moving

Question
In a few months my family will be moving across the country with our two cats.  It will be between a two and three day drive and I was wondering about the best way to make the move.  They haven't had a lot of experience in the car so I don't want to traumatize them too badly.  We don't have a lot of money at our disposal, but we want to make the move as smoothly as possible!

Thanks,
Bre

Answer
Bre,

The best thing to have is as large a dog carrier as you can fit comfortably in your car. One that you can put a shoebox size litterbox in, and towels, etc. that the cat can hide under. Also extra towels incase of an accident. Also drape sheets over the carrier so it is dark. When you stop offer the cat fresh water, especially if he has meowed a lot and his throat is dry. You can also leave the windows down if the cat is in a carrier.

The cat may meow for a VERY long time...or the cat may settle in quickly. It all depends on the personality and temperment of the cat. Some cats gets carsick, but I've never had that problem. But DO NOT feed the cat right before you leave or you WILL have problems! If a cat is a yowler he will eventually tire himself out and go to sleep. There are some cats who enjoy the car and enjoy looking out the window or laying on the backseat looking around. You just have to discover what kind of cat you have.

If you want to let the cat loose in the car, the MOST IMPORTANT thing to remember is NEVER put the car windows down more than about 2 1/2 to 3 inches!! A cat does not have any reasoning abilities and they do not know that if they jump out a window when the car is moving that they will more than likely be killed or severely injured. And a panicked cat can squeeze himself out of a VERY small area.

Do NOT let the cat get under your feet!! That can injure your cat and cause an accident if he gets behind the brake. Be firm about that...right away. Let him know that in front of you is off limits. Even if you have to spank his bottom...gently...to get him to understand and not to do it (but make sure you give him love after if you need to do that, so he is afraid to get under your feet, but NOT afraid of you!). It is VERY important!  Also make sure under your dash does NOT have any outlets that he can get out from. Sometimes areas of under the dash have paths that are open to the engine. You will lose your cat if there is!

A cat can zoom out of an opened car door before you even realize he's done it so BEFORE you open a door, hook a leash on the cat and secure him or put him in a carrier...with the cage door closed. Then you can roll down the windows or open the doors. Tape your cell phone number and address of your new home or the number of a relative JUST IN CASE the cat gets out when you are on the road.

Put a litterbox on the floorboard of the front or back seat. If a cat is nervous he may not be able to hold it. Or he can't go until he is relaxed, so be ready when he is. Taking him "for a walk" usually is not productive because there are too many things going on.

You can get Feliway or Feliway with Comfort Zone which is a cat calming spray that copies the calming pheromones of a cat rubbing his face. Spray a cat carrier (large one) about 30 minutes before putting the cat in it to keep him calm or the seats if your car. Humans can't smell it.

Here is a website with a great article on how to train your cat to use the walking jacket: (copy and paste, or type, the whole link into your address bar)

http://www.hdw-inc.com/leashtraining.htm

You can stop at a fast food place and get something like chicken to give to the cat . Offer the cat some and see if he eats it. If he does, then his nerves are doing OK. Don't give too much but a little at the time is good. Then offer water or maybe a little low-fat milk. The combination may make him sleepy and content, but too much may make him carsick. Going without food is not going to hurt him, but he should have something to drink periodically so he  doesn't get dehydrated.

Here are some good websites with further information on moving and traveling with your cat that you may also find helpful. You may want to print out some of the information to have it handy for reference when you are traveling:
(copy and paste, or type, the whole links into your address bar)

http://moving.about.com/od/movingwithdependents/a/pets_road.htm

http://www.sfspca.org/behavior/cat_library/movingwithyourcat.pdf

http://catnet.stanford.edu/articles/moving_by_car.html

Article about after the move:

http://www.wikihow.com/Keep-a-Cat-from-Running-Away-when-It-Is-Moved

If an indoor cat accidentally gets outside or if you move to a new location with your outdoor cat, it is very common that they will become lost - even if they are only 10 feet away from home if they have not had the opportunity to scent mark their outdoor territory. Make sure the cat checks out the outside area of the new home so he can put his scent on things so he knows where he lives. Also collar train the cat and put your new address and phone number taped on the collar incase he does get disoriented outside.

At the new home the cat needs to stay inside for 2 weeks to learn the new smells, noises, etc. of the new home. Then when you first let him out, leave the door cracked open so he can run back in if he gets scared. Let him venture out as he feels comfortable.


I hope this helps and that you have a safe trip.
Carol