Moving Harley Cat........looking for advice

[Mamaderby]

Well, we sold our Medina, OH house and moving day will quickly descend upon us! Our good buddy, Harley Cat, a 10 year old,orange long hair.....will be making the journey with us. Looking for any advice on how to make his move easier. We have already purchased a harness which he is "proudly " wearing.....ears were flat for awhile!!! Anyway, any tidbits of "cat relocation wisdom" would be appreciated.

[Geewiz]

It depends on how you elect to travel down here...Southwest allows you (for a large fee) to keep the cat with you in the cabin in a carry case that fits under the seat in front of you - this is a mess as the time it takes to fly (including time to get to the airport...go through security...have the cat manually searched in the private room...the actual flight and then time from the airport to TV) well a cat gotta do what a cat gotta do and you will need to deal with smells, feces, urine and one disgusted cat....have baby shampoo.

I moved Rada twice....the month I came down to purchase and then when I moved permanently....it is an experience neither of us wants to repeat.

I was told by the vet not to use any kind of trancs (though I could have used some for me). The bottom line is that if you are flying try to go quick - pay extra for a direct flight and just accept the mess that follows.

Now, if you are driving that is a different matter....a really large cat kennel with some litter and food and water will get you by...but, cats don't like forced confinement and every hour on the road is misery....drive like a banshee and try to make it without an overnight in a motel as the cat will be a mess and you might have to pay big time for the cleanup...plus, the cat will curse you for taking it down here in a box.

Once here...well Rada lives on the porch just to converse with the birds - she's very happy and has forgot the misery of moving. Enjoy!

[Ohiogirl]

Moved several times (long distance) with cats in my former life. Some cats are worse than others. When we just had one cat (whom we had moved previously - a painful trip), we made sure we did get tranqs the 2nd move. 3rd move we flew her from Houston to California, but she was fairly young - she was in the cargo hold. Looked a little dazed but lived. Airline told us she would be hand loaded off the plane and carried into the baggage area - not so, she came on the conveyor belt with the suitcases.

The next move, from CA to WI, I have apparently managed to forget. The cat survived though, and I do remember driving and staying in hotels 4 nights, so maybe she just got used to it. Don't think we were in California long enough to ever take her to the vet, but maybe we had some leftover tranqs. The next move we had 3 cats - WI to OH. Ex-husband drove a small rental truck with the boat in tow and all 3 cats in cages in the truck (unless he put them in the boat and didn't tell me). I drove the kids in the car.

I think we figured out that after a while, as long as they were caged, they settled down. I think it helped to mostly cover the cage with a towel. Or maybe I just started tranquilizing myself, and that is why my memory is dim.

Now we have a dog, no cats. He likes driving either in the car or the golf cart.

[redwitch]

Drove from California to here with three cats and one 19 YO daughter -- the cats were easier. One of my girls was terrified of cars. She'd poop the second the car was started, never made it to the vet with a clean carrier for her. Another cat would kill before she would wear a collar or halter. The third didn't care so long as she had food, water and a lap.

I did get tranqs for my fraidy cat. Gave her half of one the first day. After that, she was fine. No problems with car, motels, carriers, etc. The other two were fine without any help.

I did have a small cat box on the floor for them (there really wasn't room in the car for carriers and all three really were happier not being confined -- tried a couple of test drives before the long haul). We'd stop at the first rest area we found after the box was used. Cat smells just aren't pleasant in confined areas. Two of the cats always had halters on and frequently wandered around the back of the SUV with their halters and leads. We were always sure to know where Brat #3 was so that she couldn't escape through an open door or window.

So, it was really just the first day that was bad. After that, fraidy cat was fine in car, maybe 5 minutes of meowing when we first took off but that was it.

As to taking a cat on a plane, don't think you could pay me to do that.

[jblum315]

The only time I've traveled with a cat was from NY to FLa in 1975. We started out with her in a carrier but the yelling was so appalling that we let her out of the box. Then when we stopped for gas we thought she had gotten out and was lost. We finally found her crammed under the driver's seat.. So then I gave her the tranq that the vet had told me to use only if I had to and she was fine after that. We had a small litter box in the back but she crossed her legs and never used it She actually liked staying in a motel with food and fresh water and litter box.

[swrinfla]

When I came from St. Louis, I put Beta (the then cat) in a small cage - not a carrier - that we'd gotten years before when his sister had to be confined while recuperating from leg surgery. The cage fit between the front seats of my mini-van, so he was close to me, and I could reach in to settle his nerves.

After the first tense 100 miles or so, he settled down, only becoming distressed when some big 18-wheeler roared past us.

Stayed only one night on the road, and Beta was comfortable, so long as I was there, too.

Once here, he explored thoroughly the first couple of nights, I suppose wondering where in h*** all his furniture was. When it came, he seemed pleased to have familiar stuff around.

And, it didn't take more than a couple of days for him to decide that the lanai was COOL!

I agree with redwitch - don't even think about flying!

SWR
:beer3:

[Mamaderby]

Thanks to all. I will be calling my doc for tranqs for me! Wish us luck!

[CFrance]

My dil drove with their three cats on a move from Muskegon to Grand Rapids on I96 in December in a snowstorm. After dark. Girl Kitty, Boy Kitty, and Cage Kitty. The carrier was only big enough for two of them, so we fashioned a carrier out of a moving box with air holes, etc., for Boy Kitty.

Of course he got out. He was wandering around the car (a big Ford Expedition) when he stepped on the window button on the passenger's side. Jodi's driving down the freeway with the window wide open and the cat right there. She's whispering, "Boy, Boy, Boy," trying to entice him away from the window as she's slowing down. Finally he moves enough that she can close the window and put the window locks on.

Enough carriers and/or harness and leash are good ideas.

[asianthree]

our sons cat travels great in a carrier for six to seven hours...but has done that since 6weeks old