Cats and long car journey

FreeBear

Gloomendoom wrote: »

Not all cats hate car rides. I think, for some, it's more being cooped up than the actual journey they hate.

All the ones I have had have either not been bothered or appeared to enjoy them. I've discovered stowaways on more than one occasion.

Mum used to take her cat out for car rides - Would clip a lead to the collar so that the cat didn't dive down in the driver's footwell. Cat would be quite content to look out the window.

Later on, Mum would pop cat in to a canvas bag (with the collar & lead on) with its head sticking out and then climb on the bus for a two hour journey to visit Sis. Again, cat was quite content to watch the world go by through the window and get fussed by fellow passengers.

Slinky

Our childhood cat used to sit on the parcel shelf in the back of the car when we went to pick a relative up from work.

nicter

We were advised to keep the baskets covered with a sheet as cats can get motion sickness and if they cant see out of the car are more settled. It worked for a 3 hour journey transporting 3 of ours
Good luck

McKneff

Buy or borrow a biggger cat traveller and put them in together,

plenty of chat to them and they will be fine.

happysaz133

When we moved in 2008 it was a 2 hour ferry crossing then 5 hours in the car. We got sedatives from the vet for our cats. They only worked on one cat, he became very sleepy. The other became slightly drowsy but still miaowed the entire way! My Dad was threatening to put her out half way there, because she has such a whiney high pitched miaow, he was going mad.

So we're planning on moving this year again, although hopefully not as long a journey. We still have her, so hopefully any sedatives we use will work on her!

TBagpuss

does your friend knowhow these specific cats are with travel? Mu old cat was fine - he would meow for the first 10 minutes or so but as soon as he knew we weren't going to the vet he would settle down and snooze.
Once or twice when I hdd a passenger we put a harness and lead on him and he curled up on the passenger's lap (once convinced he wasn't going to get to sit on mine as I drove) and travelled that way. He generally travelled in his carried strapped into the front passenger seat, so he could see out of the carrier but probably not much out of the car.

Covering the carrier and having a blanket or something which smells familiar will probably help. You sitting in the back with them may help if they know you well so your scent / voice are familiar.

Most cats are very continent and fastidious and I think unlikely to use a litter tray n a confined space - I think unless they are elderly or have any health issues they will probably be fine for a 4 hour trip.

Catslovelycats

When I mived house it entailed a 4+hour car journey.
I put them in their baskets on the back seat (I didn't want to see them and potentially encourage them to cry at me).
I had gentle music playing and just drove. I stopped twice to check on them and that seemed to disturb them. Maybe I was lucky that they settled well.
I didn't have any problems with poo/wee.
(Oh, and I had 3 rats in the car too - in another basket in the front foot well!).

eilidhcatriona

Our cats have been on 10-11 hour journeys 4 times, and it's never been a big problem. We moved from Aberdeen to London (it took a few trips), and took them in the cab of the moving van with us, each in their individual box - we had 3 cats at the time. We did the same on the move back up. There was some shouting from Misty, but she was shouty at the best of times, but mostly they were fine - I don't think they slept much, but they were pretty calm. We only had one toilet accident in those journeys, and that was Misty on the move back to Aberdeen - she was 16 at the time. We forgave her, but Snoopy didn't - she'd managed to get some pee out of her box and onto him!!!


We had the radio on, and we were chatting away to each other and occasionally to the cats - I think that maybe helps, because although they're in a box in a noisy vehicle, they could still hear us talking away like at home, and we usually have tv or radio on at home, so there was some familiarity for them.


We also always drove at night - don't know if that made any difference, but it means the roads are quieter so makes a smoother journey.


We used Feliway spray when we moved down to London, but I really don't think it made any difference at all.

Feral_Moon

Gloomendoom wrote: »

Not all cats hate car rides. I think, for some, it's more being cooped up than the actual journey they hate.

All the ones I have had have either not been bothered or appeared to enjoy them. I've discovered stowaways on more than one occasion.

Quite! My cats used to love long car rides and like yours, loved to sit and watch the world go by whilst out on the road. When we moved home 250 miles, one curled up to sleep behind the seat while the other sat up on the dashboard of the lorry like a mascot :rotfl:

I appreciate not all cats are the same though and for nervous travellers I'd feel happier in sedating them for the journey.

rising_from_the_ashes

Ask your friend to have a look at Zyklene http://www.petdrugsonline.co.uk/dogs/stress-behaviour-and-travel/stress-and-anxiety-relief/zylkene-%28dog-cat%29

It's a supplement so won't do any harm - ideally it should be given a few days before and after the travelling to help maintain levels - and that should also help them settle into their new surroundings