Moving, how to transport 4 dogs and 3 cats from pa to fl

[outside_course]

I have 4 dogs , 2 are over 100 lbs, and one of those does not get along with the others. I am driving my horse trailer , my husband the car. Trying to figure out how to move all safely. 3 barn cats also need to go, how do you transport cats?

My one big dog is very well traveled and will comfortably go in truck with corgi buddy. My husband’s lab is a lunatic. My Great Pyrenees is protective and dog aggressive. My other half elects to drive the pyr and leave me with the other three!

Yep , and then there are the cats. Do not want to leave anybody behind! Any ideas?

[Simkie]

Are you hauling horses in the horse trailer?

If not, put dogs in crates in the horse area and put cats in large crates (with a litter box and perhaps a hidey hole) in the dressing room.

We are hauling 2 horses, two dogs and four horses ~850 miles at the end of the month. The dogs will be in the truck with us, the cats in two large (24" x 24" x 36") crates in the dressing room and the horses in the trailer. I think it will be okay

If you’ve got horses in the trailer, can you fit the lab in the dressing room in a crate? With the other two dogs in the car and the cats also in the dressing room in a crate?

[outside_course]

Cats can go in trailer, but I am worried it might be too hot for them in there. No horses, only house stuff in trailer. Have 2+1 with out dressing room. Cats will each have to have own crate.

[Simkie]

Do you have enough room for three large crates for the cats? I’m not talking about the small to the vet carriers, I’m talking about something like this:

http://www.orvis.com/orvis_assets/prodimg/6E03M3SD_lg.jpg

Not these:

http://assets.dogtime.com/asset/image/5106b60ab424397e9d000017/column_cat-carriers.jpg

I would put all three in a 36" x 24" x 24" ish inch (or bigger) crate. Or perhaps split them up into two groups, if you’ve got two that are friends and a third wheel.

Open the windows in the dressing room for air circulation and keep moving. Maybe pick up a battery powered fan? I think they will be fine.

[GoForAGallop]

Be careful of the cats in the trailer. They will already be stressed, and cats shut down (and go down hill) FAST in the heat when they’re not drinking. (Due to stress.)

Hubby is taking Great Pyr in car. Great, he can take the cats as well. They can sit in the front seat. If seat goes all the way back, can probably put one in a carrier on the floor, and two more in a crate on the seat.

Please tell me the truck has a second row of seats? I think lab needs to go in crate. Other two dogs can be loose in truck.

[Simkie]

My trailer dressing room stays cooler than outside if the windows are open and if there is any sort of breeze at all. Is this unusual? I can see humidity playing into this, but not making it hot enough to be worried about cats that are acclimated to outdoor temps.

Traffic jams are concern.

[In1]

When are you moving? If August I vote “no way” to cats in trailer. Would be so convenient but I really worry about the air heat + heat reflecting off asphalt. September/October/November (September is iffy -depending on geographic location) should be okay.

[outside_course]

I am moving the first week of August, horses to follow commercially when fence/ barn is done. Okay, I can put big whitey in Jetta with hubby. Not sure big whitey will stay in back seat with cats to eat. Have dually with super cab, bernewfie who is a world traveler puts but on back seat stomach on bridge and head on console will be fine with bad traveling corgi crated on front seat floor. Can crate lab on back seat. Can cats safely travel in crates with fans on top of furniture in 2+1. Do not want them roasted on arrival . Planning to split 20 hr drive in 2 days. Will have to rent 2 rooms to accommodate dogs. What do I do with the cats overnight. I am not sure they will co exist together , probably separate crates would be better. Omg what a nightmare and my pretty easy going husband is going to kill me. Tolerant horse/ dog husbands are hard to find! Do not want to push the limit !!! Thanks for your imput! Trying to stay married during the stressful move!

[outside_course]

Sorry first week of sept! Days going quickly while packing!

[Calamber]

Buy cooling pads for the bottom of cat crates, something like these http://www.polar-products.com/index.php?p=view_product&product_id=8, I don’t know what company makes the best but maybe others can say. Put the cats in the car with you, in the air conditioning, even if you have to put them in smaller crates. When you get to the motels, let kitties out into the bathroom with their box. If you stop and want to give them a break, put the crate and litter box in the trailer’s tack room and then just put them back in crate and in the vehicles for the trip. (a little risky I know, you probably need to stay in there with them to avoid escapees). Perhaps you can ship lunatic lab with a professional pet transporter. A lunatic anything is going to make an already tense situation intolerable. I would not want to put the kitties in the trailer in case of traffic or other possible slowdowns. Is there anyway you can air condition the tack room?

[red_mares]

You have my sincerest sympathy traveling with that lot.

I took 3 cats (2 old road warriors and an 8wk old kitten) on a road trip in May. It was a long trip.

I use Fresh Step Crystals in my travel litter box. It doesn’t get stuck in car carpet like regular clumping litter. Take a litter scoop with you; there is nothing worse than cat manure in an enclosed car.:disgust:

[JanM]

There are motels that allow pets, even the number and size of your herd. One nice motel where I used to live also had a huge parking lot behind for trucks. That would really make your life easier, by having parking that is easy to pull into, and leave from, and still have room to maneuver while loading and unloading. Most of the AAA and other travel guides have search buttons for truck parking, and if a place allows animals.

[ChelseaR]

Are you me? Because I have a similar trip coming up (with horse trailer and household goods, truck and car) but with 2 dogs and 4 cats (maybe 5 but hopefully only 3 or 4).

Been debating options - I think I am going with dogs and two cats in the car (it’s a hatch back so there’s plenty of room for dogs and large cat crate) and two cats in the truck cab.

Also two hotel rooms at a pet friendly hotel for the night (probably two times as trip is about 19 hours).

Based on a previous trip with three cats in crate in the back of the car - even if cats generally don’t get along they tend to be best buddies in the car and hotel when they are obviously a bit stressed.