traveling with a cat

Question
I will be moving states in a few months and I was wondering what I needed to do to prepare her for the move.  Do I need to get health papers or something? Also, she is a very nervous cat.  Would sedating her for the trip be a good idea?  She seems to do okay on short trips, but this trip will be in excess of eight hours.  Thank you for your help!

Answer
Cindy,

I am assuming you are driving?

If she is up to date on all her shots (expecially rabies), she should be OK, but a health certificate would not be a bad idea, especially when you visit your new vet, who will want to know her vacciantion records and any treatments she has had in the past. Most states do not inspect when you cross the border (excpet California and Arizona), so the health papers showing rabies vaccination would be a good idea if you are traveling to one of these states.

Cats do very well traveling and normally should not be sedated. We use a large carrier with a litter pan in the back, and, normally, the cats just go to sleep after a couple of hours or so.

Best regards... Norm.