On our Way!! With the CATS!!

[mollypeanut]

We are so excited!!... We are going to be leaving on Aug 6th.. The U-Haul will be packed.. We are coming from NY.. We have 2 cats and 2 dogs!! The dogs are small and travel well so I am not worried... BUT the CATS!! YIKES!!!! Has anyone done the trip down with cats??? any ideas?? tips?? Other than we are crazy... We love them so whatever it takes we will make it... They are house cats that never go out.. i am speaking to the vet about a mild tranqulizer... I am open for any suggestions..

We can't wait to start our new life... Our Golf Cart was delivered to our garage.. We have only spent one week total at our house.. The neighbors seemed so nice.. we met a few who came over just to say hi.. I don't know what to do first when we get there.. go for a swim, ride our bikes.. go to the square for a drink.... I just can't believe it is really happening...

[2BNTV]

Congrats. I hope you have a safe trip.

Best wishes as you start living the dream. :smiley:

[2BNTV]

Congrats. I hope you have a safe trip.

Best wishes as you start living the dream. :smiley:

[Trish Crocker]

I asked the same questions and was given some great tips...you can check it out with a search..the thread was 'traveling with cats'...good luck and looking forward to seeing how it went. Hopefully we will have that same 'problem' soon! Take care and travel safely!

[Eileenny2tv]

I brought our cats down last Oct. The first day they were a little vocal. The second day they were vocal for a while and then only one kept on crying. The third day only one was vocal. We had them in a crate so I did not have them roaming throughout our van. I didn't use any tranquilizers. I knew up front they would probably be noisy as they always cried when I transported them to our camp and the vets. We traveled down from Albany area in NY. Our Vet would have given us medications but really didn't want them on them for 3 days. Good luck with your move and trip.

[JoeC1947]

We are so excited!!... We are going to be leaving on Aug 6th.. The U-Haul will be packed.. We are coming from NY.. We have 2 cats and 2 dogs!! The dogs are small and travel well so I am not worried... BUT the CATS!! YIKES!!!! Has anyone done the trip down with cats??? any ideas?? tips?? Other than we are crazy... We love them so whatever it takes we will make it... They are house cats that never go out.. i am speaking to the vet about a mild tranqulizer... I am open for any suggestions..

We can't wait to start our new life... Our Golf Cart was delivered to our garage.. We have only spent one week total at our house.. The neighbors seemed so nice.. we met a few who came over just to say hi.. I don't know what to do first when we get there.. go for a swim, ride our bikes.. go to the square for a drink.... I just can't believe it is really happening...

Uh-Oh....I think that there is a two pet maximum but I'll never tell.

[CaptJohn]

I don't know what to do first when we get there.. go for a swim, ride our bikes.. go to the square for a drink....

Just sit in the house with a drink and be thankful you made it there in one piece and watch the animals explore their new surroundings. The boxes will wait until you're ready! Then ride the bikes to the square. :laugh:

[stuckinparadise]

Congratulations and have a safe trip.

[Sable99]

I have traveled many times with cats. If I drive to our condo in St. Augustine, the cats go with us!

I've made the trips with my late purebred cats (Birmans) between northern Virginia and Michigan and northern Virginia and Florida. And, I now travel with my two cats that were abandoned between Michigan and Florida.

They have all traveled well and I have never sedated them. Mom and I now travel in a van so it might be a little easier. I have a 24" cage that we put on the seat behind the driver and a smaller cage if they want to be alone. Mom also lets them out of the cages for a while. They know they can't go near the driver! We put a small litter box behind the driver's seat and give them food and water when we make any pit stops!

One reason why I thought I had such good luck traveling with cats is that I started taking them for short rides when they were small -- and not just to the vet! Two of my cats visited nursing home residents on a regular basis.

If you are spending the night at a motel on the way to TV, you might want to check out "pet friendly hotels" in advance.

[Taltarzac725]

Uh-Oh....I think that there is a two pet maximum but I'll never tell.

There is a grandfather clause in the deed restrictions for people who move here with more than 2 pets.

I know several people though that have 3 dogs, one of which they adopted while living with 2 other dogs in the Villages.

Congrats on the move.

[JC and John]

Congrats! We traveled from VA with our 2 cats. Meds were not a option but vet recommended we use a spray called Comfort Zone you spray in their carriers. You can get it at Petsmart or Petco and is pretty expensive but it worked for one cat, not a lot for the other. The one was quite vocal the first day then she rode with my hubby in the truck the next 2 days and was an angel. Who knew she just had to be able to see and hear him. FYI, Best Western accepts pets for a small fee. Holiday Inn may or may not accept pets and the fee is quite expensive. You may want to check their websites. We made reservations in advance with Best Western to ensure we had a place that accepted our 2 girls. Also, we bought new ID tags for them with my hubby's cell number only since we would arrive in TV and renting for 3 months while our house was built. The girls (one is 15 and the other quiet one is 4) did better with the move than I did! Good luck and welcome to Paradise.

[hotrodgirl]

There is a product you can purchase from Whole Foods, perhaps a holistic vet, or anyplace that carries "natural or homeopathic" medicines. It is called Rescue Remedy, is a liquid and comes with a dropper. I think it is about 10 or 12 dollars. There is one for humans and one for pets. The only difference is that the human form contains sodium. Anyways, it treats anxiety and is not harmful. My vet told me to get it and start giving the morning prior to travel. You just put a few drops in the pets food and give 2 or 3 times per day. Also, she had me spray lavender in the car prior to leaving. It worked pretty well! After the first fifteen or twenty minutes, my normally anxious dog settled in and went to sleep. Occasionally she would wake up, check things out, then lay back down in her car seat... Luck to you and congratulations on your move!
FYI- LaQuinta does not charge for pets, but you need to let them know you are bringing them and sign for any damages when you register. I have never had a problem and they are accommodating by giving first. Floor rooms close to the entrance!

[KEVIN & JOSIE]

Uh-Oh....I think that there is a two pet maximum but I'll never tell.

Cats, what cats...I thought they were all invisible.:welcome:

[springfield]

Many congrats,, you will love it here. Two years ago we headed for TV after our closing. We knew that our dear sweet Maggie didn't like to travel so we got some tranquilizers for her...should have taken them ourselves. Dear Maggie screamed, peed, and pooped the whole time. Since she was on meds, she was also stupid. We couldn't stay at the pet friendly motel we had booked due to major traffic. We pulled off and checked into the best place we could find. Ol' Maggie threw us under the bus after we sneaked her into our room. She howled and threw up the entire night. The next morning we had to go through the mountains. It was dear David's turn to have her in his car. He called very quickly since she had decided to really smelly poop in her cage. There we were on the side of the maintain highway looking for anything to wipe out the pooh. (sorry to anyone who found our towel) Any hoo, we made it, Maggie gave up a few of her lives on that trip. She will never leave the Villages. Post script..Maggie loves her Florida lifestyle, she goes on the lanai and thinks she is an outdoor cat with much protection. We hope your trip is much smoother. Even if it isn't, it will all be worth it. have a safe one

[gomoho]

Maybe you can only have 2 dogs and there are no restrictions on cats. As long as you keep them indoors who really cares??? Only one time did I travel a long distance with my cat and the poor thing cried all the way. But it was the only means of transport so I gritted my teeth and managed along with 2 young children and a Great Dane. You do what you have to do and look back on the experience and laugh.

[hotrodgirl]

I think if you have more than 2 pets when you move in, it's acceptable. But as they depart to pet heaven, you cannot replace them. When you are left with just one, then you may get another! :icon_wink:

[asianthree]

ours goes in a carrier and whenever we stop take out one at a time and put in the litter on the floor in the back seat. let them eat and drink and they go back in their carrier, happy

[cherylncliff]

Congratulations and welcome to TV. We made the trip down from MI with our cats. We also have a Van so could have a litter box. We used cat carriers to get them into the Van and always put them in the carriers whenever we stopped. Whole driving we let them roam and usually they would settle down in 30 min to an hour. We did get tranquilizers from our vet but did not need to use them. For several weeks before the trip we "acclimated" them to driving by taking them for increasingly longer drives (up to 30-40 minutes at a time). We also found that La Quinta Inns allows cats (and dogs) to stay free in your room including no deposit.

Good luck with your trip and safe travels.

[Pturner]

:wave: Mollypeanut,

Don't have any cat tales but... I'm so excited for you. May the rest of your life be the best of your life!

:pepper2::pepper2::pepper2:

[uujudy]

Mollypeanut, do a search for traveling with cats, and you should be able to find a lot of information in addition to what is posted here. We drove cross-country from Utah with our 2 cats, and it took us 6 days to get here. Baby Monroe started yowling when we hit the Wyoming border and didn't shut up until Kansas or Missouri. Tommy Boy had OCD and kept snagging the side of his carrier so it would make a dinging sound. Get yourself some of those nice foam earplugs, and forget about the books on tape you planned to listen to on the trip.

Somewhere around Kansas City we discovered McDonald's. If you buy your kitties plain McDonald's hamburgers (no pickle, not lettuce, no ketchup, no bread) and give them a half hour before you start traveling again, they will zonk out. I don't know what's in the hamburgers (and I haven't had one since the trip) but it knocks out the cats. They will act a little stupid, and then fall alseep for about 6 hours if you're lucky. It worked for us, so it might be worth a try?

The other advice I have is to check underneath the bed in the hotel before you let them out of the carrier. Some hotel beds have a box frame, so the cats can't hide under there. Some hotels don't, so you'll have to schedule in some cat roundup time the next morning.

Good luck with the trip! Welcome to The Villages!

[mollypeanut]

Mollypeanut, do a search for traveling with cats, and you should be able to find a lot of information in addition to what is posted here. We drove cross-country from Utah with our 2 cats, and it took us 6 days to get here. Baby Monroe started yowling when we hit the Wyoming border and didn't shut up until Kansas or Missouri. Tommy Boy had OCD and kept snagging the side of his carrier so it would make a dinging sound. Get yourself some of those nice foam earplugs, and forget about the books on tape you planned to listen to on the trip.

Somewhere around Kansas City we discovered McDonald's. If you buy your kitties plain McDonald's hamburgers (no pickle, not lettuce, no ketchup, no bread) and give them a half hour before you start traveling again, they will zonk out. I don't know what's in the hamburgers (and I haven't had one since the trip) but it knocks out the cats. They will act a little stupid, and then fall alseep for about 6 hours if you're lucky. It worked for us, so it might be worth a try?

The other advice I have is to check underneath the bed in the hotel before you let them out of the carrier. Some hotel beds have a box frame, so the cats can't hide under there. Some hotels don't, so you'll have to schedule in some cat roundup time the next morning.

Good luck with the trip! Welcome to The Villages!

I am getting some ideas for our trip down... But mostly.... It is going to be an Adventure!!!

So we will spray the carriers with some Lavender.... That sounds easy... McDonalds hamburgers.. I like that one!! I can see it now... I will be telling my husband we need to pull off because we need more burgers....My husband will probably eat them.. Allowing extra time to pry them out from under the bed in the morning.... Hummmmm that one did cross my mind... I know I will be trying all of these!!

But in the end.. it will all be worth it...

I think we should keep this thread going with our Cat Travel stories.. I have had a few good laughs... I bet there is a Book in here somewhere!! In about 2 weeks I will be able to add my story to the rest of them....:1rotfl:

[Joaniesmom]

If you'll all excuse me, I have to visit the ladies. Haven't laughed this much in a long time! But it sure won't be this funny when it's my turn in September!

Slightly off topic. My SIL was returning to Syracuse from Philadelphia with our three-year-old granddaughter. About a 3-4 hour trip. He looked ghastly! What's the matter? She never stopped talking! (reminded me of the kitties!)

[mollypeanut]

If you'll all excuse me, I have to visit the ladies. Haven't laughed this much in a long time! But it sure won't be this funny when it's my turn in September!

Slightly off topic. My SIL was returning to Syracuse from Philadelphia with our three-year-old granddaughter. About a 3-4 hour trip. He looked ghastly! What's the matter? She never stopped talking! (reminded me of the kitties!)

Me Toooo! I am at work... Shaaaa.. (My last day at work is friday) I keep coming back,, to see if there is another story... I am lovin it... I just keep laughing!!!!!:a040:

[WVMtnBoy]

We've just completed almost the same sort of move that you're anticipating. My wife was in the SUV with the dog and cat while I drove the moving van. Our solution was to put the cats oversized cage where she could see her Mom and her dog at the same time. The move went well with no tranquilizers. The cat did become upset on the second day but my wife finally figured out that she was hot and turned on the rear AC. After that the cat slept the rest of the way. Good luck on your travels!

[jimmy D]

Come on down, you will love it

[Barefoot]

Our cat travelled with us to The Villages from Canada for the past five years. Back and forth every year. 26 long hours in the car. We got her used to travelling by taking her to our cottage which is a couple of hours away. By the time our long Villages trek came, she realized she should just lie down and sleep. She would lie down in the backseat with our 10 lb dog and our 70 lb dog and sleep the hours away. We had a litter box for her, but she rarely ate, drank or used the litter box. She would do all that at night while we slept.

Red Roof Hotels are known for being pet friendly. And most have outside entrances that make it very convenient for walking dogs.

There is a covenant in TV that specifies two domestic pets per household. However cats are invisible and I know many people with multiple indoor cats.

PLEASE BE SURE YOU HAVE I.D. TAGS ON ALL YOUR PETS WHEN YOU TRAVEL. THE CATS CAN WEAR HARNESSES IF THEY'RE NOT CAGED.

Good luck MollyPeanut.

[tommy steam]

Many congrats,, you will love it here. Two years ago we headed for TV after our closing. We knew that our dear sweet Maggie didn't like to travel so we got some tranquilizers for her...should have taken them ourselves. Dear Maggie screamed, peed, and pooped the whole time. Since she was on meds, she was also stupid. We couldn't stay at the pet friendly motel we had booked due to major traffic. We pulled off and checked into the best place we could find. Ol' Maggie threw us under the bus after we sneaked her into our room. She howled and threw up the entire night. The next morning we had to go through the mountains. It was dear David's turn to have her in his car. He called very quickly since she had decided to really smelly poop in her cage. There we were on the side of the maintain highway looking for anything to wipe out the pooh. (sorry to anyone who found our towel) Any hoo, we made it, Maggie gave up a few of her lives on that trip. She will never leave the Villages. Post script..Maggie loves her Florida lifestyle, she goes on the lanai and thinks she is an outdoor cat with much protection. We hope your trip is much smoother. Even if it isn't, it will all be worth it. have a safe one

After reading your post ,I think Ill have my cat izzy,shipp:pepper2:ed down.

[Schaumburger]

mollypeanut, I'm a wannabee, so I don't have any cat travel tips to share with you, but just wanted to wish you all safe travels to TV. Have fun settling in, and may you have many good times in TV! :wave: