, but it wasn't cutting it. The biggest cat, Mr. Loki, started to get really restless inside his carrier now. At that point, I took each of them, in turn, onto my lap where both my wife and I would talk to them and reach inside the carrier to pet them. That seemed to calm them down quite a bit, so I kept rotating them like that until we finally got there.
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Aug 16, 2014 18:36
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I drove from Virginia to Colorado, and then several years later from Colorado to Florida with -- count them -- six cats. I bought three of these carriers http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IGEP7H8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1, used the dividers as shelves (with a little bit of support beneath them), and wired them together, doors facing so they were one giant hamster/cat cage thingie, in the back of an SUV. Litter box in the last cage, each of the others had padding in the bottom and on the shelf, small water dish in the front one. The cats traveled like CHAMPS in there. We didn't sedate, and we didn't need to. Two of our cats were relaxed and curious enough that we let them out (one at a time) to sit in our laps and enjoy some pets, the others really didn't even want out. They basically just slept. We broke the drive up into two days, staying in (let's be real here) a scummy hotel that had doors that opened to the exterior. Just walked in, said "Do you allow pets?" and they didn't even ask how many  We just tucked two cats into a carrier and scurried into the hotel like criminals, rinse repeat until they were all inside, let them loose and let them use the litter box, eat, and relax and sleep with us overnight. The drive was the worst part, the kitties were angels.
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Aug 18, 2014 02:00
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There are also pet moving companies who will drive your cats for you. I moved 2000 miles this summer. Got a moving company for the house and cars but couldn't fly with 5 cats. Found a locally based pet moving company and had them drive the cats. Each kennel had a food and water bowl [you provide the food] cat bed and a litterbox. All 5 cats arrived alive and well. You will need paperwork/health certificate from a vet though.
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Aug 18, 2014 02:20
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You could try getting some Feliway.
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Aug 18, 2014 14:10
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I moved twice in TYOOL 2012 with my then 6 year old cat. 3 8 hour days one way, and then 1 90 hour day a month later. She complained the whole time but was otherwise fine. Didn't eat the first night though but was otherwise normal the rest of the trip. For whatever reason, as long as there's a toilet in the hotel, she's fine 
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Aug 18, 2014 16:36
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| # ? Apr 19, 2024 20:53 |
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When I moved from Colorado to Kansas I took my cat Smudge with me. The night before the move I picked up his water and food dish. The next day I took a benedryl (vet approved) and opened it up and sprinkled it over some wet food which Smudgie gobbled down. He was asleep about an hour later and he slept pretty much all the way from Colorado to KS. I say he was asleep but really he was awake but really mellow. I also took Smudge on many car trips with me so that he got used to being in the car.
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Aug 28, 2014 02:16
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