Tips please: Road trips with cat!

[Minnerbelle]

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So I'll be making the 1,750 mile road trip with my cat in a car that i do not have yet in August. I've done traveling halfway around the globe thing with animals, but never on the road thing with a cat. This is giving me more anxiety than anything else!

From poking online, I see that you're supposed to have some sort of kitty litter pan on the floor of the car. My cat's pretty well behaved in cars on my lap with a harness (so she doesn't get to the gas/brake pedals) but awful in a carrier. I know it's risky having the cat out in case of an accident, but it sounds like for most people it's definitely worth avoiding to have a yowling cat in a carrier for hours on end.

Any tips or insight on this? I'm soooo lost.

 

[clouds815]

the longest trip i've done with mine was 6 hours but i use crates, bring a litter box to let them use it/roam around during breaks (but they can hold it for quite a while)

fortunately i sort of 'car-trained' my first cat when he was a kitten and he behaves well

but you could also try a little (oral) ace... never used it myself but we have clients who do

 

[cowgirla]

So I'll be making the 1,750 mile road trip with my cat in a car that i do not have yet in August. I've done traveling halfway around the globe thing with animals, but never on the road thing with a cat. This is giving me more anxiety than anything else!

From poking online, I see that you're supposed to have some sort of kitty litter pan on the floor of the car. My cat's pretty well behaved in cars on my lap with a harness (so she doesn't get to the gas/brake pedals) but awful in a carrier. I know it's risky having the cat out in case of an accident, but it sounds like for most people it's definitely worth avoiding to have a yowling cat in a carrier for hours on end.

Any tips or insight on this? I'm soooo lost.

Can you get one of those small dog car harnesses that has a big padded chest area and attaches to the seat belt? I don't know if they make kitty ones, but with some adjusting you could make due. That way kitty is restrained if anything does happen. I would also get those vents that go in the windows so you can get some airflow without kitty jumping out.


Also talk to your vet about a sedative?

 

[dgm]

You might have time between now and then to get your cat used to travelling in the car, in a carrier. Like cowgirla, both my cats went are good in the car... I drove back and forth between Philadelphia and Rochester, NY at least a couple times a month with my first one when she was a kitten, and now she just zonks out whenever I put her in the carrier and load it in the car. Never a peep from that one. Later, when my friends complained about how horrible it was moving to a different state with their two cats crying the whole time, I realized how well that worked out and made sure to expose my second cat to lots of car trips while she was little as well. Since it seems to mainly be the carrier that your cat objects to, maybe you could get her used to it by moving her food closer and closer to the carrier, until eventually she is eating all her meals in her carrier? Then get her used to having the door closed for awhile, then maybe quick trips to places other than the vet... It would take a lot of time but I totally think it's worth it if the end result is a cat who travels well!

...Otherwise, I'd resort to drugs, and for safety, I would have the cat confined to the carrier any time the car is moving.

 

[Minnerbelle]

Thanks guys,

I think as long as my cat's on my lap, she should be totally fine without any kind of sedatives. Maybe I'll get some just in case though. I have a feeling that even if I do resolve to keep her in her carrier or a seatbelt (backseat), I'm going to end up being a sucker and letting her out and on my lap. It seems like that's what ends up happening to a lot of people who try the carrier anyway. While I'm driving she'll have to make do with my bf's lap or go in the carrier.

Do cats actually use the litter box in the car if you're driving 10-12 hrs a day?
Any advice as to how you set that up?

 

[Minnerbelle]

...Otherwise, I'd resort to drugs, and for safety, I would have the cat confined to the carrier any time the car is moving.

Yeah... that's what i keep coming back to. I really don't like the thought of my cat being out in case there's an accident. But the nightmare I envision with her in a carrier freaks me out more than anything else.

My cat's like 7-8 yrs old... and at least in the last couple of years I was the first person she even allowed to touch her (6 months ago or so). Her philosophy in life is that if she doesn't like something, she becomes a b****. the carrier seems to be one of those things she really dislikes. The only prolonged car ride she's been in lasted about half an hour, and it was LOUD and annoying. The determined cat that she is, I'm pretty sure she'd go at it at least for 5+ hrs like that. Unfortunately, I don't think conditioning her beforehand is realistic given her background. She's totally fine eating in the carrier, but the second she's confined, she flips. I'm not sure I want to risk her learning to loathe the carrier even before she goes on a trip. Or am I thinking about this the wrong way?

So, how effective and for how long do these sedatives last? Do they have side effects like nausea/diarrhea especially when coupled with the nerves of being in a car? (sigh... I'm a pretty good cat piller, but this is the one cat that I'm scared sh**less to do. I'll see how she feels about pill pockets)

If a cat's in the carrier 10-12 hrs a day for 3-4 days, how do you effectively give potty breaks? I'm worried that the stress of being in a carrier will put her in a really bad mood, and she'll refuse food/water.

 

[Whyevernot55]

My two big girls (now 5 year olds) have moved from Indiana to NJ (plane), NJ to Indiana (car), back to NJ in the car, and then to Ohio. We move a lot. All of the car trips have been in the summer heat, which is a big concern for me in terms of keeping them from dehydrating. I would buy water bottles out of the coolers at rest stops and put them in the carriers - they REFUSED to drink water out of a bowl, but would lick it off the bottles and the cool bottles helped keep them more comfortable.
They also never bothered to eat or go to the bathroom, even when offered food or litterbox breaks. Frankly, if your cat is healthy, I wouldn't worry about get going a day in the car - I typically just lock them in a bathroom with food, H2O, and a litterbox as soon as we get where we're going.
I have no carrier advice. The big girls have always been good. My kittens are both ill-behaved, and the deaf one screams like a banshee, so I've got to figure it out too! Let alone if I move overseas. Ugh. 🙄

 

[clouds815]

wow thats a long trip i can see why you're worried

for potty breaks - anytime you stop/get out, let her out too and i typically just place them in the litter box so they know its there and if they need to use it they will.
every few hours is plenty... and if you are traveling with someone you could always let her out for the other person to hold for a little while... i do that sometimes

with ace (which btw is a very small pill) my vet recommends giving it 1 hr before on an empty stomach, with it lasting 6-8+ hrs and i've never heard of any side effects nor used it so i'm not sure on that. perhaps ask one of your vets about sedatives i'm sure they would help!

 

[rileydog]

Just a thought, but heaven forbid, even a minor accident would set off the air bag, hurting her (unless you are traveling with someone and riding in the back). I did the carrier and Ace, for a 6 hour trip and she was fine being let out to roam in the car when I stopped. Also took her on the undergrad shuttle with Ace and the carrier and she did not disturb anyone. My other cat, whole other story. We would have been dumped on the side of the road. She stays at home.

 

[dgm]

Yeah... that's what i keep coming back to. I really don't like the thought of my cat being out in case there's an accident.

The safety part that worries me more is that the cat being out increases the odds of there being an accident, unless it's being held by someone other than the driver. It does sound like conditioning your cat might take a LOT longer than with your average cat, but I like to be optimistic and think that it IS possible given the right approach (no, I'm not sure what that is) and an indefinite amount of time (which clearly you don't have). It's possible trying to train her could make her hate the carrier more, but it doesn't sound like that would really make things worse, aside from it being a little harder to get her in it in the mornings - so I'd probably try it anyways, if it was my cat. The idea someone had about getting her a harness that attaches to a seatbelt may also work though.

I always just offered the litter box to my cat when we took breaks, but most of the time she'd just hold it till we got off the road for the day.

I've never tried a pill pocket with my cat, but have been pilling her daily by stuffing it into a little piece of baby food meat sticks (Gerber Graduates, I think). She thinks they're amazing. I'm sure it only works with a small enough pill though. Failing that, I wonder if your vet can hook you up with some injectable Ace?

 

[clouds815]

Just a thought, but heaven forbid, even a minor accident would set off the air bag, hurting her (unless you are traveling with someone and riding in the back).

yeah not a bad point to consider

 

[Nephromaniac]

I did a 9 hr trip with 3 cats. I do worry about having cats free in the car (I do admit that for a short trip I do sometimes let them ride in my lap when its just one of them, because 2 of them also are not fond of the carrier & yowl the whole time), but I do always worry about something happening. In addition to an accident, I'm always paranoid about the chance of one of them somehow getting loose. Bad enough in your home town... but if it were at a rest stop or gas station away from anything they know... the thought just terrified me, so we did Ace & carriers. It worked very well, 2 of them were fine with the single dose before the trip, 1 had to be re-dosed partway there, but (we used the very low-end of the dose for him b/c he's had strange reactions to other meds & vacs in the past). I definitely recommend it personally, safer & lower stress on them & me! If you went that route I definitely suggest making sure you give it before hand & wait until kitty is sedate to put them in carriers b/c Ace can actually have the opposite effect if they get worked up before they're sedated, or in certain pets. I also suggest doing a "trial run", where you dose them some time when you can stay around & watch them to make sure they don't react poorly. That way if something were to go wrong you're there & not stuck on the highway with no idea where a clinic is. Even if you think you'd rather have kitty in your lap or buckled in, I still think it wouldn't hurt to talk to your vet about trying some Ace & having it on hand for the trip just in case. For our trip we didn't offer litter b/c 9 hours isn't really that long & offered one short, food/water break, closely supervised b/c of the sedation. Sorry that was such a novel, lol, & good luck with your trip & kitty transport!

 

[GSDgirl]

I have two cats, and I'm sorry to say that one goes absolutely bonkers in the car (whether it be a five minute run to the vet or a 17 hour drive.) I tried to adjust him to travel by taking him regularly on short drives, but it never worked. He screams at the top of his lungs and goes "crazy eyed" (seriously, driving between my parent's house in Chicago and where I live in Wyoming is the WORST.THING.EVER. He can go the whole 17 hours without shutting up. I feel terrible for him when we travel.)

So, how effective and for how long do these sedatives last? Do they have side effects like nausea/diarrhea especially when coupled with the nerves of being in a car? (sigh... I'm a pretty good cat piller, but this is the one cat that I'm scared sh**less to do. I'll see how she feels about pill pockets)

I've tried Benadryl, and it doesn't work for my guy at all. (It also doesn't help that he can "selectively" gag up pills... Even if I pill him and hold him until he swallows, then wait a minute or two before I release him, pink froth is all over the walls and me in seconds. I've gotten it down a few times and somehow managed to keep it down, and it didn't hinder the screaming/panicking at all. Not even five minutes.)

Then my vet prescribed Ace. It would keep him quiet for an hour or two (the vet said it should work 6-8 hours, so I think he may be drug-resistant... when it was ok to dose him again, I would, then he would be quiet for an hour or two, then scream. You get the picture). I used this for a few drives and wasn't too impressed.

Since he's getting older (9 years), they have since switched him to vicodin for long rides (less danger from blood pressure/heart rate changes--something to consider about sedatives...). I've had some success with this--the last few drives, he slept more and I didn't dose him more than once along the drive. (My favorite solution so far...)

If a cat's in the carrier 10-12 hrs a day for 3-4 days, how do you effectively give potty breaks? I'm worried that the stress of being in a carrier will put her in a really bad mood, and she'll refuse food/water.

As far as "potty breaks" are concerned, I tried for the first few trips to stop and offer him the litterbox. [By this, I mean stop, fill his favorite box from home, set it up, let him out of the crate, and then get disappointed and undo all of the above.] He is so freaked out in the car--even when it's not moving--that he won't use it. Now I make the trip only stopping for gas (and "potty breaks" for me) and he rarely has an accident in his crate. Once he settles at our destination, he eats and drinks well (and uses the box).

 

[purplesaurus]

A few years ago, I did an 18 hours straight (and trust me, never again!) road trip with my boyfriend and our two cats. (Moving from Kentucky to Colorado.)

We got them some ace (I think), which knocked them out for the first several hours, and they were buckled up with harnesses in the back seat. However, after they slept for a while and calmed down, we unstrapped them (risky, I'm sure, but there's no way they were getting locked up in carriers for 18 hours). We could have given them more, I suppose, since the trip was long enough, but that didn't seem fair to not give them a chance to be able to use the litter box, eat, drink, watch other cars out the window.

They had the entire back seat to themselves, and on the floor, we put a litter box on one side and a food and water dish on the other (with puppy training pads underneath). We got large, wide bowls for the food and water to minimize tipping and didn't fill either of them very full (but checked that they didn't run out).

Over all, they did pretty well. They used the litter box a few times and did in fact eat and drink. The only problem we had was that when not sleeping or buckled up, one of my cats was constantly trying to get under the driver's feet. The other cat posted up in the back window a bit, but he didn't block the driver's view much, and that kept him out of the way for a while.

 

[chris03333]

with ace (which btw is a very small pill) my vet recommends giving it 1 hr before on an empty stomach, with it lasting 6-8+ hrs and i've never heard of any side effects nor used it so i'm not sure on that. perhaps ask one of your vets about sedatives i'm sure they would help!

Watch the medical/prescription advice. Ace is NOT a drug to take lightly, and no one should consider giving it to any animal without a consultation and physical exam from a veterinarian.


Oh, this is meant to everyone talking freely about ace in this thread, I am not trying to single out clouds815 BTW.

 

[chris03333]

I like these:
http://www.amazon.com/collapsible-k...ie=UTF8&s=miscellaneous&qid=1271807089&sr=8-8

I would NOT under any circumstances open this unless the car doors are closed (you do NOT want to lose you kitty when on a pit stop). Some are big enough to place a small litter box in. Feed before you leave and again once you are done driving for the day. Keep water available in kennel.

 

[cowgirla]

I like these:
http://www.amazon.com/collapsible-k...ie=UTF8&s=miscellaneous&qid=1271807089&sr=8-8

I would NOT under any circumstances open this unless the car doors are closed (you do NOT want to lose you kitty when on a pit stop). Some are big enough to place a small litter box in. Feed before you leave and again once you are done driving for the day. Keep water available in kennel.

Where was that when I was looking for a car crate for my pup???

I was going to suggest trying a different kind of crate than a typical small plastic one. Give her lots of space to move around. You could even try a dog crate that gives her a lot more visibility--maybe she won't freak as much if she can see all around?

 

[incendium04]

My cats are by no means bad in a car but they don't enjoy it. When I had to move 8 hours away, I did use Ace on them. Like other people said, consult your vet. There are a lot of good techniques that you can use and they can vary in efficacy depending on the cat: feliway spray in the car, alprazolam, ace, etc.

I tried alprazolam initially because it's supposed to help with anxiety, not just knock the pet out. However, one of my cats had almost no response to a low dose and the other had a a paradoxical reaction (she got hyper anxious and sensitive to everything). Thankfully it was at home and she eventually slept it off. This is just an anecdotal case and I think all options should be considered.

 

[iheartpandas]

I've moved my kitty from south Texas to Colorado several times. She is an absolute nightmare in the carrier--shreds her fingernails down to bloody stumps. But, like your kitty, is okay in a lap. What worked best for me is holding her (with a harness on) in my lap while someone else drove or vice versa.

Even though I offered kitty water and a litter box whenever I stopped at a rest stop, she refused them until we stopped overnight.

Watch the medical/prescription advice. Ace is NOT a drug to take lightly, and no one should consider giving it to any animal without a consultation and physical exam from a veterinarian.

Agree with this 100%, and also with the poster who suggested a trial run using the Ace. You do not want to get three hours in to your trip and find kitty has a bad reaction to the stuff. My kitty has refused Pounce salmon treats ever since I snuck an Ace into one TWELVE YEARS ago before a trip. Needless to say, she didn't enjoy being doped up on Ace!

There are other non-drug alternatives, too, like tryptophan-based products and Vetri-Science's Composure.

Good luck!

 

[clouds815]

Watch the medical/prescription advice. Ace is NOT a drug to take lightly, and no one should consider giving it to any animal without a consultation and physical exam from a veterinarian.


Oh, this is meant to everyone talking freely about ace in this thread, I am not trying to single out clouds815 BTW.

my apologies - was not trying to give doctors advice - just mention maybe she could look into it/discuss with her own vet

 

[der2002]

oh crap. i'm going to be traveling with 2 cats and 2 dogs from california to the midwest and i'm not looking forward to that drive AT ALL. at least you guys have some good advice...

 

[Tobysgirl81]

For long drives with cats, if you HAVE the money (or the time to look up some deals on CL) go with a large dog kennel. The cats can get up, lie down, turn around, and you can keep a kitty litter box in there for them. We drove cross country with our two cats and kept them in large travel kennels. They did just fine, and were comfortable enough for the trip (granted, we also had a big truck we could put them in). I would also be cautious about letting my cat loose in the car, simply because they might bolt if you open doors!

 

[Minnerbelle]

Thanks everyone for the awesome advice!

I like these:
http://www.amazon.com/collapsible-k...ie=UTF8&s=miscellaneous&qid=1271807089&sr=8-8

That looks freaking fantastic!!! I know the cat is in a forever hate relationship with crates, but I might be able to convince her that this is *her* special palace beforehand. I'm sure she'll complain plenty once confined in a car, but I have a feeling she'll be much more likely to give up and go to sleep in one of these if she's comfortable with it.

There are other non-drug alternatives, too, like tryptophan-based products and Vetri-Science's Composure.

Has anyone tried these? How effective have they been? I might have to try some and see how it works for her.

Watch the medical/prescription advice. Ace is NOT a drug to take lightly, and no one should consider giving it to any animal without a consultation and physical exam from a veterinarian.

No worries, was planning on it. And definitely a trial run would be in order if I choose to go that route. My cat would hate car rides for life if she had adverse reactions to it and she needed to stop by a vet's office on top of the long car ride. Last time she went to the vet's office just to get dewormer, she was dropped off in the morning and was supposed to be picked up late in the afternoon... but the vet was overwhelmed by the b**** she was and demanded that we "get the damn cat out of here!" much earlier than planned.

 

[der2002]

I like these:
http://www.amazon.com/collapsible-k...ie=UTF8&s=miscellaneous&qid=1271807089&sr=8-8

I would NOT under any circumstances open this unless the car doors are closed (you do NOT want to lose you kitty when on a pit stop). Some are big enough to place a small litter box in. Feed before you leave and again once you are done driving for the day. Keep water available in kennel.

maybe it's just the way it's photographed, but that collapsible kennel looks like a mini-iron lung to me...

 

[BlacKAT33]

I like these:
http://www.amazon.com/collapsible-k...ie=UTF8&s=miscellaneous&qid=1271807089&sr=8-8

I would NOT under any circumstances open this unless the car doors are closed (you do NOT want to lose you kitty when on a pit stop). Some are big enough to place a small litter box in. Feed before you leave and again once you are done driving for the day. Keep water available in kennel.

This looks awesome!! however, it looks exactly like my laundry basket that only cost me 20$ hahaha As far as i can see, there isn't anything special about it for pets, so maybe i could find a mesh laundry basket and use it for trips 😀

 

[cowgirla]

This looks awesome!! however, it looks exactly like my laundry basket that only cost me 20$ hahaha As far as i can see, there isn't anything special about it for pets, so maybe i could find a mesh laundry basket and use it for trips 😀

Now THATS a good idea. Throw in a couple cheap walmart pillows, and you are golden. Maybe sew on a strap that the seatbelts can go through, and hold it in place?

 

[BlacKAT33]

Now THATS a good idea. Throw in a couple cheap walmart pillows, and you are golden. Maybe sew on a strap that the seatbelts can go through, and hold it in place?

thats exactly what i was thinking!!! i found a lot of laundry baskets that would work for only 20$ and they are long 😀 they also have a strap to carry the bag so i will hook that on the seat belts like u said!! this is such a great idea im so happy now!! traveling with my cat guilt free 😀

 

[Bearby]

Has anyone tried these? How effective have they been? I might have to try some and see how it works for her.

I tried Composure with my cat, didn't help at all. That's not to say that it wouldn't work on some, but it didn't work on mine. My cat wasn't a screamer in the car, he just salivated constantly when he was stressed. I also tried lavendar because it's supposed to be calming, but always had to go back to the Ace. My cat had no side effects with the Ace, but I always felt bad drugging him. I can take him for short car rides now without him salivating...even though the only time he gets in the car now is to go to the vet...but I haven't taken a long trip with him in a couple of years. I'm a little concerned, if I get called off the waitlist at UPEI, about moving him that far. I think he might just have to fly with me and my parents would have to drive my car up later.

 

[Wolphcats]

I drove 1,200 miles with my 6 cats. We did the trip over three days. We stayed at pet friendly hotels. The best thing I found for my cats was to place a large mesh kennel in the back seat. I would then use two cat carries to ferry the cats from the room to the car, and visa versa. I was able to place a litter box in the large kennel, but they didn't use it. They held it until we got to the hotels. No sedation was needed. I hope my way helps you.

 

[Pouches Rock]

I think that if you want to go a 'carrier' route to look into alternative enclosures this is what I use:

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2753290

 

[StartingoverVet]

I drove 1,200 miles with my 6 cats. We did the trip over three days. We stayed at pet friendly hotels. The best thing I found for my cats was to place a large mesh kennel in the back seat. I would then use two cat carries to ferry the cats from the room to the car, and visa versa. I was able to place a litter box in the large kennel, but they didn't use it. They held it until we got to the hotels. No sedation was needed. I hope my way helps you.

My cats a pretty good trooper on trips but I have never gotten her to use the litter box in the car. She always uses it the minute we let her in the hotel/motel/whatever room.

Kind of worries me because the next trip is Los Angeles-Philadelphia , 2734 miles... with 2 dogs, 2 humans, and the cat.