Exercise R Us

Question:

We moved from Arizona to Indiana with our cat.  It took 3 days of driving. We had the litter box in the back seat but as many others have said she did not use it until we stopped for the night.  We also had her food and water available for her.   She eat a little would drink a little if my wife held it for her.  We tried keeping her in a carrier but she would not settle down.  We finally let her out and she would lay in between us for a while the she would go back to her carrier with the door open and sleep in it. Overall went really well.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->We moved in May from New Jersey to Indiana: a 10 1/2 hour drive in our Mazda >hatchback. Just about what you would be driving for each leg of your trip. >     1.  While on the road, how is the cat’s excretory functions to be > handled? What the best way to prevent going          in the car? >==>We had a litterbox set up in the back. Neither cat used the box the >entire trip. Too nervous/upset? >     2.  What about eating?  I wouldn’t deprive her of water or food, but > should I (is it OK to) limit these starting              the day of, the >day > before, the trip.  Figuring that the less she eats or drinks, the lower >the > potential of her          having an accident. >==>Pretty much the same as above. Supplied food and water, neither cat >wanted either. >     3.  Is it OK to give her a mild tranquilizer (and a stronger one for > me)? >==>We didn’t use them. >     4.  How to make life easier for both of us when it comes time to go >into > the carry box? >==>Let me know when you have the secret?  Snatch and dash??? >     5.  Should I let her loose in the car while I’m driving? >==>My husband and I drove together in one car. Most people do not recommend >it, but we did allow the cats out of their carriers while in the car. They >cried for the first hour or so and then settled down, one between the seats >between us and the other behind my husband’s seat on top of one of our >pillows. We only stopped once and took turns getting out of the car, while >the other stayed in the car. The cats were so scared of the trucks going by >we had no trouble with them wanting to get near the doors or windows. This >is what worked best for us. >     6.  What are my chances of training her to accept and walk with a > halter?  She is a house cat and is one of                   those very, >very > active type cats.  Not a lap type at all. >??????? >     7.  Any thing you care to add….. > Thanks, > Adam

Response:

<snip>We finally let her out and she would lay in between us for a while > the she would go back to her carrier with the door open and sleep in it. > Overall went really well.

Rick, this was the exact same reason why we let our guys out of their carriers. Once out of the carriers they were able to settle down. Lisa – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->We moved in May from New Jersey to Indiana: a 10 1/2 hour drive in our > Mazda >hatchback. Just about what you would be driving for each leg of your trip. >>     1.  While on the road, how is the cat’s excretory functions to be >> handled? What the best way to prevent going          in the car? >==>We had a litterbox set up in the back. Neither cat used the box the >entire trip. Too nervous/upset? >>     2.  What about eating?  I wouldn’t deprive her of water or food, but >> should I (is it OK to) limit these starting              the day of, the >day >> before, the trip.  Figuring that the less she eats or drinks, the lower >the >> potential of her          having an accident. >==>Pretty much the same as above. Supplied food and water, neither cat >wanted either. >>     3.  Is it OK to give her a mild tranquilizer (and a stronger one for >> me)? >==>We didn’t use them. >>     4.  How to make life easier for both of us when it comes time to go >into >> the carry box? >==>Let me know when you have the secret?  Snatch and dash??? >>     5.  Should I let her loose in the car while I’m driving? >==>My husband and I drove together in one car. Most people do not recommend >it, but we did allow the cats out of their carriers while in the car. They >cried for the first hour or so and then settled down, one between the seats >between us and the other behind my husband’s seat on top of one of our >pillows. We only stopped once and took turns getting out of the car, while >the other stayed in the car. The cats were so scared of the trucks going by >we had no trouble with them wanting to get near the doors or windows. This >is what worked best for us. >>     6.  What are my chances of training her to accept and walk with a >> halter?  She is a house cat and is one of                   those very, >very >> active type cats.  Not a lap type at all. >??????? >>     7.  Any thing you care to add….. >> Thanks, >> Adam

Response:

We moved in May from New Jersey to Indiana: a 10 1/2 hour drive in our Mazda hatchback. Just about what you would be driving for each leg of your trip. >     1.  While on the road, how is the cat’s excretory functions to be > handled? What the best way to prevent going          in the car?

==>We had a litterbox set up in the back. Neither cat used the box the entire trip. Too nervous/upset? >     2.  What about eating?  I wouldn’t deprive her of water or food, but > should I (is it OK to) limit these starting              the day of, the day > before, the trip.  Figuring that the less she eats or drinks, the lower the > potential of her          having an accident.

==>Pretty much the same as above. Supplied food and water, neither cat wanted either. >     3.  Is it OK to give her a mild tranquilizer (and a stronger one for > me)?

==>We didn’t use them. >     4.  How to make life easier for both of us when it comes time to go into > the carry box?

==>Let me know when you have the secret?  Snatch and dash??? >     5.  Should I let her loose in the car while I’m driving?

==>My husband and I drove together in one car. Most people do not recommend it, but we did allow the cats out of their carriers while in the car. They cried for the first hour or so and then settled down, one between the seats between us and the other behind my husband’s seat on top of one of our pillows. We only stopped once and took turns getting out of the car, while the other stayed in the car. The cats were so scared of the trucks going by we had no trouble with them wanting to get near the doors or windows. This is what worked best for us. >     6.  What are my chances of training her to accept and walk with a > halter?  She is a house cat and is one of                   those very, very > active type cats.  Not a lap type at all.

??????? – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->     7.  Any thing you care to add….. > Thanks, > Adam

Response:

Hi Adam, I’ve traveled with a cat to/from Virginia and Key West (3 day, 2 night) without a problem.  However, when she was a kitty, I’d purposely taken her on short drives to get her accustomed to the car/driving.  As an adult she still didn’t care much for traveling.  It usually took her about 15 minutes on the road before she quieted down.  She did NOT tolerate the carrier.  I didn’t have a problem getting her into it but she would not stop yowling until I let her out.  I only used it to carry her into/out of motels.  Anyway, she spent most of her time cat-napping in the passenger’s seat. I carried a litter box in the back of the car – that she totally ignored until we stopped for the night, checked into a motel, and she had a chance to settle down.  She also wouldn’t touch food or water until the evenings.  Even then, she didn’t eat or drink very much.  (Not too much in the litter box in the mornings.)  Unless your cat is prone to ‘accidents’ (mine wasn’t) I wouldn’t worry about that aspect of things. And, unless your cat is a big eater or drinker (mine wasn’t) I wouldn’t limit the amount of food or water the day before the trip. From what you’ve said about your cat (very active, hates to travel, doesn’t like the carrier) I would definitely ask your vet about a tranquilizer.  I would also keep the cat in the carrier – especially since it’s hard to get it into and out of one and, it’s not a ‘lap type’ of cat.  Also, it’s much safer for both you and the cat.  Using a tranquilizer and the carrier should eliminate the possibility of ‘accidents.’  Bring along a litter box and put it in your room at night.  Regarding food and water, chances are the cat will be too nervous to want anything while your on the road.  Again, unles your cat is a big eater/drinker, it wouldn’t hurt to make the offer.  (I did.) Forget about training the cat to use a halter.  There is no way the cat will want ’stretch its legs’ during rest stops.  Also, you don’t want to be taking it out of and in to the carrier. A few more suggestions: If you decide to use a tranquilizer, try it BEFORE you make the trip. You need to see how the cat reacts to it, comes off of it, and how long it’s effective.  You also need to make sure it doesn’t cause any problems.  (If you decide not to use a tranquilizer, buy a pair of heavy leather gloves, keep the cat in the carrier, and use ear plugs!) Make sure that, while in the car, your cat or the cat carrier are not in direct sunlight for very long.  One time, I glanced over at my cat and she was panting!  I had the AC on and the air temp. in the car was comfortable but, because she was laying in direct sunlight, she got too hot. Hope this helps and good luck! lee – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> In about 3 months my wife and I will be driving to Florida from NJ.  We will > be taking our cat with us.  The only times the cat has been in her carry box > has been when we do our annual visit to the vet.  Needless-to-say, the cat > has never been too happy about this trip.  Getting her into the carry box > has been increasingly difficult.  So, I would like to hear whatever you > folks have to say about taking a two day (with one over night motel stay) > trip that will probably cause my cat more concerns than I have right now. > Some of the things I’d like to hear about are: >     1.  While on the road, how is the cat’s excretory functions to be > handled? What the best way to prevent going          in the car? >     2.  What about eating?  I wouldn’t deprive her of water or food, but > should I (is it OK to) limit these starting              the day of, the day > before, the trip.  Figuring that the less she eats or drinks, the lower the > potential of her          having an accident. >     3.  Is it OK to give her a mild tranquilizer (and a stronger one for > me)? >     4.  How to make life easier for both of us when it comes time to go into > the carry box? >     5.  Should I let her loose in the car while I’m driving? >     6.  What are my chances of training her to accept and walk with a > halter?  She is a house cat and is one of                   those very, very > active type cats.  Not a lap type at all. >     7.  Any thing you care to add….. > Thanks, > Adam

Response:

Hi My husband and i have both traveled with both of our cat’s. My older cat baby has gone from montana to oregon back to montana, then to new mexico she seem’s to like ot travel espically at night when she can look at all the car lights. My younger cat squirt doesn’t like to travel as much at frist she cry’s and cry’s until she get’s car sick then after that she is fine. We don’t put them in a cat carrier because we feel that is very cruel. We give them food and water evne while we are driving. try to take your cat’s for a drive before you leave and see how the react… — Razz – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – >In about 3 months my wife and I will be driving to Florida from NJ.  We will >be taking our cat with us.  The only times the cat has been in her carry box >has been when we do our annual visit to the vet.  Needless-to-say, the cat >has never been too happy about this trip.  Getting her into the carry box >has been increasingly difficult.  So, I would like to hear whatever you >folks have to say about taking a two day (with one over night motel stay) >trip that will probably cause my cat more concerns than I have right now. >Some of the things I’d like to hear about are: >    1.  While on the road, how is the cat’s excretory functions to be >handled? What the best way to prevent going          in the car? >    2.  What about eating?  I wouldn’t deprive her of water or food, but >should I (is it OK to) limit these starting              the day of, the day >before, the trip.  Figuring that the less she eats or drinks, the lower the >potential of her          having an accident. >    3.  Is it OK to give her a mild tranquilizer (and a stronger one for >me)? >    4.  How to make life easier for both of us when it comes time to go into >the carry box? >    5.  Should I let her loose in the car while I’m driving? >    6.  What are my chances of training her to accept and walk with a >halter?  She is a house cat and is one of                   those very, very >active type cats.  Not a lap type at all. >    7.  Any thing you care to add….. >Thanks, >Adam

Response:

<In about 3 months my wife and I will be driving to Florida from NJ. We will be taking our cat with us. The only times the cat has been in her carry box has been when we do our annual visit to the vet. Needless-to-say, the cat has never been too happy about this trip. Getting her into the carry box has been increasingly difficult. So, I would like to hear whatever you folks have to say about taking a two day (with one over night motel stay) trip that will probably cause my cat more concerns than I have right now. Some of the things I’d like to hear about are: