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My guy cat is small, weighs about 6 lbs due to ill health and can fit in my carrier but he will probably pee there. Hardly room for a litter box AND food. Would cat go in a small plastic disposible litter box? The drive is about 3 hours. Do I need to bring
scratching post? I dont want to leave him in carrier all day, while I am out. He might not function well. I could bring the regular litter box in my car and let him out occasionally.
Do I worry too much?
Don’t know about a scratching post, but definitely bring a small litter box and a soft bed he can lie on. On our cross country move, I bought along a bunch of paper litter boxes from Amazon and tossed them each day. It’s really convenient and I hated to go back to a regular plastic box.
I’m thinking of my three big boys, they would happily go anywhere, but your cat may be extremely finicky about a cat box so maybe you could ‘seed’ it with some used litter so he can smell it. Your little guy sounds like he might benefit from relaxing herbal remedies too.
Years ago, my spouse and I relocated for career reasons from another part of the state. At the time, we had our first cat, who has since gone to “The Rainbow Bridge.”
We had to transport our cat to our new residence which was roughly 6-7 hours away, by car.
We decided to place her into a carrier and have her accompany us on the drive.
After the movers came and moved our items into the truck from our old residence, we spent the last night in our old residence, sleeping on the floor in sleeping bags with our cat. We woke up the next morning and moved the final remaining items to our car.
We placed our cat in a carrier and into the back seat of our car, she was visibly nervous as she has not taken many car rides with us. We placed a towel over the carrier and my spouse sat in the back seat with her.
We drove off and our cat handled the first part of the drive well. After 2.5 hours, we stopped for an early lunch at a roadside fast food restaurant. The weather was a nice 70 degrees F that day and sunny. We took our cat out of the car and placed her on top of one of the outside dining tables to let her feel the sun. She looked content.
We ate lunch and also fed our cat some dry food. Her appetite was minimal as she was nervous. We finished lunch, obtained gasoline and proceeded to finish up the final portion of the drive.
We arrived at our destination about 3 hours later - a hotel that would accept pets. We moved our items into the room along with our cat. We let our cat out of the carrier and let her roam the new surroundings. At first, she hid and then after a few minutes, started to roam around the room. She drank water, ate some food and used the litter box. She then fell asleep.
It was our first long trip with a cat, but it worked out well.
Yes, I've taken my late kitty, Tommy, on several 5 hour road trips to my parent's home and back another 5 hours. I do stop to give him a break and check if he needs to do his business. I always know when he needs to stop because he starts howling and it gets louder the more he has to hold it in. Towards the end of the drive I let him roam free in the car. He was really good not to climb onto my lap or on my shoulders while I was driving. All I had to do was push him ever so slightly away from me and he figured out he wasn't to climb on me. Was always that way.
Also I have taken him on the plane with me twice and put him under the seat in front of me in a soft sided carrier. He was between my feet so he knew I was right there. Not a peep for the whole trip although he did pee in the carrier on the towel I put in there for him. That time, no howling. Its like he knew not to make a sound on the plane.
One time we flew and there was a 45 minute line through security, and then the plane was late by another 45 minutes but he sat quietly in the carrier the whole time.
Security even pat him down. When I took him out of the carrier there was a lot of attention for him. You know, ooohhh, cute.
Your cat sounds like a good candidate for a trip. In my long experience with cats, they don't like being caged. A big cage might work, 2 x 2 x 2 or bigger.
My wife and I traveled 2000 miles with our two cats. We let them be free in the car. Shelly settled in on the back seat floor and let the rhythm of the road keep her sleeping. Bizzie liked to sit on the cargo cover and watch the world go by. We had a small litter box in the car.
In the pet friendly motels/hotels we let them roam free. Of course their litter box was accessible.
They didn't have scratching issues. Once one of them decided to hide under the bed and it was a bit of a task getting her out. But we were pleasantly surprised at how well they traveled. No yowling, no climbing the seats, just cruising.
Thank you all for advice. My cat adjusted nicely to the trip. No problems. He was scared the first day in the hotel, needed TLC, and then was okay. Silent in the car ride carrier.
I moved from suburb to the city and I have to take my cat in the car,driving on the highway,he cant handle the speed,so he will get down to find my pedal and try to remove my foot.
I was driving like 60 miles an hour,he cant take it.
It is not funny,we could end up in an accident
My vet suggested that I take my cat with me on a road trip about 3 hours one way-- rather than pay someone to care for him at home. He is quiet and sleeps usually, needs medicine daily.
I have never taken a cat anywhere, except to a veterinarian --Have you, in a car? and Stayed in a hotel?.
Had a cat with serious medical issues: travelled all over half of the states with him for years.
All our relatives and friends knew that if they want to see us - we are coming with the cat..
Had him in all kinds of hotels and motels - even sneaking him in ones which normally don’t accept pets -if we had no choice - you should know your cat better if you could do it.
If he is well trained litter box wise and doesn’t scratch furniture - you may trim nails or buy the claw clips to prevent that if your cat does it.
There is more acceptance of pets in hotels nowadays. Easier.
We made sure to clean every speck of litter - unscented - as the scented types stunk the rooms.
Use the lint brushes to clean the hair if the cat sat on it. The cat was well brushed and groomed - very tidy.
You may try to take him on short rides in your neighborhood - to get him adjusted to car and observe him, get him used to rides - then take it on longer trips.
We didn’t do it - the first ride ever was 4 hours - heard some yelling for a bit - complaining - then it quiet it down and settled on the lap - with the outdoor flat and larger pillow under him.
That became a traveling pillow - but you don’t need to use it if the cat is smaller - it is mostly for your comfort
Other even larger cat - was given thick cosy blanket in the back seats - that one didn’t like to be on the lap - too large for comfort
The cat was trained to walk on the leash - for walks in the nature at rest areas.
Had a classy discreet looking cat bag - black, duffel looking, well made and comfy inside with Sherpa type bedding - with netting window for cat to see out discreetly for transferring him into a hotel without anyone noticing.
Looks like luggage.
In the car - he was out of the bag, the litter box behind the front seat or in the back - with back sits down - just in case - if the cat kidney/diabetes problem - they may need to pee more often.
It is doable to travel with the cat. The longest ride was 20 hours in the car with some stops but no overnights
If the weather is acceptable - we could even leave him in a car next to the restaurant we went to have a bite. Never for longer than it takes to have a meal and never overnight in the car.
If the cat has kidney problems and you are afraid of leakage in the car/bag - buy adult bedding pads at Walmart - lay it out inside that bag to catch spills or accidents Or cover your back seats with them - then lay a blanket over -the pads are made thick and comfy - large enough for a person - over Sherpa lining- if you keep the cat in a bag - some cats prefer confinement of the bag
Treat him like a baby.
Last edited by L00k4ward; 10-29-2022 at 08:21 AM..
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