What would be the best way to transport, in a vehicle, my three cats during our move to North Carolina in two weeks? The trip would be about 12 hours and our usual cat carriers, fine for trips to the vet, would be too confining, I think, and they’d need litter boxes.
They could travel in the same container, like a dog crate, but that seems too large for the car.
Any ideas??
Tell your vet you need sedation for the cats. The sedation should be mild, of course, but it will help them acclimate to the new situation quicker…and they will stop howling after an hour or so.
Put them in their designated carriers, with good airflow. There are small ‘clip-on’ fans you can buy that jack into the 12-volt recepticles in your vehicle. Use one or two to keep the air moving around your kitties’ carriers. I wouldn’t put them in one carrier, as it means three agitated bodies in one space (heat). Put something familiar…a toy, your worn T-shirt…in each carrier.
Having the cats loose is just inviting serious trouble. A cat under the brake pedal is inevitable. One crawled inside the dash can be expensive and hard on the cat. Let us not even discuss the possibility of a kitty escaping the car while stopped many miles from home. It is safer for everyone if the cats are contained.
If possible, put catnip in the carriers, even feed them there for several days prior, to give kitties a chance to get acquainted and comfortable with them before the long drive.
Give them potty breaks, while in suitable harness at quiet areas on the road. A litterbox kept in a big trashbag is best. Kitty will recognize the box for his potty, and use it if necessary. Asking them to use it in the vehicle is a big mistake; the smell LINGERS for hours.
Give them access to water at least every couple of hours. A very small allowance of food once the worst of the sedative wears off might be okay.
Chances are they will sleep the entire trip…its only 12-14 hours, right?
I speak from experience, having traveled extensively with feline company. From Kansas to New Hampshire once…the cat was great. It was the TEENAGER I wanted to club!
I drove across the country with a cat. I put him in a large carrier (bigger than normal cat-sized) with water and food. He yowled less and less each day.
I moved my 2 from GA to NH and from NH to NC. I purchased a rabbit cage that fit in the hatch-back area and snugged up behind the front seats. There was enough room to put a small litterbox. Since most of the driving was interstate, I did allow them to get out, which stopped the yowling. I put them up before going through NYC - they got very quiet when we passed the tall buildings, heavy traffic and the GWB :lol:
Talk to your vet about sedation. I gave them something the first day, then skipped it afterwards as they adjusted to the travel very well.
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