How on earth do you move cats?

[zoebartlett]

Our cats get jittery when they sense change is going to happen. That occurs every time the go to the kennel or the vet. It occurs when we have people over also. As some of you know, we''re planning on moving very soon, and we have no idea how to best handle moving the cats. They howl like crazy any time they''re in the car, even if we''re going someplace 5 minutes away. How on earth do you travel long distances with them? What do you do with the litter box? My husband wants to get a huge crate, put their litter box and the cats in it, and put the crate in the front end of the U-Haul. That way they''re contained in one space but we have easy access to them when needed. That makes me nervous though. What would you do?

 

[April20]

I moved two cats from Seattle to Atlanta. I towed my car behind the U-Haul and put them in their crates in the car with a litter box. If I had to do it again, I''d put them in one huge crate with a litter box- I think it''d be easier. Either way, it''s no picnic moving them.

 

[doodle]

Talk to your vet. A mild sedative may be in order, and while I generally don''t advocate medicating animals unless absolutely necessary, if you''re moving a long enough distance, I think it''d make the experience much less traumatic for them. Kind of like airlines giving a bit of liquor to people who are afraid of flying, you know? Your vet might have some other helpful suggestions, too, although it sounds like you guys already have a pretty good plan devised. Good luck--moving an animal is always SUCH a PITA!

 

[tlh]

I moved my cat 1500 miles away by Uhaul with my car on the trailer. I set out her carrier put a really nice fluffy towel in the carrier, and set it on my table in the sunlight about 3-4 days before the move. She thought, cool, a new place to lay... and would lay in it every day. When it came time to move, I just closed the door, kitty was already inside.

Due to the fact that I didn''t want to deal with her discomfort more than 1 day, my nowDH and I took turns driving, and drove for 28 hours straight, and left the cat in the crate the whole time. (She was in the Uhaul in between us.) She didn''t get out to potty, and didn''t potty in the crate. I had her litter box in the car behind us, all ready to go... but I was like... how do I get a cat to potty, it isn''t like a dog... so I just left her in the crate. When we let her out in our new place, we set her up in her own room. She was mad at me for about a week or two... and then became affectionate again.

It isn''t really advice, but that is what I did. We''ve been thinking about moving again with the company, and we''re not sure how to handle it... I might ship her - and have my parents pick her up at the airport... she handled the car alright, but I dont think I CAN HANDLE another straight all day drive.

 

[tlh]

Date: 5/15/2009 10:44:35 AM
Author: doodle
Talk to your vet. A mild sedative may be in order, and while I generally don''t advocate medicating animals unless absolutely necessary, if you''re moving a long enough distance, I think it''d make the experience much less traumatic for them. Kind of like airlines giving a bit of liquor to people who are afraid of flying, you know? Your vet might have some other helpful suggestions, too, although it sounds like you guys already have a pretty good plan devised. Good luck--moving an animal is always SUCH a PITA!

I FORGOT ABOUT THAT!!! my vet had me give my cat half a benedryl. OMG, i freaked out, because the pill started disolving in her mouth and her pupils got all big, and she freaked out. I was supposed to give her certain dosage throughout the trip to calm her. After the first one, and me worrying my cat was going to die, I just let her cry it out. If/when we move again, I will not do that... it freaked me out.

 

[swimmer]

very carefully.

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

Date: 5/15/2009 11:03:57 AM
Author: swimmer
very carefully.

DITTO!!!

I would feel better moving them in a car than in the UHaul. I''d be concerned about lack of air and it getting hot in the Uhaul. You could keep the car windows open. I would give the cats separate crates (big crates) with their own litterboxes. My cats tolerate each other for only so long. I wouldn''t want them cooped up together in a cage for a long time which is why I''m suggesting separate crates. My cats HATE to travel. I can only imagine how pissed they''d be at me.

 

[purrfectpear]

Get them stoned first.

 

[Elmorton]

We did a 3hr move and the cats whined the nearly whole way. When we got to the house, I ran 'em upstairs, set up a litter box, put out some food, and closed them into the largest closet. It was a small space for them to get used to the scent of the new house and they'd be out of the way while we did some major moving.

A friend of mine moved from OH to AZ - she said they drugged the cats for the first half, and then they were pretty chill after that. They had a portable litter box to use in the hotel room, etc.

Another friend moved from TX to IL - she said her cats were fine, and they just let them roam the car for half of it (which I don't rec, it's not safe).

DO keep your kitties in a car with you, in their carriers, giving them a break to stretch when you do and a little bit of water (consider a leash and those halter thingies to put around the chest). That's the safest way. Even if they whine the whole time, you'll tune it out eventually.

 

[Rhea]

When I moved internationally with my cat I just did it. The cat was on a plane for 8-9 hours so I didn''t have to deal with her, she was in cargo and just went. I tried to get her used to the carrier by taking her on short trips in it, but I don''t think that helped. She is fairly quiet, but doesn''t adjust to change easily. We had a peeing, barfing, and hissing problem for a few weeks after she moved.

My sister moved her cat from GA to TX and back again. After all the howling she figured out that if she let the cat out of the carrier and up in the window she was quiet. Previously the cat had to be sedated for a 5 minute drive to the vet. Not the safest thing, but being on the dashboard really worked for her. The litter box was in the back, covered, and during rest stops my sister put it on the ground for the cat to use, scooped, threw away, and put it back into the truck.

 

[MommaBear]

Good luck!

Are they highly compatible with each other?
yes=move them in one crate. they''ll need each other for comfort.
no=seperate!!!

The whining/crying will go away eventually

Just hang in there! They will be fine.
make sure to give them lots of attention once they get to were their going.

 

[Gypsy]

We took 3 of them from NJ to CA.

In one car. In the dead of winter. With storms everywhere.

Valium. (and not just for the cats)
Covered litter box with a handle in trunk
Empty truck, fold down back seat leading into truck.
Kitty beds in truck.
Leashes and harnesses on all cats.
Holiday Inn Expresses that accept Cats.

 

[fleur-de-lis]

Geez, after reading this thread, I love my dog even more.

 

[LGK]

When I was 9, my family moved from Seattle to Boulder with two cats, and me, in an ancient, moldy '60s Firebird. And a lot of possessions. The cats had a huge wood box/crate my dad built out of plywood, which had food and litterbox in it. It was Not A Good Thing; cats were miserable together and screamed the whole three/four days, and I was squashed between them and the potted plants in the nonexistant back seat.

We moved a whole bunch of times cross country after that in the next, oh, 6 years- from Boulder to New Orleans, from New Orleans to Fort Collins, from Fort Collins back to Seattle (and a good number of times within each city). Every other time, we flew the cats in ahead of us and had them boarded, even though at the time my family couldn't afford the expense at all. Much, much easier. Much.

(No wonder I am so resistant to moving- my DH & I have moved once in the 13 years we've been together, and that was a matter of 10 miles or so. Sonar was so traumatized by the small move, she didn't leave her carrier for two weeks. We left it open next to the food and litter box, and she'd slink out, hiss at everything, and slink back in... took her *months* to stop hissing at the apartment.)

 

[zhuzhu]

I moved one cat from NC to PA in the UHaul passenger seat, and DH moved 2 cats from PA to CA on a plane where he had to buy 1 extra passenger ticket and pay 2 pet fees (money sucking airline). Each time our vet recommended AGAINST sedatives. Both time turned out to be fine, as we really paid a lot of attention to petting them and comfort them during the long trip.

Each cat is different, so you should prob describe yours personality to the vet and see what they suggest.

 

[LAJennifer]

Date: 5/15/2009 12:58:45 PM
Author: MommaBear
Good luck!

Are they highly compatible with each other?
yes=move them in one crate. they''ll need each other for comfort.
no=seperate!!!

The whining/crying will go away eventually

Just hang in there! They will be fine.
make sure to give them lots of attention once they get to were their going.

I suggest separate. My 2 cats adore each other. However, one of them shows stress by attacking the other. I used to take them to the vet in 1 crate - thought they would comfort each other - I was WRONG!!!

 

[cellososweet]

hi zoe! I hope you don''t think i''m stalking you as this was a pure coincidence. I was on city-data looking for info on Charlotte because DH and I are thinking of moving and I thought zoebarlett. .. zoebarlett. . . PS! Haha. Congrats to the hubs.

Now, for the kittens. We moved our three cats from California to Boston in a Penske truck. For 5 days! If you have a male cat, I would make sure that he drinks a lot of water because sometimes male cats block their urethra''s when stressed (ours did. Thanks cat! $1,000 vet bill upon arrival.

)

We used Bach''s Rescue Remedy. You can find it at whole foods in a small yellow package in the herb/vitamin section. I would put a few drops on their paws and they''d lick it off and chill out. I think we heard one peep from them the whole time we were driving. Bless them, they were fantastic. We put two in one crate because they are close to eachother and then put our big male in a crate by himself. We tried putting a litter box in the crate but they wouldn''t use it. Ever. So we basically made sure that they went overnight while we were at the motel and then if we could get them to go in the morning, that would be good too. We kept a lot of water and gave them wet food at night to fill their bladders so they''d go to the box before we hit the road.

Don''t worry. My cats HATE the crate usually, but were suprisingly good about the trip. I think they just hate going to the vet and have associated the crate with the vet. When we still hadn''t gotten to the vet after a few hours, I think they realized that they could chill out. good luck!

 

[HollyS]

How to move cats:

1) Get a cat carrier.

2) Get a prescription for Xanax. For you.

Seriously, my family had a cat that traveled like a trouper. Slept in a bed outside the carrier; only woke up when we stopped. He used the kitty pan when we made stops, and never seemed to need it between times.

My current feline would cry and whimper and moan and whine the entire way. I guarantee it. I hate just taking her to the vet.

 

[zoebartlett]

Thank you so much everyone! We''re in the middle of packing, but I''ll come back later to write to everyone individually. For now though,

April and Doodle -- yeah, we''re not looking forward to it. I think we''d opt to get one huge crate for both cats, and just stick their litter box in that. As for medication, I''m all for it if it won''t hurt them. I hope that doesn''t sound mean but it''s just so far to travel with them. I know I''d feel more at ease driving such an unfamiliar route and a great distance if they were more subdubed. I think I"ll give the vet a call in the morning and see what he says.

Swimmer --

 

[Gypsy]

Date: 5/15/2009 1:01:57 PM
Author: Gypsy
We took 3 of them from NJ to CA.

In one car. In the dead of winter. With storms everywhere.

Valium. (and not just for the cats)
Covered litter box with a handle in trunk
Empty truck, fold down back seat leading into truck.
Kitty beds in truck.
Leashes and harnesses on all cats.
Holiday Inn Expresses that accept Cats.

Truck= Trunk

 

[LAJennifer]

Date: 5/15/2009 6:15:22 PM
Author: ZoeBartlett
Thank you so much everyone! We''re in the middle of packing, but I''ll come back later to write to everyone individually. For now though,


April and Doodle -- yeah, we''re not looking forward to it. I think we''d opt to get one huge crate for both cats, and just stick their litter box in that. As for medication, I''m all for it if it won''t hurt them. I hope that doesn''t sound mean but it''s just so far to travel with them. I know I''d feel more at ease driving such an unfamiliar route and a great distance if they were more subdubed. I think I''ll give the vet a call in the morning and see what he says.


Swimmer --

Ask your vet about acepromazine.

 

[ericad]

I drove from San Francisco to Seattle with my dog on the back seat and my 3 cats in the back of my Explorer. I put up one of those dog gate things that''s meant to keep dogs in the back and put in the covered litterboxes, some blankets, etc. and just tossed the kitties in the back. They whined at first, but after awhile they just sat up high where they could see out the windows and watched the world go by. Had I crated them, they would have hollered and thrashed all the long way there. Not the safest, I suppose, but they were happy and comfortable, and so was I

 

[RubyCharm]

It looks like it's a lot easier to travel with dogs! (I won't complain any more next time I have to travel with my chihuahuas

)

 

[zoebartlett]

Thanks tlh! One of our cats can hold a grudge, so I''m sure it will take a day or two for her to be nice to us again when we finally get (somewhat) settled in NC. We''re looking into getting a new carrier that can hold both cats (maybe), their litter box, and a dish of food and water. We read how it can help to use ice cubes instead of water or maybe a mix of both. We may do that. I think we may put the carrier out as you did, all set up with a nice comfy blanket. I''m kind of afraid that they''ll figure out what it is and what it means. If that happens, I''m not sure they''ll try it out. Oh well. We''ll see what happens.

HH -- My husband agreed with me that having them in the car with me would be best. He''s going to be in the U-Haul and I figure that''s enough for him to have to deal with. Yeah, I''m not looking forward to this move, but we''ll get through it.

PP -- I already have a call in to the vet. We may all need a little something to get us through the trip.

El -- I like the idea of putting them in a small space as soon as we get to the new apt. Thanks for the suggestion! We''re going to get harnesses today and put them on the cats so they get used to having them on. They''re indoor cats only, so they''ve never worn anything -- not even a collar.

Addy -- I had considered letting them out in the car once in a while so they could have some time out of the carrier. I don''t think I''d feel comfortable doing it while driving, but I''ll keep it in mind.

MommaBear -- thanks! They usually get along pretty well. Someone said to us that we should keep them together if they use the same litter box (which they do). I''m not sure what that has to do with it, but we''ll probably keep them together anyway.

Thanks Gypsy! I can only imagine how your trip went. Yeah, I''ve already put a call in to the vet and my doctor. Meds for everyone! We do need to check on hotels along the way that will accept cats.

Fleur -- My husband wishes that we had a dog at the moment. It would be much easier to deal with.

LGK -- It''s possible to put a cat on the plane without you being there? I didn''t know you could do that. As tempting as it sounds, we''re going to suck it up and do it ourselves. Flying them in would be too expensive right now. Plus, how would they get to the kennel?

Zhuzhu -- the vet knows our cats pretty well. I''m going to see what they suggest we do.

Thanks LAJennifer!

Hi Cello!

How funny that you found me! We don''t know the Charlotte area well at all obviously, but we did love it when we visited. Let me know if you need help along the way. I''m happy to help if I can. thanks for the congratulations! We have one male and one female. Good to know about keeping a good supply of water on hand. I''ve never heard to Rescue Remedy but I will definitely look into it. Thanks for the tip! I hadn''t considered giving them wet food to help with the potty issue, but I guess that makes sense. We usually give them dry food only but maybe we''ll bring a few cans of wet food as well. I''m hoping that they''ll relax after figuring out that we''re not going to the kennel or the vet. Thanks for all the advice!

Thanks Holly!

Thanks erica!

Ruby -- It is much easier to travel with dogs!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

When we move from the midwest to NC we had to give my cat a sedative. We kept her in her carrier. She HATES the car so it was the only way. Actually now that I think about it we have always done this (growing up) with cats. Talk to your vet.

 

[deegee]

When we moved to WV, our vet recommended a sedative. We didn''t take the advice. I took 2 cats in kitty carriers in my car, and hubby took 1 cat with him. My 2 meowed constantly the entire trip, getting louder and louder as we went. My hubby let his kitty out of the carrier, and it roamed the car or sat on his lap the entire time - which is a bad idea. When I griped at him, he said he couldn''t take the constant meowing. We should have taken the vet''s advice. The cats absolutely freak when they get put in the carriers. We were lucky to have movers, and the only thing we were responsible for transporting was the cats.

 

[Elmorton]

Zoe - some advice about the harness/leash stuff - they''re not going to like it. My cats basically freeze when the harness goes on them. I''ve heard people having better luck when they reinforce with treats. Still, the harness is a great idea if you''re going to be in and out of the car, etc, because you don''t have to worry about the cat jumping out/getting loose, etc.

 

[Gypsy]

Date: 5/16/2009 8:39:33 PM
Author: Elmorton
Zoe - some advice about the harness/leash stuff - they''re not going to like it. My cats basically freeze when the harness goes on them. I''ve heard people having better luck when they reinforce with treats. Still, the harness is a great idea if you''re going to be in and out of the car, etc, because you don''t have to worry about the cat jumping out/getting loose, etc.

Mine hate it too. Which is one of the reason''s it''s so effective. Our cats were loose in our car and they were reluctant to move much when the harness was on. My two boys pretty much huddled in the litter box the whole trip. Then when we were at the hotel we''d pop the trunk, and there would be two leashes coming out of the litterbox. We''d hold onto the leashes, get each cat out, stuff them back in the carrier, then take them into the hotel and undo their leashes/harnesses. NONE of mine drank or ate while in the car, though we had both food and water available. When we got to the hotel, we took the food, water and literbox in first (one of us, other would be in the car with the cats, we never left them alone in the car) took out a blankie from our home, put it on the bed, then let the boys out right in front of water, food and literbox so they knew where it all was, then we''d pick them up and put them under the blankie where they''d stay for an hour... then they''d come out and do thier thing, and then huddle under the blankie together. Hally is just a different story... she doesn''t react normally to anything so, we had to have the harness on cause she did roam in the car some, mostly after the first day she stayed on the arm rest between us or on the perch we created for her in the backseat which let her watch the cars go by. She was also the last ion we took into the hotel rooms, and when we let her out, she roamed (the boys did NOT). All the hotels have the underside of the beds blocked off... BUT if the block doesn''t go all the way to the wall, your cat might find a way to get behind the bed next to the wall (Frodo did) so you might have to get them out. Best to check the beds before you let them out.

Oh, they stop yowling after the first day. Probably hoarse.

Holiday Inn Expresses are not all pet friendly, it''s a location by location thing. They were by far the nicest, cleanest places that were affordable that accepted pets AND had enough locations that we could find one easily. Sign up for their priority club, you''ll rack up a nice amount of points. We did. You can find out which ones are pet friendly from the Holliday Inn website. There is usually an additional fee for pets.

Do not stay at anyplace called Americas Best Value Inn. I cannot emphasize that enough. Seriously. NEVER EVER EVER.

Our trip was really pretty stressful. We hit s storm that hit Northern Texas, New Mexico, and Colorado and we were stuck in Amarillo Texas for days, I was sick with a high fever all of the sudden, the only place we were able to get a room was a pretty decent Best Western (everything else was totally booked because of the storm) but the floor to ceiling windows leaked like a sieve and Hally got sick too (she can''t stay away from windows) and the only places to eat were Hooters or Walmart. The roads were covered were ice and there were no snow plows available for the surface streets and not enough salt anywhere to keep things safe. Overall... it wasn''t fun for us or the cats. We were constantly worried about them, and they were really unhappy about everything... except Hally, who only hated being the carrier, and was fine otherwise (no, she''s not normal, I know this). It was a long trip and no, I wouldn''t do it again. I''d rather fly them out with us personally, even if it means taking different flights, and with 3 cats, having one of us fly with two cats, and a family member (it''s usually one pet per person in the cabin). Would be totally worth it in my opinion.