tips for driving cross country with 2 cats

[soxbox]

well it looks like I will be making a trek from boston to colorado this summer (yay CSU) and was thinking about the hell it will be to have the 2 cats in the car for 1700 miles... Anyone have any tips on how to make it less stressful for both the cats and myself... 3 days of being serenaded by meows sounding like dying cows just is not that appealing

also, does anyone know of cat-friendly hotel chains?

Thanks for any ideas

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[4theanimals]

Hey Soxbox:

I'll be doing the same but from California. Woo hoo CSU. I also moved from VA to CA a few years ago so I have some experience. Motel 6 is actually pet friendly in most locales (and cheap of course). The other thing is any hotel where access is outside you can usually sneak in since you will just be staying for the night, but I never suggested such a thing.

I spray Feliway in the carriers at least a couple hours before so it dissipates a little. Same with the car. I would suggest having some Benadryl on hand just in case you just can't stand it. I can't remember the dose off hand, but someone here probably does or you can ask your vet. Cover the carriers with a towel or some such to provide some sense of security. Depending on the personality of your cats you might be able to stop and let them out in the car to have litter box, food, water, etc. The last time I did this I found they wouldn't go anywhere near any of it until the end of the day in the hotel. And you run the risk of escape. Needless to say I tried not to drive tooo many hours since this was the case. You might also consider a harness and lead again depending on the personality.

Make sure you have ID tags where you can be reached while travelling. We certainly don't want something to happen but better to be safe.

And despite all this info/warning it will all be fine. They'll adjust. You might get yourself some earplugs too while your at it. But eventually they'll be too tired to meow.

 

[4theanimals]

Oh yeah and make sure you have their vet records with you and accessible. Here is the link to Motel 6. It says one pet which I don't remember but I'm sure you can work around that. http://www.motel6.com/promotions/pets.asp

 

[Angelo84]

My sister drove from Boston to Colorado with one cat. He hates crates so she just barricaded him into the rear section with stuff and chicken wire! He eventually settled into her stuff and slept most of the way. I think she stopped once during the day to give him access to food/water/ and a litter box. I don't know if he took advantage of it or not. Good luck!

 

[sambone]

I don't envy you! I had to make the move from Maine to Ohio with 2 cats - A 13 hour drive turned into 17 with all the cat pitt stops!
If you can spare the space, get a carrier large enough to put a mini makeshift litter box right in it, and maybe even use a rabbit type water bottle for water. We didnt do that and instead stopped every couple of hours and put food/litter out for the cats, but they wouldn't touch food/water/litter -ANYTHING - which really stressed me out the whole time.
Anyhow, good luck with the move!

 

[lazyjayn]

You also might want to start taking them for drives now, and get them used to harnesses/ leash if they aren't already. If most of their car travel has been to/ from the vet, they may not think it's so great. If they start getting to go to the park and stuff, they might not "raaaaaaaw, mrrraaaaaaaaaaaw, mraAA-AAAA-aaaw" quite as much when it's time for the big trip. It's what we did with our dogs before the last big x-country move. Of course, cats being cats, it might not work as well, but anything to get them used to the motion and stuff can only be good, right?

Oh, and some super 8's will take pets.

j.

 

[Cheska]

Just remember that ultimately you will be more stressed out than they are. But they will probably make you pay by "yelling" at you for the whole trip.
I did AZ to CO in Aug 2005 w/ 2 cats, 1 dog, 1 guinea pig- 100+ degrees for quite a lot of the trip in a 93 Sentra with iffy air conditioning- yuck (and will be doing the reverse move this Aug)! But most of your trips are waaaaaaaay worse!

My advice- putting my two cats together in a dog crate worked great, they calmed each other down really well and didn't fight (but as suggested previously, a few practice runs is a great idea!). I nixed the litter box after it spilled all over the crate and cats and water after about 15 min. of driving. I took a big break halfway thru the day and let them have litter box access- of course they did nothing. It was awkward, I didn't want them to escape so I was squirming all over the car trying to get them back in the carrier- funny picture

We stayed at a motel 6 in santa fe, very pet friendly, but beware if one or both cats like to hide under the bed. It took close to an hour to get my tortie out from under the bed. Also, the hotel bathroom is a great place for them to stay if you go out to eat- you can go in and out of the hotel room without worring about an escape. If your cats don't handle collars well, microchips are great security.

Edit- of course you want them to eat, but remember to pick up their food a few hours before leaving... that was one of my big mistakes! Cat barf is a very bad driving companion.

 

[soxbox]

thanks everyone for your ideas... they are super appreciated

the longest my cats have been in the car is from NY to Boston (so about 3-4 hours depending on traffic) probably 6 or 7 times... the whole time instead of music I had the dying baby moose meows to listen to there was one horrible time that one of my cats had diarrhea in his crate so I had to stop at a rest area to wash out his crate and I let him hang out in the car for the 20 min it took me to get that cleaned up... I came back and noticed a HUGE wet spot on the drivers seat... he took it upon himself to pee on my seat.... and it was about 95 degrees outside and I still had about 2 hours left of the drive.... so all I envision is this for three days whole days of driving

I checked out Motel 6 and 8 and found a ton that are my route, so that should be pretty easy to plan on staying at one of those on my way (and motel 6 does say only one pet, but I figure it shouldnt be too hard to get another cat crate in unnoticed)

Has anyone used any sort of sedation (ie: ace) ? I would prefer not to, but if it would make them a little more relaxed I wonder if it might be worth looking into??

 

[philomycus]

I wouldn't feed them before the trip at all. Just like a surgery, I'd take up food afetr 6-8 pmish. That way you won't have to deal with cat upchuck, and if they are stressed, the last thing on their mind is food.

I too recco. a dog crate and you can throw both of them in there with a small litter pan- they'll be happy together.

If I get into OK and not UF, I'll be doing the drive from FL to OK with 5 cats, 2 dogs, a bunny, zebra finches, bearded dragon, and a squirrel. A husband too, if you count him

I therefore, envy you- with only 2!

 

[twosoakers]

red roof inn is pet-friendly with both cats and dogs. they're all over the place, and don't charge you extra (you can generally get rooms for 40 bucks a night). i'll be driving to LA, so i'll need some prayers, too.

 

[dyachei]

I used sedation for my cat when he was being moved. You have to wait for it to take affect, but if you talk to your vet, I'm sure they'll be helpful. It just made him quiet and sleepy, which is sort of unusual for him, though he was still somewhat active.

 

[su_grad2007]

I have to sedate my cat for the 20 min drive to the vet... He absolutely hates cars and gets physically sick from every end. I don't envy you. He just gets a pill about 30min before we leave. Fortunately he doesn't mind being pilled.

 

[QTkitty]

Hey Soxbox! Thanks for starting this thread. I'm in the same situation except from CA so the comments help a lot! I'm still stressed about it (mostly because it'll stress them and they are like my children ) but I think I have an idea of how to do it. I can't wait to meet you at CSU!

 

[lazyjayn]

I wonder if, with motion sick animals, being able to see the horizon helps? I know it helps with people, and when they're not sleeping, dogs seem to stare out the back window a lot. So I wonder if being able to see something farther away then the walls of the crate might help cats, too- and make the trip interesting for them, or just terrifying. But don't ask me how to set it up. I usually just put the back seat down and toss the dogs in the trunk/ back seat. I somehow doubt that would work with cats.

j.

 

[CookieBear]

red roof inn is pet-friendly with both cats and dogs. they're all over the place, and don't charge you extra (you can generally get rooms for 40 bucks a night). i'll be driving to LA, so i'll need some prayers, too.

I second the Red Roof Inn. I took a large dog to several of them, no problem.

The Comfort Inn near Cornell also allowed her, too. Not sure if that's throughout the chain, or just in Ithaca.

I will be driving from NJ to KS with three cats and a Goffins cockatoo.

My other half is maintaining that he wants to keep the big dog home here with him.

(He will need to brush her teeth almost every night (my rules!), clean ears routinely and bring her in for nail trims and baths! You think he's gonna do that? We'll see!)

 

[TurboVet]

when i drove my cat from MA to chicago a few years ago, he would start meowing just as we approached 70 mph- but if we stayed under 70 he was fine. (i think it was just the degree of vibration from the moving truck.) I had him in his carrier in the front seat with a little pie-tin thing with a little litter in it, and the little food/water dish on the front of the gate. i took him out to let him run around in the truck cabin every time we stopped for gas, etc. he didn't eat, drink, or poop for the entire 20 hour drive, but did so immediately when we got to the new place. overall, a very polite cat. i would think it'll be harder with a longer drive, but i'd just sequester them in the bathroom at the hotel so if they spray from being mad, it'll be easy to clean and to excuse.

 

[soxbox]

I spray Feliway in the carriers at least a couple hours before so it dissipates a little. Same with the car.

4theanimals, Do you know where I would go about buying this Feliway? Is it just a spray? Is it something that I can smell, or only the cats? I have never heard of it before but I am definitely willing to try it (PS: See you in Colorado, and you too QTKitty!!!)

After reading some of these posts, I suppose I am one of the lucky ones to only be moving 2 kitties with me and not a small ecosystem Good luck with everyone and the moves!!!

 

[primadonna22274]

Oh. My. Lord.
I thought we had it bad with 3 dogs (not little dogs either) and 2 cats, although we did have to go further--TRULY cross-country, from western Oregon to eastern SC, in July. Bad idea. My sweetie and I each drove our own cars, he with one dog (his Golden Retriever took up the whole back seat) and after the first day one of the cats, and me with my 2 dogs (a German shepherd and a Golden mix) and the other cat. My cat Atticus, a 10yo Siamese, wailed if he was in the crate but actually settled down under my seat and was quiet and did not try to sneak out when I stopped to fuel up. (I was VERRRYYYYY careful when opening the door.) I actually placed 2 of my cats, sisters, with a friend of a friend who had a farm about a week before we moved because I just did not think I could manage 4 cats cross-country, and in retrospect I really think it was the right choice for me, but I really miss one of the girls. She kinda grew on me after a while. I should have left the younger boy with the farm folk because he freaked out once we got here and started peeing everywhere. He just couldn't adjust. I finally snapped and took him to the shelter after trying every anti-cat-urinator and cat-pee-remover on the market at great expense. I still feel guilty about that. So we're down to one cat now.
We took a rather circuitous route through eastern OR to the eastern tip of WA, through a little bit of Idaho (Coeur d'Alene...wow), a great deal of Montana, to South Dakota (we wanted to see Mt. Rushmore...also cool). Then it was getting pretty hot. I didn't think it would take so long to get through SD, and most of the midwest took a couple of days through the tip of Nebraska to Illinois and Missouri. Kansas City actually looked like a pretty happening town and Missouri was surprisingly pretty to me. I was in AWE when driving through the mountains of Kentucky and Tennessee (and growing up in Oregon, I thought I'd seen green), and then through North Carolina to South Carolina and voila! 6 days later we were in our new home.
We didn't make very good time. The trip could have been made in 4 days realistically but my sweetie was sick and couldn't drive more than 500 miles in a day, and by the time we hit the Motel 6 (generally pet-friendly and they're everywhere...a little tip...don't ask, don't tell how many pets...nobody turned us down) he had a fever the first 3 nights and was miserable and made me miserable. Every rest stop (every 2.5-3 hr I think, between my small bladder and the dogs) took 25-30 minutes to walk and water 3 pups and the cats. The cats did not use the litter box all day long but when we got to the hotel room I would set up a litter box in the hotel bathroom and feed them and they would find it. They would drink a little water at rest stops and we tried to take them out for fresh air in their crates when there was a breeze. My old cat did much better than the young guy, who just generally was freaked the whole time. In fact, I did sedate the younger one (can't remember what the vet gave me) but Atticus didn't need it.
The pups of course did fine. Henry only threw up once on a particularly curvy stretch through western Montana.
Can it be done? Sure. Will I do it again? Um...not anytime soon. At least not without a much bigger car and rear cabin air conditioning. I felt bad for the critters cuz my Toyota RAV4 just doesn't seem to circulate the AC toward the back real well. But hey, we survived.
One tip: if you are traveling with cats, you can pick up disposable litter boxes at Petco...they're cardboard with natural litter that opens up easily and is completely biodegradable--you can throw the whole thing away the next morning.
Don't forget plenty of fresh water and dishes for the critters. If there is a favorite blankie or pillow or toy that will make them feel more "at home", I recommend you include that.
Good luck!
Lisa (and David, Elsie, Henry, Hooper, and Atticus)

I wouldn't feed them before the trip at all. Just like a surgery, I'd take up food afetr 6-8 pmish. That way you won't have to deal with cat upchuck, and if they are stressed, the last thing on their mind is food.

I too recco. a dog crate and you can throw both of them in there with a small litter pan- they'll be happy together.

If I get into OK and not UF, I'll be doing the drive from FL to OK with 5 cats, 2 dogs, a bunny, zebra finches, bearded dragon, and a squirrel. A husband too, if you count him

I therefore, envy you!

 

[4theanimals]

4theanimals, Do you know where I would go about buying this Feliway? Is it just a spray? Is it something that I can smell, or only the cats? I have never heard of it before but I am definitely willing to try it (PS: See you in Colorado, and you too QTKitty!!!)

Hey soxbox. No you can't smell it - just the kitties. It's a synthetic pheromone. Works great for some cats and not so well for others. You should be able to find it at PetsMart, PetCO, etc. There is also a homeopathic remedy called Rescue Remedy that I've heard good things about. It looks like they make a spray now which might also be good. http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=3550&N=2002+113628

In regards to two kitties in one carrier - depends on the kitties. Mine get along but I know hours in a kennel together would be too much and one of them would snap.

 

[CookieBear]

If anyone works in an animal clinic/hospital, you can try asking the purchaser to order you the Feliway - since it's always cheaper coming from veterinary distributors (if your clinic management will pass the savings along to you and not charge you retail price). Butler Animal Health Supply carries it, for instance.

ComfortZone is the dog pheromone version. It seems to work great for my dog's separation anxiety. She became prone to yanking out her tail hair when left alone. I bought the ComfortZone plug-in (just like a Glade plug-in but how much more useful is this!) and she stopped.

For those who put stock in the 'scientific method' - I've had a few test trials. The behavior re-starts when I run out of the stuff, and it stops as soon as I pop that plug-in back in the wall!

I know both products, ComfortZone and Feliway, come in a spray bottle. It was $30/bottle retail last I checked, but again, cost from a vet distributor is less.

 

[Serendipity4]

So my situation's not entirely the same: I've got three dogs (German Shepherd, Aussie and Border Collie) and 3 turtles to move from AZ to MN -- it's about a 30 hour drive (we'll be doing it straight through) and will take place in my wonderful little Honda Accord. Fortunately, we actually make this trip twice a year, so all 6 animals are quite used to the trip. However, I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend starting to take little trips in your car now with them -- when my German Shepherd was a puppy she HATED the car, and would throw up even on a 5 minute trip. We had desensitized her somewhat by the time our first trip came up, but we still got some sedatives from our vet. This brings me to piece of advice number two: make sure the first time you give the sedatives to your cats (or dogs) is NOT on your trip. We made that mistake and 1) had a huge mess to clean up that night (we used to stay in hotels on the trip) and 2) the sedatives didn't work anyways. So we were basically just left with a hyper, sick puppy.

Now I have a question for everyone, somewhat on the same topic: I've got an Arab mare who's at least 30 and I'm debating whether to bring her with me or not. I would hate to leave her here, but considering her age, I'm not sure a 1600 mile trip is a good idea for her. Also, I've never trailored her more than 15 miles or so, so does anyone have suggestions about the logistics of this, if people think it even would be okay to attempt such a feat? Furthermore, I'm fairly certain she's lived in Arizona for her entire life, so at her age would she be able to acclimate to freezing Minnesota winters?

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated...

 

[Wisco]

well I can sortive relate with your arab mare. Recently we had a 20 year old bay thouroughbred that we trailored from NY to Florida. Hes doing fine in florida weather wise. as trailoring goes, we took him down with a friend of ours that owns a big trailer. we stopped frequently to let him out. if you are going to use a trailoring company, my experience is get a reputable trailoring company. I hate it when I trailor my horses and the guy is booking down the expressway going 80 with the trailer over pot holes.

 

[Emio]

Now I have a question for everyone, somewhat on the same topic: I've got an Arab mare who's at least 30 and I'm debating whether to bring her with me or not. I would hate to leave her here, but considering her age, I'm not sure a 1600 mile trip is a good idea for her. Also, I've never trailored her more than 15 miles or so, so does anyone have suggestions about the logistics of this, if people think it even would be okay to attempt such a feat? Furthermore, I'm fairly certain she's lived in Arizona for her entire life, so at her age would she be able to acclimate to freezing Minnesota winters?

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated...

i'd say if you have a safe place to leave her, she'd be better off in AZ. some horses are so loyal that they'd be happier in freezing weather so long as their person was there (how often would you get to see her?) and for some, their person being there doesnt make up for their misery (ha). i had a friend who moved her slightly older mare who lived in central VA her whole life to CO. the mare was clearly not happy: first time i've ever seen her have a scruffy coat, dropped WAY too much weight, and quite frankly, doesn't smile as much. sure, something else could be wrong (we've since moved her back to the east coast and trying to get weight on her), but she did not handle the CO winter well at all.

if you do go through with it, i'd rec. plenty of stops so as to not get too stiff, drink, electrolytes, etc. it'd be worth it in my opinion to find a stable that will let you overnight her. she could lie down and get some real rest. 30 hours is too long for an old mare (again, imho).

good luck with your trip! sounds like you're pros

 

[kate_g]

After reading some of these posts, I suppose I am one of the lucky ones to only be moving 2 kitties with me and not a small ecosystem

Because you're moving "only" two cats, you have an option that the menagerie-owners really don't: ship them by air. If your cats don't like the car, I guarantee they'll hate flying. But, it's less time in the carrier for them and you're not the one who has to hear them wail. (The cargo area where they put pets is heated and pressurized, so it's really not horrible.)

I did this with 3 cats when moving PA->CA years ago. We had an (almost) ideal situation because my SO needed to be in CA a month before I could leave my old job. So he moved out here, found a place to live, etc. Then I shipped the cats, then I drove out. (Lacking a car, he had to pick up the cats from the air terminal by bus. In hindsight he should have rented a car for the day from the local car rental place.)

I know someone else who did this by having his cats stay with a friend while he drove CA->NY, found a place, etc. Then the friend packed up and shipped the cats to him.

Fewer and fewer airlines are accepting pets for freight (more will do it if you're on the flight), and it was maybe $100 each when I did it 7 years ago. I believe that the bigger airlines - United, USAir - are the ones that will still do it, but you'll have to check around. There are regulations about type of carrier, size of carrier relative to size of pet, etc. But anyway, if you have or can set up a staggered travel situation, or have a friend who owes you a big favor, it might be something worth looking into, and actually be easier on all three of you.

 

[Shorty13]

I work in a Cat Clinic, and we often give medication for cats traveling long distances in cars. My two cars do much better in the car if they are sharing a large carrier, but it depends on the cats. It might be good to get some ace or other prescription to have with you just in case they have a hard time. If they do ok, then you are out a little money, but if they freak out, you have a plan. As far as a litter box goes, the cardboard boxes that pop cans or pet food cans are stacked on work great as small litter pans, and you could just throw them away. If you don't want litter everywhere, you could try paper litter or yesterday's news litter (if the cats are willing to use it). My cats do better if I can pet them every once in a while through the carrier. Also, there is a good handout online at http://www.catclinicofstillwater.com/Library.htm from the cat clinic of Stillwater. They are two travel handouts (one talks about using medications). Hopefully that will help!

 

[kate_g]

Also, I've never trailored her more than 15 miles or so, so does anyone have suggestions about the logistics of this, if people think it even would be okay to attempt such a feat?

I have no idea about your welfare concerns as far as her adjusting to the new climate, being so old, etc. But if you do decide to move her, there was a thread last year on hauling companies and some people had recommendations for good ones that took good care of the horses while in transit, stopped overnight every couple days to give them time in a barn, etc. That might be easier than trying to do it yourself even if you've got a trailer, since they already have the contacts for places to stop and whatnot.

 

[Serendipity4]

Thanks, everyone, for your feedback on my horse! And if I do decide she can handle the cold (which, at this point, I'm leaning towards probably not), I'll definitely try to find that old thread about hauling companies.

 

[thomphea]

Ace could be prescribed...& maybe just keep it on hand incase nothing else works. But you could always look into the "all natural" herbal cat calm remedies. Someone else mentioned feliway- which helped my cat when we moved to a new house. Is there a feline aqua-calm?

 

[thereservoirdog]

We had to drive our cat to the new house when we were moving a couple months ago. It was only a 20 min drive and I thought he would be fine in the car, but he freaked out and peed on my lap. It was gross.

 

[soxbox]

has anyone ever used the "pet tube travel station" ? I was flipping through the sky mall magazine on a recent flight and came across it... They come in 2 sizes and can easily fold up to take up very little room. It seems like a good idea... especially if I get the large one I can stick both cats in there and they have the whole backseat, and the tube gets secured to the seat via seatbelts... They are a little pricey... $80 for the small, $120 for the large... but if it can make a 2000 mile drive more tolerable, its well worth the money heres a picture of both the large and small:

 

[AuburnPreVet]

That's pretty cool. I'm addicted to the SkyMall. I wonder how I missed it.

 

[Dr. Gangrene]

well it looks like I will be making a trek from boston to colorado this summer (yay CSU) and was thinking about the hell it will be to have the 2 cats in the car for 1700 miles... Anyone have any tips on how to make it less stressful for both the cats and myself... 3 days of being serenaded by meows sounding like dying cows just is not that appealing

also, does anyone know of cat-friendly hotel chains?

Thanks for any ideas

You could always freeze them w/ liquid nitrogen, then quickly dethaw them when you get there
j/k good luck w that one

 

[pressmom]

If no one has mentioned this hotel chain yet, La Quinta is by and large animal friendly. Stayed there with my dog. Nice place!

 

[Vet2be2012]

I would love to be in your spot, lol! I am bringing 3 cats from France to Scotland, then the US 5 years later. I am so stressed out about this. I may just bring them directly to the US and find them homes there unless I definitely decide to make them my kitties(now foster kitties). I think I would have to take the train to Scotland. 6 month blood test in advance, etc, and finding people to take care of them about 5 months out of each year!

But, it can be done! I think you will be able to bring your babies across country just fine. Ask the vet about maybe giving something to calm them down, like a tranquilizer. This is highly not recommended for the plane, but I think it would be ok for a car ride. There are tons of pet friendly hotels. I too am in that situation here in France. I wouldn't worry about it too much because you can always use the sneaking in theory if nothing else. It's not that hard to sneak in 2 cats for 1 night unless they are big meowers. Turn the radio up in the car and the kitties will tend to calm down, I think. I know what a pain it can be. Just be happy they don't have to ride with cargo on the plane! That's a living nightmare like what my babies will have to do. Car rides are a pain, but I think it will all work out just fine. My vet also told me about maybe trying about 5 mg of benidryl. She said that tends to make them sleepy with no side affects. Good luck.

 

[QTkitty]

has anyone ever used the "pet tube travel station" ? I was flipping through the sky mall magazine on a recent flight and came across it... They come in 2 sizes and can easily fold up to take up very little room. It seems like a good idea... especially if I get the large one I can stick both cats in there and they have the whole backseat, and the tube gets secured to the seat via seatbelts... They are a little pricey... $80 for the small, $120 for the large... but if it can make a 2000 mile drive more tolerable, its well worth the money heres a picture of both the large and small:

OMG I want this sooo bad... too bad they're so darn expensive!!! Maybe I'll try to be creative and make one of my own hehehe

 

[Boxsterluv]

As far as hotels go, I don't think lying is ok, but I think "not telling" is ok.. When I drove across the country with my two cats (see avatar ), I just didn't tell them that I had the cats... I checked in, then went back to the car, then took them in through the side entrance. I spent 4 nights in hotels and no one ever said anything. Even if the hotels do allow pets, sometimes they charge an extra 25-40 bucks, so I figured I'd pay it if I have to, but if not, why offer?

I hope you guys don't think I'm unethical; I'm just trying to save my fellow poor vet kids some money!

 

[Cheska]

I saw this in the NY Times this weekend, thought it could be interesting for those moving this summer....

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/03/travel/03pracdog.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Travel Tips From a Dog’s Best Friend
By MICHELLE HIGGINS
Published: June 3, 2007

TRAVELING with pets is an increasingly common affair, as many pet owners have decided that Fido deserves a summer vacation as much as they do, and shouldn’t be left behind in a kennel while they are off lounging on a beach or taking in the mountain air.

The travel industry has been quick to cash in on this trend: many hotels now offer packages with pet beds and special room-service menus for four-legged companions.

But many pet owners still have concerns about hitting the road — or, to be more specific, the sky. More than two million pets and other live animals are transported by air every year in the United States, according to the Department of Transportation. Though rare, incidents involving the loss, injury or death of animals do happen. During June, July and August of last year, 12 animals, mostly dogs, died, 3 were injured and 4 were lost during air travel.

For tips on traveling with your dog or leaving one behind when taking a vacation, I talked with Cesar Millan, a dog behaviorist and best-selling author, better known as National Geographic Channel’s Dog Whisperer. Mr. Millan, a native of Mexico, also owns the Dog Psychology Center in Los Angeles, which specializes in rehabilitating dogs with extreme behavior problems. When we spoke by phone, he was in Miami with two dogs — Daddy and Coco — who were going to travel to Minneapolis to film an episode of the show.

Q. How do you travel with your dogs?

A. Right now, I’m fortunate to travel with two of them — a pitbull and a Chihuahua. They’re not flying with me, but we have an R.V., which is much easer for them because they’re able to meet the land. I ask the driver: every four hours, make sure they experience where they are.

Q. Do you have any advice for people who can’t take their pets cross-country by car?

A. My large personal dogs have never traveled on a plane. My small dogs have, and it’s easier because, you know, they’re next to us, right there under the seat, as they request on the airline. So it feels like they’re just doing a different activity. Of course, they’re going to feel the altitude, and so I’m going to be right there to calm them down, just to make them feel relaxed. But until I get my own private plane, my large dogs will not fly.

Q. So you always have them take the R.V. and not a plane?

A. Yes, because it’s not very controlled in the areas where they put the large dogs. I hope the airlines will get smart about it and learn that it’s business, because we do want to bring our dogs with us. But they have to be able to make sure the temperature is ideal, and ideally a human can be there just to provide some kind of comfort to dogs. I think it can be done — it’s just a matter of whether the airlines are willing to do it.

Q. More hotels are trying to appeal to pet owners with special doggy beds and room service. Does it matter what kind of hotel you stay at?

A. They don’t understand if it costs $1 or $300. They can’t make the difference between Bloomingdale’s and Kmart. What they’re going to know is what state of mind they were in when you offered that.

Q. Any tips for traveling by car?

A. Dogs are daytime animals, and my pack is so accustomed to do activities in the daytime that at least every four hours the driver stops and walks them, which is good for the driver and is good for my dogs. It’s important for a dog to know the land because in a way they’re migrating to another place. It’s important for them to see and to smell the environment. Wherever they are, it’s going to be a different temperature, a different scent and a different feeling. You want to be sure they know how to associate themselves with it in a more natural way.

Q. Is sedation an option?

A. Yeah, but again you have to condition the mind to see what the side effects are and what doses work and what medication works. It shouldn’t make them lethargic. It’s just for them to feel thoroughly relaxed. It’s like a glass of wine. It doesn’t have to make you feel angry or frustrated. It’s just to relax you.

Q. How should you choose a kennel?

A. You want to find a place where they immediately know how to adopt a dog and to make a dog really not focused on the fact that you left but really focused on what is there for him. It’s very important that professionals learn it’s a big deal for a dog to detach himself from his pack, and so the new pack has to be just as good or better than the pack he just left.

Q. What about dogs that get nervous when traveling? Is there anything you can do to keep them calm?

A. If a dog is nervous at home, it’s more likely for him to get worse in different environments. You definitely have to work, before you go on the vacation, to start learning about how you can make your dog not nervous at home. Everything starts from home. A lot of people also get frustrated when they’re traveling, and the dog is trembling or whining or drooling. But that’s not going to help the dog either. Your energy influences a lot, and once you recognize and become aware of the energy you share when your dog is under stress, then you realize, oh, O.K., I have to work on myself.

Q. Are some dogs more suited to travel than others?

A. Balanced dogs. It’s not the breed or the size. You can’t generalize that the size or the breed will make it a better travel dog. A balanced dog is always going to be a perfect dog to be around; an unstable dog, regardless of the size, is not going to be comfortable to travel with. So it’s a state of mind, not a breed or a size.

Q. Is there anything else travelers should keep in mind?

A. Once you arrive at your destination, make sure you go for a long walk before you go inside the hotel or the condominium or wherever you’re going because that will give a dog a better understanding of where they are and what the surroundings are, and that the same rules and boundaries or limitations that you might have had in L.A. exist in Florida. That will make him feel so comfortable, so at home, and enjoy his new adventure.

 

[dandyandy]

I just drove 3000 miles with my kitty who is usually freaked in the car but I ended up just letting her loose in the car and she was really good! My mom and I took turns though making sure she didn't bother the driver though so that kept the drive a bit safer having another person around!

 

[soxbox]

ok... so on a trip to Walmart I found that they sell pop-up dog crates, that collapse down to almost nothing when not in use. They also come with some straps that are meant to buckle seat belts through. I bought the medium size (20" x 20" x 32") and I am going to see how the 2 cats fit into that... I like this idea because I can carry them straight from the car into the hotel without worrying about them escaping... oh yeah, and even better, it was only $15 (http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5192525 though buy it in the store.. its cheaper!!)

 

[cubs11]

a client, at the small animal clinic where i work, carries this with her cats inside. i think it's so neat! i didn't realize it was only $15 though...i might have to get one for my cat!

 

[mshheaddoc]

As far as hotels go, I don't think lying is ok, but I think "not telling" is ok.. When I drove across the country with my two cats (see avatar ), I just didn't tell them that I had the cats... I checked in, then went back to the car, then took them in through the side entrance. I spent 4 nights in hotels and no one ever said anything. Even if the hotels do allow pets, sometimes they charge an extra 25-40 bucks, so I figured I'd pay it if I have to, but if not, why offer?

I hope you guys don't think I'm unethical; I'm just trying to save my fellow poor vet kids some money!

I've travelled with multiple pets 1300+ miles multiple times. There are alot of pet friendly hotels. Just do a search and I think the first few on google were good site. Then I cross referenced them with tripadvisor.com to find the good hotels. Some choice hotels (econo lodge, comfort inn, etc) and La Quinta I know are pet friendly. The guy at the econolodge didn't even check for animals nor did he charge although the 800 number knew. Wasn't thrilled with the room (we had a last minute reservation switch due to truck issue), but I've stayed in worse rooms and for an econolodge it wasn't bad. We weren't planning on disclosing all the animals we had, only b/c not many hotels will take 2+ animals.

My cats hated the trip and letting them out helped a bit. But best advice that we figured out, make sure both animals have PLENTY of room. I bought a bigger cage at walmart (the medium size pet cage) and they were MUCH quiter than in the smaller one. Well they were also alot smaller then but hey. Also, don't feed them after 12am or so if you are leaving the next morning. Don't worry if they don't eat or drink in the car either! My animals were starving in the hotel but wouldn't take food or water during trip We stopped every 3-4 hrs for walk breaks for the doggie and cats got litter every other stop.

Great tips on this thread. I had read it before my move and just felt compelled to contribute since it was bumped! Also, I've never drugged any of my animals for the trip but know some people with stressed cats that have.