My girlfriend is moving up here and she has a cat, so she's going to bring her. We're not sure if she's driving or flying but if she's driving the cat is going to be crated for at least eight to nine hours. What do you do with cats on long drives like that?
Posted: Sat May 19, 2012 12:10 pm
When I moved (just a mile away, though) we just put the cat in the car, no crate. She was pretty scared. A friend of mine sent her dog using a pet-shipping service and the dog came back like 20% skinnier and "looking like she'd been through a concentration camp."
Can you get a harness for the cat? Maybe take him/her out during rest stops on a leash.
When I moved (just a mile away, though) we just put the cat in the car, no crate. She was pretty scared. A friend of mine sent her dog using a pet-shipping service and the dog came back like 20% skinnier and "looking like she'd been through a concentration camp."
Can you get a harness for the cat? Maybe take him/her out during rest stops on a leash.
I think she's already got a leash but I'm worried about things like water and food, and litterbox, etc.
Posted: Sat May 19, 2012 12:20 pm
Hm. I would maybe give her one of those water feeders that you see on the side of hamster cages and some food. Then I'd bring bowls for both during rest-stops (and of course make sure she's leashed.)
Most states require cats to stay in crates for their own safety. If its that long of a trip have her get a crate that is twice the size of the cat so that she feels comfy. Line is with news paper and get the clip on food bowls and hook up a water bottle. My mother in law brings her cat and dogs with her when she comes up and its a 5-6 hour drive from there to here.
Posted: Sat May 19, 2012 4:29 pm
My sister let her cat hang out in her car when traveling. She kept a litter box in the back seat inside a little cat carrier and her cat would use it and she drove 8 hours one way. He cat was a shpnx hairless cat. I'm not sure how other cats would react but he is pretty mellow.
Drove a 24 hour trip, split in half (so pretty much two 12 hours with a good nights rest in between) with my cat. She refused to eat, drink, or use the bathroom at all on the way. Well, I got her to lick a little bit of wet food during the overnight break. But that's just my cat.
We got one of those disposable tin pans and filled it with litter for her to use on the way.. and a bottle of water and a bowl. (note to self: NEVER try to dump a styrofoam bowl out of the window when going down the highway)
Also had her on a harness and leash anytime she was out inside the car. Besides that, she mostly stayed inside her carrier looking pathetic and hating the world.
Posted: Sat May 19, 2012 5:56 pm
If the cat has never been outdoors then this is not the time to be leashing him and taking him out. If he's been on leash before you could take him out during pee stops. MAKE SURE to use a cat harness and not a collar, cats are GREAT at slipping out of collars.
I would get a larger crate, like a dog crate, and put the litter in one corner, buy or a get crate that comes with, food bowls that hang off the door of the cage. The cat would probably feels safest this way. But make sure that this crate is well anchored and does not move during acceleration and breaking. Especially with litter in there.
Make sure the cat is harnessed the entire time and your girl has a leash either way. On a plane she's going to have to hold the cat while the carrier goes through the x-ray machine that everything you take has to go on - and it's much easier to hold you cat while pushing everything through when there's a harness. The TSA can't help you, it's against their rules to touch your stuff. When I moved to FL I had to hold Sugar in one arm and push my carry ons/her carrier with the other.
In a car, ou never know when there will be an emergency, so even if she doesn't plan to take the cat out during the trip, it;s best to keep her harnessed and have a leash nearby.
Reply
